Omaha daily bee., 1883-07-17
THE WIRE WORKERS.
Prospective Strike Of telegraph OPP.
orators.
Why the New Order Is Unsatisfac.
tory-Whcrc the Strike Will
be Felt First.
Special to the st. Louis Republican.

were applied to for information about
the threatened strike of the Telcgrapers
brotherhood said they had no information
on the subject except what they had seen
in the newspapers. The Western Union
employs about 5000 operators, of whom
about 5000 are in New York city.
INQUIRIES AMONG
were met with the assurance that all
pretended revelations of the intentions
of the brotherhood were without au-
thority, as the utmost secrecy was en-
joined upon all having any knowledge of
what was going on.
John Mitchell, one of the publishers
of the organ of the brotherhood, the
Telegrapher's Advocate, said that the ex-
e%cutive committee had the whole matter
in charge. He furnished the following,
which will be published in his paper to-
morrow as an indication of the feelings
with which the recent order of the Wes-
tern Union company announcing II
changed scale of wages is regarded;
A DELUsIvE ORDER.
''The scale of wages has created great
dissatisfaction throughout the entire
country. The night force have been ev-
erywhere, they claim, imposed upon by
this order, which the company makes
public i'll n name which to the unwary
would indicate "a concession. The pub
lie, however, will not be gulled by artiti-
ces of this description. The day men,
too, have gained but little, one day in
every six weeks or about So a
Ill Tl,> ,,o,, foo1 @1,1 A.
company had recognized their system
caused many to be jubilant, thinking, Of
course, the order was a decided increase.
In sober thought, how sadly they must
have felt when, if their labor was night
duty, they found themselves deprived of
one Sunday in every eight, which they
now enjoy in New York city. In many
places the night men have had to work
one or two Sundays a month; now, under
the new order, they are compelled to
work every Sunday night, a reduction in
the salaries from S4 to So per month.
Viewing the order as Il whole, it is prac-
tically a big saving to the company.
They slightly reduce tho hours of the
Sunday day force but greatly increase
the hours of the Sunday night force.
The force, too, is much larger Sunday
NIGHTS than during the day, In every
way the new rule works in favor of the
company, and will not be satisfactory to
t c men.
This may be accepted as a semi-otficial
statement of IA part of the grievances of
the operators. The main reform de-
manded is, however, equal pay for equal
services, which embraces some radical
change in the method of paying female
operators, whose low wages now make
them strong competitors with men. The
brotherhood have induced many of the
young women to join them that the title
of the organization might well be
changed to ''rhe Brotherhood and Sister
hood of T~elegraphers."
An ENTHUSIASTIC BROTHER,
when asked about the strike, said: ''The
fun of it is that our organization is SO
perfect that the officials of the company
cannot put their hands on one mem
Der for certain. We are now in constant
communication every day at the ex-
pense of the company, and with all their
vigilance they cannot help it. We can
converse freely in cipher which is an
enigma to any one not in possession of
the key. No spy can detect us, because
if he hears a dispatch he cannot tell what
it means. If one of them undertakes to
talk with one of our men he is sure to be
exposed at the first sentence. If a strike
does begin it will be felt first at North
Sidney, where the cables Join the land
lines and where experienced operators are
needed. The next place will be DuX.
bury, Mass, where the land lines join
with the French cables. If we do STRIKE
you may be certain it will be in a place
where it will be felt"
The Operators Demand.
New YORK, July ga committee
from the Photographers organization com.
posed of seven members from the differ.
ent cities, called on Gen. Eckert about 1C
o'clock to-day and presented a letter re.
questing a general increase Of ID per cent
in the salaries of o~peratorsand a slight re.
ductiou in their hours of work, and re-
quested that a reply be returned as early
as convenient, No time was stipulated
and no threats made.
When the committee presented their
memorial they were asked if they repre-
scented employees of the Western Union
company. They answered yes" but
upon examining the paper the officers
found no list of employees. The commit,
tee said they could not furnish such list,
as it would take time to prepare it, and
they were here under expense. They
were told the company did not recognize
the committee and would expect a list OF
such of its employees as desired to be rep.
resented nv the committee H. il under
stood that this list is being prepared
The memorial presented is as follows:
} Central Office of Brotherhood of Tele,
! graphers of the United States and Canada
/, Thos, T. Eckert, Esq, General Manager
and Acting President Western Unior
Telegraph Company-Sir The under
signed, executive board Of the Brother
4 hood Of Telegraphers of the United States
and Canada, acting in accordance Will
the instructions of that body, respectfully
petition your favorable consideration o
, the following memorial, e%mbodying tn,
4 desires of all classes of employees in tn,
service of the Western Union Telegraph
company.
SECTION /. Believeing mans physical
= and mental welfare require that at leas
one day in seven be accorded him 70
rest. and recreation, we request the tota
abolition of Sunday work as eompulsor.
+ duty unless compensated as extra,
4 SEC. 2. That eight hours shall consti
tute a days work and seven hours
, nights work.
/ SEC. 3, Both sexes shall receive equa
I. pay for equal work.
SEC. 4. That a universal increase o