The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1921-04-05
STRIKE HITS FIFTY
BOSTON PRINT SHOPS
2121 Workers in Various De-
partments Quit Over Wage
Reduction.
BOTH SIDES STAND FIRM
Workers Point That Scale Is
Less Than That in Other
Big Cities.
BOTH SIDES STAND FIR

Boston, April 4.--Union leaders said
tonight that 2.121 printers, bindery
workers and eiectro,ypers had cult work
in fifty shops to-day as a protest against
reduction in wages. No movement
looking toward a settlement had been
made tonight and the spokesman for
the employers said the only means OF
settlement would be acceptance OF the
employers terms by the strikers.
Sylvester J. Mcbride. president Of the
Boston Typographical Union. said the
strike was a protest against the arbi-
trary reduction in wages" He criticised
an advertisement by members OF the
Boston Typothetae to the effect that
with the wage reduction would coma
a reduction in the cost of printing.
TN other words" he continued. they
arbitrarily take money out Of the work
ers. envelopes and give II to the printing
consuming public. If tho printers and
bindery workers OF Boston were receiv-
ing anywhere near the wages paid the
same class of workers IN other cities OF
like Importance there might have been
some justification for discussion OF
wass reductions based OF, the cost OF
living, but no justification can be found
when tho TRUE facts are made public.
Fay Less Than other Cities.
.srhese men and women have been re-
csivfng $40 a week less than the same
class Of workers in Chicago, 50 less than
New York city and from 81 70 Sc less
than in Philadelphia and other large
cities.
International officers will arrive TO-
day to confer with the local officers.
Offers OF financial assistance are pour
ing in from unions in all parts OF the
country and the union members are
ready to fight to a finish"
Robert Seaver. a member Of the pub
licity committee of the Boston Typothe-
-4ae. said there would be no movement
for a settlement OF the strike except
that the employees accept the terms
posted in our workrooms' He said the
employers were advertising in practi-
cally every paper east OF the Missis-
sippi'' for workers ito work In open
shops forty -eight hour weeks"
| He said the small group" OF closed
shop proprietors. only about l per cent
of the entire membership OF the United
Ty'pothetae" some time ago agreed to
grant a forty-four hour week on May ]
! Of this year Their action, he asserted
had no binding power on other members
OF the Typothetae. who have never
promised the forty-four hour week.
| 81 Advance Last Fall.
| The 81 week wage advance made
by the Boston Typothet@ last fall. he
| said, was considered voluntary in
| crease, as the unions after demanding
| an IS Increase had refused TO make an,
agreement on the 81 basis The ty.
pothets, he added, instructed Its Indus
| trial relations committee recently Z
negotiate a new scale taking into &C
| count the decreased cost of living ans
not to provide for less than forty
! eight hour week.
'rrhe union officials stated" said Mr.
Seaver, that they were not AT liberty
Y to negotiate a scale On any other thar
4 a forty-four hour week basis. and since
our committee could not negotiate Will
/ them on that basis the conference was
4 Obliged TO be closed. On receiving thi:
/ report from our committee a full meet
/ ing OF the Boston Typotheta decided e
rescind the advance granted In Septem
I Der.
THE typotheta are unanimous in tht
belief that their position is right and
feel confident that the buying public are
/ III no humor 10 stand further increases
Y in printing prices"