New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-07-16
PRICE FOUR CENTS.
ACTION OF TELEGRAPHERS
FORMULATING THEIR DEMANDS.


The discomfort among telegraphers seems likely
soon to result in action At meeting yesterday Of
members of the Brotherhood, which is branch Of
the Knights of Labor. the demands that are to be
made of the various telegraph companies are said to
have been drawn up In order that they might be
submitted to the companies this week. The exact
time of their intended presentation could not bo
learned but by operators 1t was intimated that
the demands will be put before the officers to-day
Other fixed the date later in the week. 1t there
fore appears to be certain that before long the West
ern Union and other telegraph companies viii be
confronted with the alternative of paying higher
wages to tbeiI men or facing the probability OF
very general strike The situation has been
watched by business anxiousy for tho past
week. as the consequences OF crippling of tho
operating force of the Western Union arc recog.
nized % sure to result in widespread in
convenience and more or less disaster to CONNER
cial and financial interests. The dissatisfied
telegraphers deny all anxiety to provoke strikes
and the expression of officers OF the Western Union
has been conciliatory. With such sentiments on
both sides business men are trusting that the men
and the company can agree upon satisfactory set
tlement and avoid the damage that would como
from an interruption or suspension OF telegraphio
communications.
WHAT THE TELEGRAPHERs WILL DEMAND.
A "red letter" meeting of that section Of the
Brotherhood of Telegraph Operators included In
New-York. Brooklyn and Jersey City was held yes
terday afternoon in the lodge at the corner Of
Eighth-ave. and Eighteenth-st. There was largo
attendance of both male and female operators,
and the meeting was exceedingly enthusiastic
If the frequent bursts Of applause could be taken
as an indication. The meeting was . secret
one, and THE TRIBUNE reporter who succeeded
fha utarI If fba IodU vuoa
turned back with the advice to wait in the street
until the meeting adjourned. Those who attended
the meeting were reticent and as a rule de-
clped to give any information as to what had
taken place Persistent inquiry, however. devol-
oped enough to indicate that the committee of the
Brotherhood having the matter in charge had 6u-
ished their abors far az the formulation OF the
demands of the operators are concerned, and that
demand will probably be made on the telegraph
companies simultaneously throughout the country.
probably by Wednesday. The exact nature Of the
demands could not be learned, but they
will probably include the equalizing
Of the pay between men and women
operators so that the latter will receive the same
pay as the former for the same work; an advance
in pay all round, particularly in the case OF
railroad operators and the sbortening OF the hours
of work of the railroad men, that there will be
three relays for the latter instead Of two, as u now
the rule on most of the roads.
THE OPERATORS CONflDENI VI sCCCEcS
The unanimous feeling of the operators with whom
TRIBUNE reporter talked yesterday is that there
will be no back down ON the part of the Brother.
mood. The companies. they say, will be given
fair time to consider the demands
presented to them and if they do
not grant them in the time specified the
operators will leave work until they reverse their
decision.
john MITCHELL of The Telegraphers Adrocate said:
I" III the men do leave work it will b. good deal
| harder job to get them to go back inside OF two
n I'll Of T to get hs% g ns TSs tc
enjoy a two weeks vacation and should they 60
out they would consider it in the light OF
Zone of our principal demands" said one. oper.
ator will be the equalization of pay. We do not
object to women learning % the business and getting ing
the men We can readily see that If The
company can get women to do for sou
month what il would have to pay men $50 and
500 for, that the men would soon have to make
living at something else. When man has spent
the time necessary to become first ass operator
he is fit for little else besides, and he doesnt
wish to throw away his know ledge aud experience.
titled to it, 1t certainly requires as much skull and
q great deal more education to send and receive
over the wires than it does to lay bricks or ma.
nipulate a jackplane, and yet we are PAID
on an average not quite half the
money that q brcklaSer or carpenter receives;
500 month is an exceptionally high salary for an
to put a man back on the slow gang on reduced
pay. hardly think there will be strike because
in the Catsks, however, if it were necessary"
Another operator and member OF the Brotherhood
said after close questioning that there was likely
{" to be plenty of newsn to-day. :" am surprised"
he added, at the good attendance at our meeting
to-day and the number OF managers and opera%tors %
in high positions who were with u.s." he said that
the demands of the men would be submitted to-
day lie thought about noon. They would DO
laid before the telegraph officers by committee,
and the companies would be given a reasonable
time in which to answer them.
What action will bc taken by the teegraphers
organization in the event OF refusal OF their
claims is not definitely determined upon. Future
measures will be decided by the Executive
Committee mo one can say positively whether whether
ator who spoke throughout with caution because
it rests with the Executive Committee % say what
our grievances and the desired redress beyond
that they have not gone" Another member OF the
Brotherhood said: About two years ago petit
ton for an Improvement in the position OF the men
was presented to the Western Union Company but
IL was pigeon-hoed. At that time, however, tho
operators were not organized and they would have
had no strength to back them IN q strike such ae
they have to-day. They are now we'll organized and
would have the financial support Of other branches
of the Knights of Labor an open contest With the
company were TO take place IL is denied for the
Western Union Company that such petition was
ever presented and treated with neglect.
AT THE WESTERN UNION OFFICE
Apparently everything was working as usuai as
the main Office Of the Western Union Company last
night. Night Manager Sink said that nothing had
occurred and he had heard news of the afternoon
meeting of the operators "We have only tho
usual number of absentees from the office to-
night" he said :" and the ordinary Sunday night
force at work No one has stayed away on account
of the dissatisfaction, in my opinion. The men are
not likely to 60 out unless they do so in body,
and l don't believe they will strike without warn
ing. There would be nothing to gain by leaving
work until the company had refused to listen to
their complaints and much to lose in the sympathy
of the public"
Regarding the effect of the new rule OF the COM
pany, which 1t has been claimed really reduces .ne