Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1883-07-20
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Beth sides Of the Ease Heard From
Reports from varfeus Places.
TEE coxpANY's STORY.

Beth sides Of the Case Heard From
Reports from Various Places.
TIE coNPANY's srogY.
CHICAGO. July 17.-Geueral Manage
Eckert, in bis letter to the superiniend
ent here, after reci.inc the circurn
stances under which she memorial va
presented 10 him by the executive com
mittee of the brotherhood, says: "Oo'
demand Is that both sexes shall receiv'
equal pay for equal work. and anothe
is for 10 per cent. increase on all salaries
of operators DOW receiving q salary Of
$50, who would, by this plan, get Z
smaller increase than one receiving -
or $50, thus widening the difference
now existing. An $50 operator at pres
ent works nine hours daily, % days IL
the month. which is equal to 81 Is l0
cents per hour. Under the schedule In
the memorial the same operator will re-
ceivs $92 per month for eight hourl
daily, equal to about 80 per cent. in
addition To the Sunday allowance, just
granted under the new rule. This is
the smallest advance demanded.
In the case of the Wheatstone opera
tors. who now receive $55 per month for
twenty six working days, equal TO
II 4S-lO0 cents per hour, the proposed
schedule would give him Al 1910 cents
per hour, an increase of 81 per cent.
Another demand is that linemen shall
be allowed two days pay for Sunday
work, and that $65 shall be the lowest
rate of pay, regardless of locality or i'm
pcrtance of service. and that the duties
of the linsmen shall be confined to legit-
innate work. Double pay for Sunday
work offers a temptation to the men to
slight their Saturday duty, to create a
necessity fer Sunday work.
The demand that both sexes shall be
paid the same for like services, looks 10
the driving of woman labor from the
ranks, and were the company to con-
oede, II would be to the interest of the
men operators who can offer greater
variety of service than the woman oper
ators, who may be equally capable for
general work.
With thousands of able-bodied men
out of employment all over the country,
many of them applying to US for work,
such demand is remarkable. It is
known that the large proportion of the
operators have been led to join the
league under compulsion, and others
under the belief that the organic alton
was for legitimate and benevolent pur-
poses. many Of whom have stated that
they will repudiate any arbitrary action
Of the striking element.
THos. L. ECKERT, President.
WHAT THE BROTHERHOOD SAT-.
PITTsBURo, July 1s.-This city is the
for the Telegraphers'
and the feeling is intensi-
led as the limit allowed to the company
'or decision approaches. One of the
highest officers in the order said: If the
Western Union Company does not make
he concessions We asked for in the bill
# grievances by noon the telegraph KEYS
n all the offices will be closed, and the
iounder will not click until We come
,ack to the offices with victory resting
lpon our banners. We will ACCEPT no
We have made exceed
ngly moderate demands, and il the
does not wish to give us our
lights they will be responsible for the
trike. IL the demands embodied in
he bill Of grievances are not acceded to
t noon, and a strike ensues, our pres
mt bill OF grievances asking for an ad-
ance in wages of Is per cent. will be
from the consideration of
he officials of the Western Union Tele- |
.raph Company, and the original bill of |
prepared one year ago, will |
70 presented as our ultimatum.
"What does the original bill of |
contain? inquired the re-
,orter.
s.It conxa;oa , .aot;o, -l:-l 80
hat universal increase of % per cent. |
n all salaries now paid be granted: that |
ii extra work. including Sunday work,
hall be paid on basis of five hours
'er full working day. During the past
ear operators have been reduced 25
,er cent. 1t had been originally in
ended bv the brotherhood To ask for
he restoration of this reduction of %
,er cent, which was made at different
lines, but it was decided to be more
and, as a result, the present
,ill of grievances was formulated. This
,ill was not presented with the expecta-
ion of securing n compromise at
middle figure between present salaries
md our figures, but as an ultimatum,
n which matters could be amicably ad-
listed. In case it does not meet with
he approval of the officials of the West
,rn Union Company. then we will
strike, and the basis of the settlement
II the strike will be An advancement of
Is Der cent. on all salaries. There ia a
.horough and complete understanding
amongst subsidiary branches of the
all over the country. and
svery man and woman in the organiZa-
ion will be ready to act when the hour
ZONES for action. Reports received
from all the leading cities show that the
operators are enthusiastic. They have
hitherto held back, but are new coming
IN manfully.
INVESTIGATION AND DELAYS.
New YORK, July 1S.-At the regular
weekly meeting of the Executive Com
mittee OF Directors of the Western
Union Telegraph Company today, the
following was adopted: Resogred, That
, committee consisting of ex Governor
Cornell, j. w. Clenden and John +.
Terry, be appointed to inquire into the
of the inequalities in COM
pensatiOn and condition of the service
Df the employees Of this Company, il
any, and report to this committee.
One of the gentlemen who attended
the meeting says the sentiment was
in support of Gen. Eckert in
bis reception of the committee who
called on him to present the memorial
last, and that his letter to
Colonel Clowry, of Chicago, outlining
the position and resources Of the Com
pauy and calling attention to the ex.
brilliant demands of that committee.
vas likewise discussed and warmlx an.