The strikes of 1887 originated with the carpenters. In January steps
were taken which contemplated getting every carpenter in Chicago into a
union. Notice was given by publication that on and after April 4th,
1887, eight hours should constitute a day, and 35 cents an hour should
be the minimum wages for a carpenter. When the time came for the new
order of things to go into effect the Master Carpenters were expected to
meet the demands without objection. They had not been requested to grant
the concessions, and no official notice was sent to the Master
Carpenters' association of the fact that the carpenters had decided to
change the working hours and the rate of pay per hour. On Saturday,
April 2d, 1887, the carpenters made individual demands upon their
several employers for eight hours a day instead of ten hours, and 35
cents an hour instead of 25 and 30 cents an hour, which had been the
rule. Not receiving favorable answers to their demands a meeting was
called for Sunday, April 3d, at Battery D. At this meeting four thousand
carpenters assembled. Reports were made from one hundred and twenty
"bosses," of whom but twenty favored the proposed changes. Seventy-nine
had positively refused to grant any concession. After a lengthy
discussion of the situation in secret session the question of ordering
a general strike was submitted to a vote, and it was carried by what
was said to have been an overwhelming majority. This was the manner in
which the strike was ordered.
After the meeting adjourned the cool announcement was made that if the
Master Carpenters had any propositions to submit, or desired to
communicate with the striking carpenters, they "would be received" at
room 8, No. 76 Fifth avenue.
An order was issued to the effect that no carpenter should be allowed to
work for any contractor, no matter what wages might be offered, until
permission was obtained from the executive board of the Carpenters'
Council, or the strike had been declared off.
On Monday morning there were six thousand idle carpenters in the city,
and the threat was made by the strikers that if the "bosses" did not
accede to their demands all workmen engaged in the building trades would
be called out, and there would be a general strike.
Before 6 o'clock Monday morning, the following notice was sent out to
every carpenter in the city, it being the intention to officially notify
each one of the action taken before they could reach their work:
DEAR SIR: The decision of the executive board of the United
Carpenters' Council, ratified by mass-meeting held April 3d, is
that no union carpenter be allowed to work on any job whatever
until the demand is acceded to by the bosses as a body. The
committee is open to conference with the bosses as a body at their
earliest convenience.
J. M. STERLING,
J. BRENNOCK,
Committee.
There were hundreds who were willing to work, but they were forced to
obey the mandate of the union. They were receiving good wages, and were
satisfied; but, because every "wood-butcher" would not be paid the wages
which a good carpenter could command, they were forced to leave their
work and suffer the consequences of idleness. If they attempted to work
their lives were in danger.
There were three hundred contracting carpenters in the city who employed
from fifteen to two hundred men each. The number of carpenters in the
city working on buildings was about 7,500, and 5,800 of these belonged
to the union. The wages paid ranged from $2.50 to $3.50 a day. Those who
were receiving the smaller amounts were not satisfied, and the strike
was originated for the ostensible purpose of bringing the so-called
"wood-butcher" up to the standard of a carpenter on the question of
wages.
On Monday, April 7th, the Carpenters' Union met and adopted the
following as their ultimatum:
These are the conditions upon which we will settle this strike:
That contractors conduct their work under the eight-hour system and
pay the regular scale of wages--35 cents per hour, subject to
discharge for incompetency, said conditions to remain in force
until April 1, 1888, subject, however, to arbitration in case of
grievances of any kind on either side.