New-York tribune., 1920-04-01
Strikers Will
Tie Up Harbor
Ferries TODAY
Union Leaders Declare That
Erie's Boats Will Stop
Moving at 8 A. M. and
That Others Will Follow

Ferryboats, tugs. lighters and every
other kind Of floating equipment of the
Erie Railroad at this port will stop
running at s o'clock this morning be-
cause of strike Of harbor workers.
The order for the walkout was given
last night following a meeting of
committee of the Marine Workers AZ
filiation, the American Association of
Masters, Mates and Pilots and the
Railroad Port and Terminal Workers
at 26 Park Place. The union men OBJ
jected to an alleged sale by the Erie
system of several of its craft which in
volved the lengthening Of their work
ing hours and which they regarded as
an opening wedge in an alleged at
tempt on the part of the railroads gen.
orally to deprive them of the eight
hour day.
Captain William A. Maher, head of
the Masters, Mates and Pilots, said last
night that unless an avowal on the part
of the other railroads that they in
tended to retain the eight-hour sched-
ule was promptly forthcoming a strike
would be called against all the other
systems.
May Tie Up Ferryboats
The present walkout will affect about
500 engineers, captains, oilers, fremen.
deckhands, floatmen and cooks en-
Erie system. Union leaders say that
ct the hour announced for the strike
the twelve ferryboats operated by the
Erie across the Hudson between Cham
bers Street and Twenty-third Street,
Manhattan, and Pavonia Avenue, Jer-
sey City, will be tied up to their slips
and deserted by their crews. About
forty other boats owned by the rail-
road will also be rtLiered idle.
Unless the railroad officials have
been forewarned and have taken
remedial measures all freight and pas
senger traffic via this line will be
brought to q standstill, and the COM
muters and early morning freight car
avans that usually pour into the Erie
ferry houses from Jersey towns will
be forced to use other railroad tormi-
nails. 1t was said by officials Of the
system this morning that an attempt
will be made to run some Of their
ferries. 1t was asserted that about
100000 persons cross the Hudson daily
by the Erie route.
Longer Hours lOr Men
The strike order came as a surprise.
1t was explained by Captain Maher that
several days ago the Erie Railroad
transferred or sold seven tugs and five
steam lighters to Charles K. Stewart,
Of the Phoenix Transportation Com
pany, at 80 Church Street. Stewart i'm
mediately on obtaining "so-called pos
session" Of these boats, according to
Maher, ordered all employees to work
ten and twelve hours instead Of re.
tanning the eight-hour schedule en-
jOyed by the men under the agreement
with the railroads. The harbor work
ers, he said, question the authenticity
Of this sale or transfer and consider 1t
the first move on the part of the rail-
roads, using the Erie as q tool, to de-
prvc the union boatmen of the eight
hour day
Maher asserted that there was a
great likelihood Of the entire harbor
being crippled before the day was
over.
The continued use Of railroad floats
employing union crews at the piers of
the United Fruit Company, against
which Il strike has been in force for
about week, resulted yesterday In
the decision Of the Port and Terminal
Workers to call a strike against all
railroad craft 20 used
Irving Cadmus, marine supcrintend-
ent Of the United Fruit Company. says
that the firm has operated open piers
for fifty years and would probably con-
tinue TO do so indefinitely, regardless
Of any action that may be taken by the
workers.
The strike against the Erie, it was
stated by union heads, will undoubtedly
break Of all the negotiations that had
beeu proceeding for the last three
weeks between the marine workers and
! the railroads for new wage scale.