30,000 locked out : $b the great strike of the building trades in Chicago — John Locke — John Shaqi
30,000 locked out : $b the great strike of the building trades in Chicago
John Locke · en
Thus far the rule has been to pay up to and including Saturday on
the following Tuesday among the members of this association, and as
far as heard from no complaint of any irregularity in paying
workmen has been made. In a city as large as this, covering such
immense area, and where it is not infrequent for the same firm to
be engaged upon work on the North, South, and West sides at the
same time, two days at least are necessary to make up pay-rolls
and envelope money properly. If, therefore, the change of pay-day
from Tuesday to Saturday should be adopted, it would necessitate
the closing of pay-day on Thursday night preceding. This, we
submit, would not serve either you or us as well as to pay to the
end of the previous week. You have not given us any reasons for
your arbitrary demand for a change, and we have failed to find any
in our judgment good and sufficient. If any such reasons exist we
shall be pleased to know them. Until then we shall continue to pay
as before, regularly every second Tuesday, up to the preceding
Saturday night.
By order of the
CHICAGO MASTER MASONS' ASSOCIATION.
The communication was at once taken to the Bricklayers' Union by C. P.
Wakeman, it having been stated that the union was in session and would
receive any communication that should be sent. In about thirty minutes
Mr. Wakeman returned from his visit to the Bricklayers, and reported
that he had been received in grand shape. The hall was packed full, and
when he took his place on the platform to read the communication he was
loudly cheered. He asked the Bricklayers to lay the question of pay-day
over and appoint a committee to see if the matter could not be settled.
He was satisfied that two-thirds of those present were in favor of a
compromise. They agreed to telephone the Builders' and Traders' exchange
as soon as a conclusion was reached.
The telephone was not used, but a committee from the Bricklayers' union
called at 10:30 o'clock and notified Mr. Wakeman that the union had
unanimously passed a resolution making Saturday the pay-day, and that it
would not recede from it, but was willing to allow two days in which to
make up the pay-roll, closing it on Thursday night. The report was
received, after which a motion was made to lay the report on the table,
but it was withdrawn.
William O'Brien said the demand for pay on Saturday, if acceded to,
would result in another demand for pay at noon on Saturday and give the
men the afternoon, and then the contractors would have "blue Monday" in
fact. He was in favor of acting like men and standing firmly by their
principles, and they would command the respect of everybody. [Applause.]