Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1883-07-25
TELEGRAPHERS' STRIKE.
What They Ask.

The following is the petition present
ed by the Telegraphers' Brotherhood
to the Telegraph Companies for better
pay. The requests of the petition were
refused and hence the strike followed :
CENTRAL OFFICE BROTHER
HOOD OF TELEGRAPHERs
OF THE UNITED STATES
AND CANADA.
To General Manager and Acting Presi-
dent Western Union Telegraph Co ::
SIR-The undersigned, the Execu-
tive Board of the Brotherhood of Tele-
graphers of the United States and
Canada, acting in accordance with in
structions from that body, respectfully
petition your favorable consideration
of the following memorial, embodying
the desires of all classes of employees
in the service of the Western Union
Telegraph Company
SEC. l. Believing that mans physi-
cal and mental welfare requires that at
least one day in seven be accorded him
for rest and recreation, we request the
total abolition of Sunday work as COM
pulsory duty, unless compensated as
extra service.
Sec. 2. That eight hours shall con-
stitute days work and seven hours a
nights work.
SEC. 8. Both sexes shall receive
equal pay for equal work.
SEC. 4. That universal increase OF
Is per cent. on all salaries now paid be
granted.
LINEMEN's INTEREST.
Sec l. That eight hours shall con-
stitute regular days work and that
compensation at the rate of two days
pay shall be allowed for all Sunday
work; that the lowest salary paid a
regular lineman shall be S65 month,
and for helpers $50 a month; that the
duties of linemen relate solely to their
legitimate work.
wHEATSToNE INTERESTS.
SECTION |. That the salaries oil
first-class Wheatstone operators be in
creased to $75 a month and second
class operators to $50 a month, and
that they receive in addition the Is
per cent. increase asked for Morse op-
orators.
SEC. 2. That the working hours oi
Wheatstone operators be the same as
Morse.
A reply at the earliest possible mo.
- Vorx racnoatfn1lu
EUGENE J. O'CoNNoR, Chairman
MORTIMER D. SHAW, Sec'y.
The document presented to the
Rapid Telegraph Company differed
from that presented to the Western
Union, in that it did not contain the
clause referring to Wheatstone opera.
tors. The Wheatstone instrument is
not used in the Office of the Rapid Tele
graph Company.
In this country there are about g..
600 operators engaged in commercial
telegraphing on Sundays. The aver
age pay of operators is about $50 pei
month at the present time, and the
granting of the petitions will increase
in this particular the salary accounts
of the companies about 100000 a year
About 5000 commercial operators
will be affected by the demand for
eight hours as a days work. At the
present time they are employed on an
average 10 hours a day. The reduc'
ton in working hours will require the
additional service of about 1,200 oper.
ators, which will increase the salary
account of the companies about s95, OOO
year, not including the reduction de-
manded for night work.
The section of the bill of grievances
in reference to equal pay for both sexes
is considered of great importance. AT
the present time girls employed as op-
orators, although performing generally
the same class of work as the men, re.
ceive considerable less compensation
Their salaries do not average more'than
$40 month.
The increase of Is per cent. in
salaries as asked for would require an
additional expenditure by the com
panies for service of about S70O,0 a
year for commercial operators only.
The linemen employed in CONNER
cial business number about $500, in
cluding their help, the average salaries
per month being about S55. The in
crease demanded will amount to about
$500, 600 year.
The demand of the linemen for eight
hours as a DAVIS service will necessi
tate the employment of 500 more men
throughout the country causing an in
creased pay list Of about s34s, 900
year.
According to the demands, if com
piled with, the commercial companies
will be required to add to their salary
accounts about 81 ,543, 600 year.
The salaries of railroad operators
vary materially, but fair average is
$50 month. The bill demands for
these employees an increase of $40 a
month, which will amount to at least
an extra outlay of 100000 a year
The demand of double pay for Sunday
service will affect about 1000 railroad
operators, according to the increase de-
manded days pay will not be less
than 50, which will add to the payroll
in the neighborhood of s4l6,O0O, thus
making total increase demanded on
railroads ofS1 ,O16, 600 year, aud the
grand total of increase to telegraph op-
orators affected by the demands of the
Knights of Labor of $2,559,050 each
year.