Delaware state journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1870-1883, 1883-07-19
Wilmington. THURSDAY, July 10 1888


inc opfrafDrN Nirihts
Two Interesting eonsidsrgtions present
when one coniemplate@ the
threatened strike Of the telegraph opera
t)rs-thst Of Justification and that Of
OF success. The men demand
shorter hours and better pay. Hitherto
operators in large cities have been work
ing nine hOurs per day every day in the
week, the hours for night work being
somewhat shorter. In country places
the hours are very often mnch longer,
though the work Is lighter. Opera
tors for commercial business aver
age sbon, s55 per month salary.
in Pennsylvania, while operators en-
ployed by the railroads in that State
average rather less than ESQ per month. |
In soms states the average is probably |
lower. The demand ia that day's work |
BE- made eight hOurs for daylight service |
and seven hours for night service, tina. |
Sunday work b paid as extra service, and |
all extra service be- counted at the rate Of
five hours to a day. work. II ia also
asked thst women r. paid equal wages
with men An advance Of u per cent. in
wages IL demanded.
Opera ora, save wh-r- their duties are
largely those Of wstchmen, as in the case
81 sa.Ins country nfHres where ies 1nes.
cages are received bnt the operator must
BE- at his post through long hours waiting
olAss. The late President orion OF Ihe
Western Union Company, made oath
before Congregational committee that an
operator in busy, fret clasa ONCE can
not work continuously six honrs Per day
and retain his heath, aud from observa-
ton in our own Office W. are inclined 70
think Mr.. orion correct, EEEET RSESly1's
operator at this end Of the wire does not
average above four hours actual work OF
receiving pr day, Jet in less than two
and halt years one operator in our en-
ploy has completely broken down and
another was saved from a like fate
only by being transferred 70 another
department Of the paper Tor come weeks.
Perhspa the work here is more wearing
than in soms other plar-a by reason OF
the fact that j.. go-s On uninterruptedly
for hours al tim, and the operator,
using pen OF p@nc.l nearly the whole
time, aud his key very seldom, and then
only for few seconds, dos not have the
relief that coInes OF alternately sending
and receiving In all busy Offices, no viewer,
the labor approaches what We have here.
In addition to the mental and physical
strain involved in concentrating all the
powers entirely upon one object for hours
together, the operator las local din
Guilty peculiarly bic own. Constant use
Of the fingers either in writing or in
telgraphiDg b-gsts what is known a.
operators paralysis, an affection Of the
muscles Of the hand and forearm, accom-
panied with great pain aud rendering
the member almost useless. Considering
the wearing nature Of their work and the
very moderate salaries paid, the demands
Of the operators seem entirely reasonable.
The probability Of success seens great
The Brotherhood Of telegrsphers containi
majority Of the operators 10 the United
States and Canada. The organization II
very thorough ita members are greatly
above the average members Of trades
unions in intelligence and they are con
stant!y in sw.it and client commRca
tion with one another. singl
days interruption Of ts!rgFsphic con-
muniaation throughout the United State
would work incslcul Able l95s and lnoon
veniene4 to the commercial world. Tn
Western Union Company will DO What i
can to avert strike, bat its ability :
cope successfully with a strike ono
stsrted may b. doubted. There are com
parsti7ely few operators outside tn
brotherhood, and many Of those ar
In sympathy with the movement. l, /
whispered tia. the Western Union com
pany in case Of a strike will introduce
mechanical eontflyanes that will great
simpliiy and cheaper telegraphing, but
such an invention ia In existence, and 1
such state Of iorwardneas az to admit ,
its application on short notice, i! woul
have been in nae before this. Altogsthe
the probabilities seen to IL that the opeI
atora vii! secure at !raat part of the
demands.