The New York herald., 1922-01-07
TUGBOAT MEN QUIT,
REFUSING WAGE CUT
Strike Is Called Failure by
Employers-Unions See
Victory.
STEAMSHIP PAY SLASHED
New Schedule for Officers and
Unlicensed BOatmen
~ Announced.
STEAMSHIP PAY SLASHED

The strike of the United Association
'nf Masters. Mates and Pilots. in an ef-
fort to tie UP New York harbor as
protest against a 20 per cent. cut in pay,
went into effect yesterday at noon. Last
night the tugboat owners declared the
attempt failure; that it had not had
and would not have any material effect
on shipping in this port, and they re-
fused the services of the State as
arbitrator.
simultaneously with the harbor strike,
the American Steamship Owners Associa-
'tion made public q new pay scale. cut
cent. and that of unlicensed boatmen
various amounts I'D to 33 per cent. Win
ship L. Marvin. general manager of the
association. said the new scale would so
into effect at once.
Mr.. Marvin left for Washington,
where he will take up with Albert Las
ker. chairman OF the United States
Shipping Board, the adoption of the
new scale for Shipping Board vessels,
thereby establishing a uniform scale for
all steamships flying the American flag.
A copy of the new scale already was in
the hands Of the Shipping Board. and it
was expected 1t would be adopted
Officials of the deep sea unions de-
ciared last night that while the unions
are too weak now to resist the wage
cut proposed by the deep sea shipping
operators. they hope that the United
States Shipping Board will not permit the
kl~As.- Ia,
strike the unions have no agreement
with the shipping men, but they have an
agreement with the Shipping Board,
which provides that thirty days notice
shall be given before q reduction in
wages is put into effect
!, Frederick A. Russell OF the New York
Towboat Exchange. II s1oore street, said
last night the harbor strike had been
able to take only $50 men of 1900 from
their work and tie up only thirty boats
involving 400 men.
Mr.. Russell predicted the steamships
Adriatic. Finland and La Touraine.
scheduled to sail at noon to-day, will
have no difficulty in getting away.
Railroad, city and United States Gov
ernment craft are not affected.
AT the union headquarters. 116 Broad
street. Capt. william A. Maher, secre-
tary, had a different story to tell. He
said eight tugboat companies had been
affected. sixty-one boats had been tied
up and that All men had quit. Others,
ne declared, were leaving their boats
as soon as they finished their runs.
Union Men Confident.
Capt. Maher said he expects to be
able to tie up shipping and then get
virtually all of the harbor craft man
into the strikers ranks. He said repre-
sentatives OF the engineers are to meet
next Tuesday night and form an ANAL
gamation with the Masters. Mates and
Pilots Association and the New York
Harbor Boatmen's Association. thus
forming the foundation for a powerful
organization of all the employee inter-
ests OF the harbor boat work.
At the owners headquarters no fear
or such an organization was expressed
Mr. Russell charged that Capt Maher,
who was described as an insurgent who
had organized a union of his own, vio-
lated the agreement under which wages
nre fixed when he called a strike
The new wage scale, he said. was
fxed according to agreement by the New
York Harbor Arbitration Board, which
Is composed of six members represent
ing the employees and six representing
the boat owners. The vote for the wage
cut, 1t was stated. was nine to three.
Capt. Maher said the board was hand
picked.
Col. Michael J. Reagan and John ].
Beal. representing the State Industrial
Commission. undertook to settle the
strike. They said last night Maher was
willing to arbltrate, but that the boat
owners refused.
New Wage Schedule.
The new wage schedule of the Amer
lean Steamship Owners Association. as
before. shows no stated rate of pay for
captains and chief engineers, this being
left to individual negotiation.
On Class A ships. single screw vessels
with power tonnages OF 20,001 or over,
and twin screw vessels OF 1901 power
tons or over. deck officers pay per month
runs as follows:
Old Rate New Rate.
FIRST officer. .$205 Sl75
Second officer. $50 $50
lInird Officer. r....s........... 1OO 135
Fourth officer. r............... 14O 100
First. second. third and fourth assist
ant engineers on the same ships are
maid AT exactly the same rates rtndar