Ke Aloha Aina, Volume XXXIV, Number 37, 4 October 1919 — Results of the Strike [ARTICLE]

Results of the Strike

(By FRANK B. * , The stf'ikc of" the Metal Trades' woikers In r Honolulu' has*M been sēttled by the signiirfg of an agreehifent on t}!e part of the|H employers ānd the represe]sfativs t>f the four am<ma.. This" agreemnl was tāchd aftr a'cofiiefnce whieh Usted for aj| week, and is regarded by organizcd labor as an unquaHfied vic*?M To properly appreeiate the rēs\ilts of the gtrike we iniLstjß look first at the general effects upon organifed labor. First, it has awākened the spirit of orgariization in the oT practically all the workers in the communi%. " Second # it he& directīy brought about the for'mation of new uniona ... Second, agrecment on the part of the employets' not to di'scriminate against'union men or todischarge without just Third, the creation of a permanent mkihinery for the ad- 9 justment of all grievanods, b>- providing for shop committees V ehoaen by the nien and 6ompatiy. jfl Third, it has created a distinct public sentiment in favor of 9 organized labor, im Fourth, it has developed cla«s conscioUfe'ness and solidarily J amorog the helpers and laborers, and etreiigtheued the influem e : J of thi& unione. M Next we must note the actual points whieh wei*e won by the strikers and made a basis for future working conditions. 3 First ; full and complete recognitions of the unions. ■■ J Fift)ī, the establishment of a minimum scale system a based on aii over the San Frajticisco aeale., M Si<th, satisfactory concessions iii the, matler t)f overtime, &ight wwk, Wages when traveling, trānsportation, and shop eon- J ditioo»» m in view of the mahy stetements appeāring in the daily j paper» and the attlfude assumed by tlie eni- j ployerB, it is intere&fcing to note that in aU, e§sentdal particular s j ike employers have yielded to practically of the 3 Umona, with one notab!e e?cception. Tiiat,k in my own cubc, J in whieh my supimary discharge. precipitated *Sie strike, Upon J my advice thispoir t t was put aside, a§ i t to the * .sHk§rg' committee ,at the t^atj|ir,. niQre important. be oi»tajxied.' 1 of !Sacfmang a mmor j|nd personal point for the sake of a lar greater |gaia to all organized labor in the Islands, and in raaking ehoiee * jtb« stnkera showed a j&nef discrimination jtnd a truer judgment |than was expected, and in tliis respect they stand on a higher f plaiie thau tlieir employers, whose re£ueal. to righfr an obvious injustice assumes more the aspect of childisli ob|tiaady and upreas- ] /_ . . j ~ Qn $he 4 wh<?le,the Btrike has been the gi'eatest evenjt in labor * |oircles ihat has ev"er hgppened in Honolulu, and frftugh£ with the most far-f t eaching effects. „It m&jrks.the ftwakening in ' ~pf tjhat giaat _whoge.yQlcf is 4opwiating alK* the great ,j)arliamgnts of the \£Qrld, %nd. from. now deBtiny.of must oo£itroT a| weli yiejuturē <ieBfciny gpyernmente. 11 . v ■ - r * * inw* «w * Ihe Keason Have yoU noticed the absence of ali coguneiit uppn tlie loeal sWike |h„|he editorialcoluiips pf you liavt v , 1 no,.doul?t you will th<s palpitating unnatural silence. ell, hete |t.is. of the I employing paid special visits to the ey£t<?rial sanctuiii? lof ,boUi papers, and asked hem. for Gotd's aake to cease spewirig 1 vout venom at the men; in fact, that an entire ignoring of thc i |situation, so far as editorial comnient was concerned, 'would bc 1 ithe proper caper. To a wise man or woman, a wink is good 1 ;a nod, and henee the palpitating silence.. I f There is surprise expressed in some quarters that loōal j ♦polwe force has had the gall to ask for an incxease of wae'e?. \ fßlit why sho\ild there be any surprise. We are°not aware that J ft polieeman s dollar ean purchas'e 50 per cent. more goods than n lemlian'? dollar, &nd as the cost llving has double%l witliin tho } past few yQai*s, our loeal poliee £urce, like otiier mortals,. aro i'.i i poBition just now of w orking at a reduced sMary of «*>o por eent. below that of. say four years ago. C«overnment and rmir.ienipioyers are notoriously Uie iuost dose fisted and paH- * |monious etnployens, but even Uuele Sa;ii is h&ftding out a hom:? * to eii^)lpyei v jj., Wliynot, tliou, tlie ancient and hoi>orable city of Houolulu? Tho polieeiuen are eutitled to a gocxl raise. nr.d 1 ' ]