The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-03-18
INDIGNANT TELEGRAPHERS

HOW THE PROPOSED ''oRADATIoN" ON THE
WESTERN UNION OPERATORS SALARIES Is
REGARDED BY THE OPERATORS.
The usually placid current that flows the lines
electric Of the Western Union Telegraph Company 10
beginning 10 exhibit symptoms OF storm--a storm
moro om,nous IN It's character SO far as tho companys
Interests concerned than any Of atmospheric ma
ture that sometimes interrupts tho harmonious work.
ing of the wires. ln other words gen.
eral strike OF the operators at no distant
day IL stated to be anything but improbable
The seriousness OF such event becomes apparent
when II 10 taken into consideration that from Mane
10 California the numbered by thousands,
all bound together by the same ties OF common In
terest and ALL nearly ALL in practical simultaneous
communication. The occasion Of such occurrence
II ono should uke place. II is charged, will be the en-
forcoment OF tho recent general order of the COM
pany directing graduation oil salaries in every Office.
10 take effect on the LIST prox This graduation, the
operators assert, s simply suotsrfugc for another
general reduction. Tho feeling against It Is
exceedingly strong among the knights OF the key,
and already the rumblings are being heard outside
the operating room. Tho graduation will, n put into
effect, result In saving 70 the company In the New
YORK oice alono OF about $500 por month OF tho
operators salaries. few will DO slightly benefited
II Is claimed, but the mass viii suffer.
In speaking the subject 10 u HERALD reporter
yesterday old OPERATOR who has spent many yours
In tho OF the Western Union Company, said -
"If II was in reality q graduation neither nor any
other operator would object 70 IT. but IL 10 not It's
merely bl,nd aud su0teriuge. The company know
well enough that We euru every dollar"
UxAPpRKciATHD SERVICES.
What makes tho operators particularly indignant Is
what they are pleased 10 torn bad faith on the part
.sHow is thats" querIed the reporter.
"Woil, you sec, whom tho Western Union was fight
u n tI8vC IN mi n I'm
tins asking their operators to stand by them
fight. and Illuminating that we would not beore
We did stand by them. We worked DAY and night.
Every man did his level best The wires before
hummed SO with business. Well, after Ino Atlantic
company. Our saIAres were then at starvation
prices, out no advance came, and now they talk Of
grading US. ! tell you, II the company were wise
they would not DO sucn thing"
Another representative operator was equally indg-
three years OF hard and application become
u Arst class OPERATOR and there are thousands who
become rst class We arc neId to tie srlclest
accountability Tor Dur work. Otentimos the mistake
Of single letter IN despatch, anu tell you II very
easy TO mako u mistake, would cost the company
thousands 0t dollars. do not know who tue men
that propose this reduction, but think that
tho stocknoders VIII regret 7, n u takes place They
Will ioso much more than they Will make"
ado you refer " any proposed striker" asked the
writer.
operators struck III 1870 they act0d unwisely They
struck IN dull season and without proper prspara-
tion, and although the strike cost The company thou
eventually defeated. But II another strike should
place tue operators would profit by their expert
ence OF 1870. There would not bs any such thing
haste slriking IN dull season. and turther there
would not DO such thing Us failure.
FAIR TREATMENT DESIRED.
"But don't want 10 strike" continued the opera
tor; tall We ask from the company Ia fairness. Wo
want only proper compensation for our labor. Is Il
not better tor Tho company 10 have men who take
interest IN their work than men who feel they
imposed upon? Tho ioTmer Will work faithfully and
differently. rho latter will shrk and get the CON-
pany into trouble. Look at tho Associated Pross
wires, Tor Instance, II you want 10 the DIFF
erence between dccentiy PAID operators aud
unuerpaid-~ ones. Under the management OF
Mr. Waller Phillips, himself Old opera
tor, The Associated Press pays The men who
work It's wires $50 10 $40 month than equally
competent mon employed ny the Western Union COM
pany. And what tho results There Is lIty per
wires than the corresponding wires Of tho West.
cru Union. Whore does tho saving come IN, then
No; all want Is Justice. Wo don't want 10 sLrike
TO rot up any league or organizations but there's
limit to everything"
conversation with several other operators elected
only roitorations OF the foregoing scnti ments.
In every instance the operators expressed hope
that the graduation order would consideration DO
Resented. Referring 10 Their colab0rers In other
large they SAID that tho feeling against gra-
datIon evcryw here intense. the proposed grudu-
tion u s claimed will make Tho salaries vi opera
tors average STA female operators SAP CLERKS x35
nor month.