New-York tribune., 1920-04-16
All Buildings and Apart
ment Houses, Except
City Structures, Hos
pitfalls, Hotels Affected
More Pay, 8.Hour
Day Are Demands
Men and Women Join
Walk-Out; Full Backing
of A. F. of L. Promised

Eighteen thousand elevator operators
in Office buildings, department stores,
apartment houses and industrial cstab-
lishments have been ordered to leave
their posts at O'Clock this morning in
strike to force increases in wages
and changes in working conditions
Hospitals and city departments will
not be affected. The large hotels are
not likely to suffer on the first day of
the strike because of the fact that the
elevator operators in them belong to
separate organization.
The strike was set for this morning
at meeting last night of the Eleva-
tor Starters and Operators Union. at
Arlington Hail. 19 St. Marks Place.
More than 1000 operators attended
and so jammcd the hall that an over
flow meeting in the annex was neces-
sary
Postponement Is Refused
Although James E. Roach, local or
ganizer of the American Federation of
Labor. attempted to persuade the men
and women assembled to postpone the
strike for another twenty-four hours
further discussion with the Building
Managers and Owners Association, he
declared that should the union decide
to strike at once the strike would have
the official sanction of the American
Federation of Labor. He read letter
from Samuel Gompers, president of the
Federation, ndorsing the strike The
letter was wildly cheered by the union
lists.
Thomas j. McGill. president of the
union. presided at the meeting and sup
have the strike postponed. The strike
sentiment, however, was so great that
both leaders were overruled. The vote
TO strike was unanimous.
Demands by Union
Following is the proposed weekly
wage scale demanded by the men and
the present scale:
OFFICE BUILDINGS
Assistant starter ........ $500 - 80
Hallmen operators ......... $3.50 $50
Elevator operators ........ $50 25 80
LOFT BUILDINGS, APARTMENT HOUSES,
Starter ................s $4,000 s25. 90
Assistant starter ....... 5000 $500
Operators ............... $500 22.25
In addition to the new wage SCALE
the men demand the eight-hour day
and time and half for overtime.
At the conclusion of the meeting Nc
Gill announced that the number of
those expected to strike this morning
will be between $4,000 and 10000
Our membership is about 1S,OOo,"
walk out general and complete by pull
ing out every elevator operator and
starter in New York City and Brook
lyn."
The demands of the men were sub
mittcd to the building owners and
managers on April with the request
that reply be sent to the union as
soon as possible. Some individual
owners agreed to meet with the union
and arbitrate the differences. The
Building Managers and Owners Asso-
citation, however, in statement made
public yesterday, refused to meet the
wage demands of the union and pro-
posed a scale Of its own
William j. Clancy, chairman of tho
ways and means committee of the
union, announced last night that all
owners and managers Of buildings de-
string to settle with the union will be
requested to appear at the unions
headquarters, 1876 Third Avenue, to
meet regularly appointed StTlkc COM
mittec and sign a contract. No other
form or method of settlement will be
acceptable, said Clancy. This was in
tcrprctcd as meaning that the union
will not consent to deal with the Man
ayers and Owners Association in a
body.
Quit Posts in Rush Hour
Several thousand men and women
employed in the Battery Park Build
ing, "a State Street, and the Maritime
Building, and 10 Bridge Street, were
J Inconvenience last night when twelve
operators and two starters left their
posts at the rush hour. Both build
ings are elcvcn-story structures. Hun
drcds were compelled to walk down the
stairs after ringing the elevator bells
in vain.
William Moir, superintendent of both
buildings, pressed into service men
from the engine rooms and porters, ard
normal service was resumed after an
hours interruption.
1t became known yesterday that the
managers of many Office buildings. in
anticipation Of the strike, have trained
electricians, mechanicians and porters
employed in the buildings to take the
places Of the strikers. Many Of the
former will probably be impressed into
service in buildings throughout the
city this morning.
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