New-York tribune., 1921-06-10
Dock Builders
Strike Settled
OnReducedPay
Compromise Reached After
Three Months May BE
Followed by Starting of
Delayed Port Projects
I215 Per Gent Reduction
1000 Men in Two Unions
Affected: To Reinstaae
Workers During Strike

The strike of dockbuilders in effect
st the Port of New York fer more than
three months past has just been set
fled on a compromise basis offered by
the employers, which will reduce the
easts Of construction and is expected
70 lead to the inauguration OF much
rev work.
At the beginning of March the Con-
tracting pockbuilders' Association, in
view Of the fact that the high cost of
water front improvements was restrict
;ns projects for the extension Of port
facilities. and for the purpose of re-
6ucing these costs. announced reduc-
tion effective March on all new work,
as follows:
Foremen, from s54 to SAT for forty
sight-hour week, engineers from S54 to
s45 week and dockbuilders from 81 to
so cents an hour. Overtime was to be
reduced from double time to time and
half rates, and extra shifts were to
be paid single time. These reductions
were not to apply to work already IN
der way.
Employers Terms Refused
The reduction was fatty refused,
however, and a strike was instituted
by the local unions of the Dock and
Pier Carpenters and the Steam and
Operating Engineers, representing
ABOUT 1000 men. The contractors then
proceeded to hire men at the new scale
on an open shop basis and had no
difficulty in getting them. Some diff
culties were met with, however, the
contractors claim, through intimidation
OF the non union workers, and repre-
sentatives of the association met with
representatives of the unions to con-
slider q compromise offer from the en-
ployers.
This provided for forty -eight-hour
week with payment at the rate of 877a
cents an hour for the dockbuiiders and
81 an hour for the engineers and fore
men. the forty-eight-hou week being
effective except from June to Septen-
work alternately eight hours Satur-
days. The old double time rate for
overtime was conceded and provision
was made that the foremen might or
might not be members of the union.
Compromise Finally Made
The local unions refused this offer
also, and the association then decided
TO suspend negotiations with them and
take the matter up with the interna-
tional officers. The compromise was
accordingly laid before the officers of
the brotherhood of Carpenters and
Joiners, who referred. it back to the
Unions and it was again rejected
Last week. however, the local unions
expressed desire to take the matter
up again with view to settlement, and
on Tuesday last the executive commit
tee of the dockbuilders' association
met in conference with committees OF
the two unions, and agreements were
signed on the basis of the compromise
These will be in force until January
Is, 1922, with the provision that they
shall continue during each calendar
year thereafter, unless on or before
November / of each year written no
tees of proposed changes shall be
served On either party.
Under the new agreement a wage
cut of about 1919 per cent becomes eff
fective. The unions agree to reinstate
members who worked during the
strike, and members of the dockbuild-
ers' association are at liberty to retain
any workman until the completion of
the job on which he is employed.