The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1883-08-15
sTRIKE.

sTBIKE.
Meeting or the Senate sub Comm ;steo to Iu-
quire Into the TeIegraphers' Strtge-rhs
western Uaion Daubi.ol its Basiness, In
creasing Dividends and Reducing Salaries
of Operators
Nav YoRE. Aug 13-The Sub Committee
OF the United States Committee on Labor
and Eiucauon began its sessions to-day in
the Pos,otliee brflding The members pres
ent were Senators Blair. of New Hampshire,
Chairman; George, Of Mississippi, Pugh, Of
Alabsms Call, OF Florida, aud Aldich Of
Rhode Island. The special subject OF the
investigation was strikes and labor move
ments in general, the object being to obtain
information which NAV be used in securing
future legislation 10 prevent them.
The frat witness to-day vas Master Work
man John Campbell OF Pittsburg. lie test-
fed he had been a telegraph operator over
twenty years, and had been connected With
the Knights Of Labor aEd Brotherhood OF
Telsgraphers two wears. There were between
1900 snd $1,000 telegrsphers in
the United States and Canada members of
the BrotheThCod, and the whole membsrship
was about % 600 The cause OF the strike
was the refusal 20 grant the demand on the
part OF the operators for increased compeasa-
lion, decrease in hours and eX,TS cOmp peusa-
ton for Sunday. Since 1870 the salaries of
telegraph operators had been systematically
cut down. and the object Of the strike was
bring the rate Of compensation bacz to The
former standard. The operators are now
paid a fixed salary per month, the average
rate throughout the country being about S54
for commercial operators aud $50 per month
for rsilTCsd operators The average rate for
railroad operators in Pennsylvania by actual
census is f3S 50 per month. The rate of
wsges for Grst class commercial operators
row ranged from $50 TO $50 per month.
Salaries in New York city were higher than
these in smaller cities. with the exception of
New OTlears Memphis and Nashville, whers
the sCsle CT WAGES was about equal TO that in
this city. The lowest rates Tor commercial
operators were from $50 to so per month for
operators at small way stations Before the
reduction n wages, The rates were from 35 TO
80 per cent. higher tnsn at present. La 1870
a first class operator could make from $50 y
$40 per mOntn- These rates extended back
10 the time Of the beginning of the war, when
the scale was about the same ss at present for
railroad operators, aud that for commercial
men little higher. The Western Union
Company employs quarter of all of The ope-
IatOrs IN the country, and about two-tnirds
are railroad operators. The American Rapid
Company only employs about One-ffth as
many operators as the Western Uaion.
The protest Of the Brotherhood
was seainst ell the Companies
aud al emplOyer5 of telegraph ODeTato-s
The rate of wages wss not considered sutfi-
cient 20 live upon, and was mach below that
of common day labOTers IN many instances
The Companies were able to pay higher
wages 10 their men without increasing their
-raJes for services 10 the public This was
evident from the large dividends paid bT
Western Mon, besides their facilities for
transmitting mes ages have been increased by
the invention OF the duplex and Quadrupiex
instruments. There have been no reduction
10 the tarif in consequence IF these improve-
mente, but On tho other hand wages OF Opers-
tors were reduced. The number of operators
had doubled since 1870, while the facilities
Of the Companies more than doubled The
Western Union IN that year handled 7,0O1-
OCO messages, and last year the number wss
35,0CO,Q0O.
Campbell read the history of the strike
since lt begaD. There was q cOnven tion Of
the Brotherhood sc said, held in Chicago
last March, &c which the bill of grievances
wss drawn Cp. This was presented 70 the
different locsi Assemblies OF the B B-0therhood
throughout tho nited States and Ca1adl
who unanimously ratified the action Of the
Convention. Returns to the Execu i've
BOard Were mace about two months agO and
the Committee was instructed 10 present the
demands Of the operators 10 the ffsrent
srb'tIate upon a.! propositions that might be
mede by the ComT anies.
On the l6-h cf July demands were pre-
sented In che Western L ni0n. A nerican
Repid, BalEmCTe ard OIio (c0mmercial
aid numerous telephone Companies. The
only answer yet received is from the An ri
can Rapid Company. which has partially
aCceded 10 the demands of the Brotherhood.
The enswer Of tho Westeru Union Comcany
10 the appeal Of the operators was that it was
I'M ~hEHt ftf,rr,r h.I
tbOrisy to speak for the employees OF the Com
peDy. Mr.. Camp pbel seidsninety psr cent OF
the employees were members OF the Bother
nOCd. The operators had frequently pre-
sented grievances to the local managers for
an Increase OF wages, but these had been dis
regarded generally, He believed the West
erD Union Company had we'll established
system Of black listing men who IN sds appli-
cations for an increase in wages, and took the
first opportunity t. discharge them upon
some pretext or another. FavOritism was
shown by ali local managers, and skill was at
adiscOunt. A systelh Of intimidation was
pJscticed by officials Of the Company Since
1870 several movements had been started 10
organize the operators, bat oil failed on ac
count OF this system
JOhsa Mcclellan, an officer of the Brother
hood and an operator of fourteen years, said
the direct cause Of the strike was the insult
offered by the Western Union to the Com
mittee of the Brotherhood in refusing to rec.
ognize or treat with them. Until then il had
no. been expected the strike would occur bu
1t was thought The Company would be will
ing 10 listen 10 the demands Of the men and
come to some adjustment IL possible The
grievances we're real ones, and If there had
been spirit Of concession manifested by the
Company the operators would have met them
in this spirit. IL was shown that Mr.. Eckerl
ard other officers OF the Company had known
OF the plans OF the Brotherhood before the
strike be- gun The Company knew that griev-
ances exifted, and that the demands were to
he presented. and had been preparing to re-
sist tho demands ever sinch March last II
the present strike was failure, it would oaly
strengthen the existing organization, instead
q breaking its power. When asked whether
be could suggest any method by which a
more equitable division could bs made OF the
products Of labor and capital between en-