St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1883-07-27
The photographers Strike
AGAINST THE BIGGEST MONOPOLY ON
EARTH.
THEIR GRIEVANCES.

EAR II.
THEIR GRIEVANCES.
The threatened strike of the tele-
graphers was begun throughout the
country at noon Thursday. The con
test threatens to he long and possibly
desperate. In some respects it assumes
the importance of the most significant
labor movement in history. The com
pany proposes to spend millions to
overcome the rebellion the telegraph
ers will make it their final struggle for
independence. The movement includes
fully - per cent OF the regular Western
Union operators i'll the great cities of
the country. In numbers, the company
claims to have filled more than half
their places; in efficiency, this does
not begin to be true. The policy of
the company is outlined at the start.
1t is making every effort to transmit
the press dispatches offered, and it is
succeeding. General public business,
although more lucrative, is refused.
The animus of this course seems to be
Il desire to create Il popular impression
that the company is but little affected
by the strike. The operators have
adopted policy of passive resistance
and patient waiting. Public sympathy
seems to he strongly with the striking
telegraphers.
THE LAST LETTER.
New YORK, July 10. Following is Il
copy of the letter sent by the EXecu-
tive Committee of the brotherhood to
General Eckert this morning:
Sir-On Monday, the 10th inst, II
committee of telegraph operators sub
mitted to your consideration petition
entrusted to them for presentation to
you by the Brotherhood of Telegraph
ers. YOu expressed your doubts us to
the authority of the committee to speak
for the employees under you, and you
have failed to respond to that petition.
Your letter to K. G. Clowry, General
Superintendent at Chicago, disclOSes
the fact that you were informed of the
nature of your employees grievances
before they were presented. Under
ordinary circumstances it would re
quire but Il short time to arrive ut Il
conclusion as to what steps you would
take; but, knowing as we did that this
matter had been thoroughly discussed
long before we waited on you, it was
not unreasonable to expect an early
reply. 1t is due to the interests you
represent to our organization, and par
ticularly to the general public, that
this matter he speedily adjusted, and
that the responsibility of any future
action may rest where it belongs.
With an earnest desire for a harmOni-
Gus settlement of difficulties and re-
gard for the social and business inter
ests of the people, we send this last
appeal for recognition of our rights,
and request the redress of the gricv-
ances of your employees.
Very respectfully,
JOHN CAMPBELL, ID. NJ. w.
No reply was received to this ad-
dress, and the committee which met
this morning took no action upon it.
Nothing was done except to issue Il
direction to all heads of departments
and chiefs i'll the employ of the com
pany to notify the operators under
their charge to present their grievances,
if they had any, to the committee, and
that such action would be taken as
might be thought proper.
ADDRESS TO THE PUBLIC.
Immediately on leaving work the OPP
orators furnished to the press the fol-
lowing official statements of their posi-
ton:
On Monday, July Is, the Executive
Board of the Brotherhood of Tele-
graphers of the United States and Can
ada presented to the Executive officers
of the several Commercial Telegraph
4 - . 4
Canada a memorial placing before the
companies the grievances Of the Oper-
ators and employees generally, and pc
titiOning for the redress of the same.
The companies to whom the memorial
was presented embrace the following
In Canada, the Great Northwestern
and the Mutual Union; in the United
States, the Western Union, Mutual
Union, American Rapid, Baltimore and
Ohio Commercially, New York Ameri-
can District and the New York Mutual
District Telegraph Companies also
the Metropolitan Telephone Company
of New York and the Chicago Tcle-
phone Company of Chicago.
The bills of grievances are as fol-
lows American Commercial Inter
ests.
Section |. Believing that mans
physical and mental welfare requires
that at least one day i'll seven be ac-
corded him for rest and recreation. we
ask for the total abolition of Sunday
work as a compulsory duty, unless
compensated as extra service.
Sec. ,. That eight hours shall CON
stitute regular days work and seven
hours regular nights work, and that
both sexes shall receive equal pay for
equal work.
Sec. 3. That a universal increase of
fifteen per cent. on all salaries paid
shall be petitioned now for.
The following is IA brief explanation
of the several clauses embraced in the
bill of grievances presented to the tel
egraph companies of the United States
and Canada =
Sunday work. 1t is almost unneces-
sary to call attention to the well-known
fact that all branches of labor, skilled
and unskilled, when required to per-