Murphy, James J.

While the association of typographical workers in a particular shop as chapels for mutual benefit is almost as old as printing itself, modern trade unions did not occur until the late 1840's. In January of 1850 the New York Printers Union was founded, with Horace Greeley, editor of the Tribune, as president. In Kay of 1852 representatives of the New York union met with members of other typographical unions to found the National Typographical Union which was renamed the International Typographical Union in 1869. The New York Printers' Union received a charter from the National Typographical Union as Typographical Union #6.

In 1862 Local Six began pressing for a shorter work day, which led to the formation of the New York Typothetae, an organization of "Master Printers," designed to counteract the growing strength of the union. In 1887, a similar demand by the International Union brought about the association of the Typothetae in several cities into the United Typothetae of America. This organization continued to block the International's efforts to reduce working hours in the book and job shops until 1897, although the use of labor saving machinery made the eight hour, six day week standard in newspaper shops.

James J. Murphy was born in New York city in 1860. He attended the College of the City of New York for a brief period, but left to become a printer. In 1883 he joined Local 6, and in 1885 married Miss Abbe Pogarty, daughter of a long time member of Local 6 and a compositor herself. His brother, the Reverend William G. Murphy, attended the American College in Rome, where he was made vice-rector in 1903.

Murphy served as vice president of Local Six from 1891 to 1893 and as president from 1893 to 1896. In 1896 a resolution of the international called for the institution of the nine hour day in book and job shops, and created a committee of five to lead the Union toward this goal. Murphy was named chairman of this Shorter Work Week Committee. The New York Typothetae signed an agreement in December of 1887, which provided for a nine-and-a-half hour day and a nine hour day on Saturday as of January 1, 1898.

Continued agitation by Murphy and his committee led the United Typothetae to call a general meeting of printing trades unions in October 1898 at Syracuse. An agreement was signed with the International Typographical Union, the International Printing Pressmen and Assistants Union and the International Brotherhood of Bookbinders. The nine and a half hour day was to be instituted on November 21, 1898 and the nine hour day was to become standard in book and job shops on November 21, 1899.

In 1902 the International began working for a reduction of working hours to eight each day, leaving "eight for recreation and improvement of mind, eight for eating and sleeping." A resolution approved by the 1904 convention demanded that the eight hour day become standard in all book and job shops on January 1, 1906. Strikes against the Typothetae were stopped by court injunction and the union finally settled for a forty-eight-hour week with a half day on Saturday.

Murphy was then re-elected as President of Local Six and served until 1908. In 1908 he passed the New York State Civil Service examination for Supervising Factory Inspector. He was demoted to-Factory Inspector in 1916, because of a shortage of funds, but was reinstated in 1919 and held the position until he died on June 10, 1922.

From the guide to the James J. Murphy scrapbooks, 1893-1919., (Kheel Center for Labor-Management Documentation and Archives, Cornell University Library)