St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1883-07-27

form Sunday work, receive extra. and
in many cases, double pay for such
work, which is not the case with tele-
graphic employees, who are at present
required to perform such service with
out extra compensation.
Hours of Telegraph opera |
tors are required to possess skill of "A |
high order; their occupation is con
filming and continuous and upon them
is concentrated the gravest response
bilities, and this responsibility is con-
slant and oppressive. 1t wears alike |
upon mind and body and impairs the !
elasticity of both, while it always de-
mands the best conditions of both.
The late William OrtOn, president of
the Western Union telegraph company,
whose executive ability and general
knowledge on all subjects pertaining
to telegraphy cannot be questioned,
testified before a congressional COM
mittee that telegraph operators could
not perform daily more than six hours
of continuous labor without endanger-
ing their health, consequently the de-
mand for eight hours for day work and
seven hours for night work is believed
to be reasonable and just. In Il num-
Der of the principal offices seven hours
constitutes a nights work at the pres
ent time, but it is claimed by the oper-
ators that they have no uniform system
of working hours, it being optional
with local managers to regulate the
same, and to curry favor with their SUI
periors frequently impose extra work
ing hours upon the unprotected oper-
nt in hot hn,
nOmical management. In explanation
of the demand for a general increase of
| ID per cent, it is only necessary to call
attention to the frequent reductions
that have been made, notwithstanding
the net profits of handling messages
are much greater than in former years,
OccasiOncd by improved machinery
and more skillful labor employed.
The members of the Brotherhood
claim that their organization is the re-
suit of the tyrannical and unjust treat
ment melted out to them during the
past ten years, and that their demands
are not unreasonable, in view of the
systematic reductions that have been
forced upon them at different times by
the Western Union telegraph cOmpa-
ny, which fixes the standard of wages
for the United States and Canada
They give the following suggestive
facts in support of their claims Be
tween the years 1870 and 1874, two
general reductions took place through
out the country, amounting to about
- per cent. From 1874 to 1877, local
superintendent and managers in order
to curry favor with the company We'd
with each other in economic sugges-
tons. In 1873, the executive officers
seeing the men submit so tamely to
j this process, became holder, and an
lnOunced the famous tor infamOus) slid
i ing scale or general reduction of from
) to p per cent on all employees. This
instrument had the quality of sliding
but one way, downward, and was fol-
lowed by many contemplate and I'M
derhand measures. Protests were sent
from all points without avail. The
company's official journal, containing
the order with an audacity unparal-
leled, had published on the same page
the quarterly report, showing increased
profits, and no word of explanation in
the editorial columns as to the incon-
Sistency. Salaries were depreciating
everywhere. When the "gradation'
WIS announced, IL WIS Hllsllhel III
first for an olive branch, but it was
soon plain that it was cOncOcted for the
purpose of cutting deeper than the
previous method In 1876 Il secret cir
cular emamated from the executive de-
partment, instructing superintendent
that all vacancies must be filled at =
less per month than received by previ-
Gus occupants. This infamous scheme
, had the desired effect, as under Its
workings salaries dropped in six
, months to $40 and $50 north, south
east and west. Everybody became dis
couraged and demoralized. Those who
could leave the business did so. The
outlook until 1880 was very dark, all
classes being dismayed and indignant.
SATI-RnAS