New-York tribune., 1920-03-14
Longshorenen
Strike Ties Up
Coastal Lines
Thirty Ships Cease Taking
on Cargo When 1000
Workers Quit to Enforce
Demand for ST. ;,n Hour
Other Ports Threatened
Mes, Voting Along Whole
Atlantic Seaboard; Can
not Give in, Owners Say

All eoastwise shipping from the Port
OF New York was brought to q stand
still yesterday as a result Of the walk
out OF 1000 longshoremen. stcvedorcs
and checkers, whose demands for an
increase in pay and q cut In working
hours were refused by ship owners.
The strike, it was admitted by ship
Ding men, has tied up more than thirty
vessels engaged in the costwise trade
Mt this port alone. Union leaders say
that g strike vote is being taken by
locals in cities along the coast and
that a day or two will see the Grip
p:ing OF every port on the Atlantic sea-
board from Portland, Me-, to Calves
ton, Tex.
Cannot Meet Terms Employers Say
4. r. Richardson, vice president of
the Ocean Steamship Company and
spokesman for the Steamship Man.
what may, it was impossible for the
coastwise operators to meet the de-
mands of the workers, who ask 81 an
hour instead OF the present rate Of 65
cents. and $3.50 for overtime in place
of the present scale of 81. Besides, he
said. it was up to the longshoremcn
to abide by the award of the National
not expire until September 30.
Joseph P. Ryan, president of the
Atlantic Coast section of the Interna-
tional I.ongshoremen's Association, who
with A. j. Chlopek, vice-pr csident of
the international, is conducting the
strike. says that the ship owners had
promised 10 raise the wages Of the
the lines were turned back by the
government. 1t is asserted by the
union leaders that there is no differ
ence IN the work Of the deep sea men
and tho coastwiso lougshoremen, and
that pay of the coastwise workers
should at least equal that Of the deep
sea men, who get 80 cents an hour FOR
an eight day, and $l.20 for over
time.
The lines affected by the walk-out,
according to Mr.. Richardson, were the
Clyde, Mallory. Savannah, Morgan,
Fall River, southern Pacific and the
Merchants and Miners Transportation
Company, which operates from Balti-
more. Five vessels. he said, were load
ed before the walk-out started, and
when these have sailed there will be
no further vessel movements until the
controversy has been settled. OF the
thirty craft now Idle. twelve arc filed
with cargoes of cotton ard other raw
-perishable products tota]inC ap
proximately 1900 tons. Some Of these
cargoes consist Of manufactured prod
ucts destined FOR Southern and for
eign ports, and their detention will in
terfere indirectly with transatlantic
shipping.
Mr.. Richardson said that q tie-up
of tho entire Atlantic seaboard would
render idle about ninety vessels, but
would not affect Il dozen vessels rum
ming TO Porto Rico and Key West.
Union leaders assert that the trouble
has been making since the National
Adjustment Commission in its award
to the longshoremen last October
created a dtfercntial in the wages of
the coastwise workers and deep-sea
workers. They contend there is no
difference in the work done. and that
the differential has been the cause Of
constant discontent
Mr. Ryan said that The demands Of
the three locals of coastwise workers,
915 and S95 and 1917, which is
checkers union, have been before the
shipowners since October. The deci-
sion of the employees, as given in a
statement made by Mr.. Richardson OH
Monday, refusing 70 grant any in
crease, resulted in the walkout.
ave have reached the end Of our
string" said Mr. Richardson yesterday,
in explaining the stand Of the owfers.
we simply cannot afford to give the
men more money under present condf-
tons. We have promised to increase
the pay Of our employees as soon as
the Interstate Commerce Commission
decides to allow US to increase our
freight rates. We expect a decision by
March 20. The men do not understand
that we have keen comp, vition to meet
in railroads and canal systems and that
it is impossible for US to grant the