There was comparative quiet for a week, during which time the carpenters
were pushing their work rapidly. But the smooth order was soon broken.
The first week in April the Hodcarriers' union had passed a resolution
changing their pay from 25 to 30 cents an hour, and that of laborers
from 22 to 25 cents an hour, and demanding recognition of their union.
This order--for it was nothing less--was directed to take effect the
first Monday in May. On Saturday, April 30th, the Hodcarriers and
Laborers were instructed to make their demands, and report to a meeting
to be held on Sunday, in order that the union might determine whether a
strike should be ordered and the men called off on Monday.
The bosses decided that under no circumstances would they recognize the
Hodcarriers' union, maintaining that they were fully justified in so
doing because the Bricklayers' union had refused to aid any proposition
on the part of the Hodcarriers and Laborers to strike. The employers
expected nothing less than a strike, as they universally refused the
demands, claiming they could at once fill the places made vacant from
the ranks of idle men in the city. In order to make their cause appear
stronger the laborers claimed that numbers of bosses had acceded to
their demands, but this was not true.
Laborers in the stone yards took up the cause, concluding it was an
opportune time to make some demands. They insisted upon eight hours a
day, and two gangs of men when required to work overtime.
The Stone-Cutters association met at once and put an end to the
proposition for a strike by adopting the eight-hour day, resolving to
work overtime and pay one-fourth extra for it--but not work two gangs of
men--and at the same time refused to obey the dictation of the union by
resolving that they would "employ men whether they belong to a union or
not." This prompt action ended the strike of the laborers so far as the
Stone-Cutters were concerned.
The Bricklayers union met Friday night, April 29th, and discussed the
proposed strike of the Hodcarriers and Laborers, and in a very peculiar
manner lent assistance to their weak brethren. They passed a magnanimous
resolution that "in the event of a strike no bricklayer should consent
to do a hodcarrier's work." But further than this no action was taken.
On the afternoon of Sunday, May 1st, four thousand hodcarriers and
laborers assembled in the vicinity of Taylor street hall, near Canal
street. At 3 o'clock the proposed meeting was held, but not more than
one-half of those present could gain admission to the hall. The men
inside and outside of the hall were discussing their grievances and
"rushing the can" in a manner that promised a famine in beer on the
following day. Patrick Sharkey presided at the meeting, at which there
was a decided sentiment in favor of a strike. Speeches in English,
German, Polish, and Bohemian were made to this effect, and a resolution
was passed for a committee to wait on the contractors to see what they
would do in answer to the demands that had been made. It was decided to
allow men to work where the bosses acceded to the union demands, but no
union man should work where there was one man employed who was not
receiving the full scale of wages.
It was decided that no man who could get the union wages should be
asked to leave his work, but he would be asked to aid in supporting
those who were compelled to take part in the strike. It was claimed,
before the close of the meeting, that four thousand of the seven
thousand Hodcarriers and Laborers in the city would remain at work,
while the other three thousand would "be forced to strike."
On Monday morning, May 2d, the promised strike of the Hodcarriers and
Laborers began. More than four thousand quit work because their demands
for 25 and 30 cents an hour, and recognition of their union, were not
met. The men had reported at their respective jobs where they made their
demands. When they were refused they were grievously disappointed, and
sat and stood around waiting for the arrival of the "Walking Delegate,"
or for orders from the bosses to go to work at the increased rate of
wages. In many instances they had to stand aside and see their places
taken by non-union men. This was galling, but they remained, almost
universally, quite orderly. What irritated them more than anything else
was the fact that union Bricklayers offered no objection to working with
non-union laborers. They had confidently expected that one union would
support another, but the Bricklayers refused to recognize them as
members of a union. They appeared to be too common for an aristocratic
Bricklayer.
Eight Walking Delegates paraded the city and endeavored to persuade
non-union men to quit work and join the union. They were successful in
but few instances. Non-union Laborers who had secured a good job were
disposed to stick to it, and it seemed to require more than persuasion
to draw them away from their work.
In the treasury of the Hodcarriers' union there was the sum of $12,000,
but that amount would not reach very far in a general lockout of five
thousand members, each of whom was entitled to receive $5 a week while
unemployed. They could expect no assistance from the Bricklayers, who
had snubbed them; or the Carpenters, who had exhausted their treasury
while on a strike lasting sixteen days; or the plasterers, who were not
strong in numbers or finances, and had business of their own to look
after. Their cause was helpless from the start, especially in view of
the fact that there were thousands of idle laborers who were only too
glad to step into the places made vacant without asking any questions
about wages.
On Tuesday the places of the four thousand strikers had been so nearly
filled that but three hundred vacancies were reported. This was a hard
blow to the union, but they stubbornly refused to yield a single point.
A special meeting of the Master Masons' and Builders' association was
held Tuesday night, May 3d, at the Builders' and Traders' exchange, at
which a resolution was unanimously adopted to not accede to the demands
of the Hodcarriers' and Laborers' Union for an increase in wages. There
were eighty-seven of the members present, only thirty being absent.
Expressions were taken from those present in regard to the course that
should be pursued in reference to the strike, and there was not a
dissenting voice on the proposition to refuse the demands made. The
absentees were all heard from, and the president of the association said
they were all of the same opinion. It was a quiet, earnest meeting, at
which the members exhibited their determination to stand together, no
matter what the result might be. On inquiry as to the number of Master
Masons who needed laborers it was ascertained that there were but six
members of the association who were without laborers, while less than a
dozen others needed a few men. It was agreed that the members who had
laborers to spare should lend some of them to those who most needed them
until they could secure as many as they required. An executive committee
was appointed, composed of Joseph Downey, Thomas E. Courtney, and Herman
Mueller. This committee was instructed to hold daily sessions at the
Builders' and Traders' exchange for the purpose of hearing complaints
from members and supplying them with laborers, and to have a general
supervision of the labor question pending a final settlement of the
strike. They had no difficulty in securing all the men they wanted, the
laborers being perfectly satisfied with the wages paid.
On Thursday, May 5th, the Master Masons' association learned that a
number of cases of intimidation had been attempted with their non-union
laborers, but they passed them over because the battle had already been
won.