The sun., 1919-01-22
GARMENT WORKERS
STRIKE, $4,000 OUT
Entire Business in Greater
City Tied Up by Walkout,
Which May Spread.
DEMAND INCREASED PAY
Also Insist That Manufacture
ers Shall Not Have Right
T. of Discharge.

The entire dress and waist rnannfac-
turing business OF Greater New York was
completely crippled yesterday when 3d.
900 workers, mostly women and girls,
went on strike.
To-day the factories OF the city VIII
ee picketed. and special instructions
given the employees at meetings held IN
twenty-nine halls yesterday. warn them
against violence.
Unless the War Labor Board or some
nther body Of Cancellation tntervenes, tho
strike promises TO be long one, for the
workers and their employers are hope
lessly at loggerheads over tho right TO
discharge the girls. though this point ac-
,ually Is not specifically included in the
demands made by the strikers.
Yesterday noon, after every factory In
the city was closed. there seemed a
slight possibility that the dispute might
be arb.trated, for a statement was given
out by B. Maruchess. labor manager for
the Dress and Waist Manufacturers AS
aociation. saying the manufacturers were
ready TO go into conference with tho
union leaders to discuss terms OF settle
mont That statement, along with con-
siderable more Mr. Maruchess had TO
say about the garment workers was
printed in the afternoon papers, and
then MI Maruchess denied Il.
The fact is. however, a group of man.
ufacturers did call upon Benjamin
n A.
tional Ladies' Garment Workers Union.
in his Office at 81 Union Square yester-
day afternoon, and told him they were
anxious to obtain a settlement
Strikers Mostly Women.
About 90 per cent. OF the strikers are
women and girls in their teens The
strike order came carly in the morning,
and they poured out Of the sweatshops IN
The lower East Side and the bigger fac
tories up town and massed into Union
Square. 1t was bit like holiday.
The girls knew the time for the walkout
was scheduled for yesterday. and so wen:
TO work, dressed In their Sunday best.
In this attire, quite unlike the popular
movie idea of a shopgirl. they marched
up Fifth avenue and Broadway singing.
laughing and cheering. with banners ad
Vertising the strike.
In Webster Hall about 5000 OF them
oongregated. and were listed for picket
ing to-day. Others mot in Stuyvesant
Casino, Mansion Hall, Manhattan Ly-
ceun. Casino Hall, Progress Casino,
Fulton Hail. Remington Hall, Lenox
Assembly Hall. Laurel Garden, Bronx
Casino. London Casino, Brooklyn La Dor
Lyceun. Royal Palace Hall and the New
Plaza Hall in Brooklyn. The Browns
Vile workers went to the Brownsville
Labor Lyceum and in South Brooklyn
TO Longo's Hall.
Extra police will observe the picketing
to-day. but little disorder 10 expected.
The girls say there are not enough
workers available to cause any trouble
Those who are on strike are cutters.
operators. sample makers. diapers, ex-
aminers. hem stitchers. lace runners
sinishers cleaners. pressers, button hole
makers and button sewers
Unionists to Lend Aid.
There are 100000 affiliated with this
union, about a fourth OF whom are in
this city. All tho others will contribute
TO the support of the workers on strike.
Nearly 10000 employed in allied trades
that depend upon the work OF those on
strike arc expected to be out by the end
OF the week
the strike to last, President Schlesinger
OK the workers said:
-As long as 1t takes to bring the manu-
Sacturers to their senses. We have
enough money 10 keep our workers on
strike Indefinitely. We are the fourth
largest union in the American Fedora
ton OF Labor. We have the support OF
every garment maker from coast to
coast and haven't the slightest doubt
that We will win this strike"
The women and girls on strike aver
ags about $40 a week the year around
FOR the working year of the trade Is
about eeven and a half months They
are employed on the piece work has
and work about forty-nine hours a
week Because the building trades al
low husky men to work only forty-fou-
hours outside, the girls who run the
machines IN the sweatshops feel thew
should work no longer than that. and
ask corresponding increase in pay so
mat they will earn as much in that
time as they do under the presen,
schedule. This amounts to about Is per
cent
Another point and 10 their minds n
very important one, Is the demand that n
union official be allowed to Inspect the
chops at reasonable hours to determine
whether they are sanitary. safe places OF
employment. The report OF the board of
sanitation Of the union. issued a little
while ago. declares that $50 Of the sweat
shops are extremely dirty. and that ia
arc serious fire traps. This latter Is par
iculsrly important to the workers. who
remember the Triangle disaster OF a few
years ago.