The meeting was held
and a deputation was appointed to wait on Carnac at his office. Word was
sent to Carnac, and he said he would see them after the work was done for
the day. So in the evening about seven o'clock the deputation of six men
came, headed by Luc Baste.
"Well, what is it?" Carnac asked calmly.
Luc Baste began, not a statement of facts, but an oration on the rights
of workers, their downtrodden condition and their beggarly wages. He said
they had not enough to keep body and soul together, and that right well
did their employers know it. He said there should be an increase of a
half-dollar a day, or there would be a strike.
Carnac dealt with the matter quickly and quietly. He said Luc Baste had
not been among them a long time and evidently did not know what was the
cost of living in Montreal. He said the men got good wages, and in any
case it was not for him to settle a thing of such importance. This was
for the head of the firm, John Grier, when he returned. The wages had
been raised two years before, and he doubted that John Grier would
consent to a further rise. All other men on the river seemed satisfied
and he doubted these ought to have a cent more a day. They were getting
the full value of the work.
Pages:
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63