When the news of the collapse of the strike reached the executive
committee of the contracting carpenters at the Builders' and Traders'
exchange it was at first discredited. When it was confirmed Chairman
Woodard said he was glad such action had been taken, and that he knew
the bosses would put the men to work Monday. "But," said he, "the
members of the Carpenters' and Builders' association will not deviate
from the action of Saturday night. We recognize eight hours as a day,
but reserve the right to employ union or non-union men, and will pay
from 30 cents an hour upward. We shall not hesitate to pay 35 cents, or
more, to carpenters who are sufficiently skilled to earn such sums, but
we must not be expected to employ men who are not able to earn more than
25 or 30 cents an hour. Our association has a membership that employs
fully seven-eighths of the working carpenters, and we shall claim the
right to employ competent men at fair wages and to discharge incompetent
men at any time. I think it will be but a short time until nearly all of
the carpenters will be at work, but not at 35 cents an hour."
Francisco Blair said it would be unjust to require the bosses to
discharge competent non-union men who had stood by them during the
strike. He was satisfied that no member of the association would do so.
There were plenty of bosses who would pay skilled workmen 35 cents an
hour--a few men would receive 40 cents, as they had before the strike.
Many of the assemblies of the carpenters met Saturday afternoon and
evening and heartily endorsed the order directing them to return to
work. They were tired of enforced idleness which had lasted sixteen
days, and were ready to go to work on almost any terms.
The following Monday--April 18th--four thousand of the striking
carpenters returned to work, many of them secretly accepting the terms
of the Carpenters and Builders, working for 30 cents an hour and upward,
and pushing a plane or a saw by the side of a non-union carpenter who
had not seen an idle day.