Milford chronicle., 1883-07-27
OUT ON A STRIKE.
The Great Body of Telegraph Operators
Leave Their Desks.

The strike ordered by the Brother
hood of Telegraphersin in the United States
and Canada for better wages, shorter
hours, and the same pay to both sexes
for equal work, began at noon on Thurs
day The Brotherhood reports that
1000 men and l 700 women went out on
the strike in the United States and
Canada.
The great operating room of the West
ern Union Telegraph Company in New
York city was as busy as ever when the
minute and hour hands of the clocks
upon the walls crossed each other at
noon on Thursday. More than 450 Op-
orators were at work at the tables on
the main floor and in the Gallery. They
/ appeared to be uneasy. turned to look
at anybody who came in. and exchanged
glances with each other
Then little groups of two or three set
out to leave the room, until perhaps
thirty had gone. A group of spectators
at the entrance steadily increased in size.
Many of the spectators were operators
off duty, who appeared to be expecting
something.
As the minute hand indicated ten min
utes past II, or noon Washington time,
Frank Phillips, cable operator, whose
desk is near the middle of the room,
stood upon his chair and blew one short
and sharp note on a tin whistle. In
stantly 375 operators showed their chairs
back from their desks and sprang to their
feet. Then, in solid bodies, they pressed
quickly and quietly toward the doors. |
A large number of young women were /
among them.
Suddenly an operator waved his hat, |
with Hip, hip, hurrah p and three |
echOing cheers We're given, which were .
audible outside the building above the
noise of Broadway
As soon as the strikers had left the
building recruits for their places began
to come in. AT two o'clock 100 opera
tors were at work, and at four o'clock the
number had been increased to about
1S0 Many of the number appeared to
be proceeding very leisurely, and the
striking operators, who appear to keep
about the situation in the
office, say that not few are "dum-
mics, set at the desks to make a show
of strength.
At the same hour that the strikers left
their desks in New York city, the men,
bers of the brotherhood all over the
country did the same. The number of
strikers being fully 8,000 including men !
and women operators.
The complaint of the strikers is that
during a period of ten years they have !
been made the victims of several unjust
md unnecessary reductions of wages at
he hands of a wealthy corporation, !
which has curtailed the compensation of
is employees to keep up the dividends
IN its watered stock. They give figures
% show that systematic reductions have
)een forced upon them at different times,
year after year, by the Western Union
Company" until a "sliding scale was
dopted which had the peculiarity of
liding but one way" and reduced the
verage pay in the United States for the
arious classes of operators to from $40
o S13 a week; and now they demand Il
General increase of but fifteen per cent. '
They say that as the profits of the z
Ompany have risen the wages of the s.
perators have fallen. They complain h
+ excessive hours of labor, and that :,
hey are required to perform Sunday -
ervice without extra compensation, and a
mt forth various other grievances. il
In reply to these appeals, the West c
rn Union has merely made the an "
ouncement that grievances will be con- y
dered only when presented by individ- -
ais ON their own account to the COM III
littee appointed by the company. CT
THE LEADER OF THE STRIKE. p
A why man of about 35 years, of b'
iddle height, with keen gray eyes, OF
leltered by gold eyeglasses, with black cr
air, a quick, decided way of speak lo
e, and a pleasant manner, sat at a ~
BILE in a New York hotel parlor. N
his was John Campbell. of Pitts WI
lrgh, the District Master Workman of te
e Brotherhood of Telegraphers, which so
also District Assembly 45 of the or
nights of Labor. Mr. Campbell is the
lief officer of the Brotherhood, and re-
aims in New York to take personal super "a
sion Of the strike, and to speak for the III
,erators in every matter affecting their IN
terests. Mr.. Campbell has been for gu
enty years n telegraph operator, and fo
Is for sixteen years in the telegraph -
ice of the Cleveland and Pittsburgh u
lilroad For the last two or three wa
ars he has been in the Western Union to
ice in Pittsburgh. tn
sat midnight, Wednesday," said Mr. Sc,
, II sent cipher telegram to all the no
icers Of all the lines in the United - ~
ates and Canada affected by this nc
ike, of which the following is a trans cit
ion: ae
i'Unless otherwise instructed, all vel
,mbers working for (nome of the tele- ar,
lph company will suspend work
! time, Thursday, July 19. Commit sh'
unlawful acts. By order of the Exec thf
We Committee. asl
John CAMPBELL. crc
THAT dispatch reached operators on or
off duty" su
THE FINANCIAL POSITION. osl
In a conversation with a reporter, Mr. is
m Campbell, the leader of the strike L.,
said: "The operators have 'ou
general fund for sustaining the strike, hai
hough majority of them have been the
ividually preparing for this emer- wei
ICY. But the Knights of Labor edi
Ike assessments to meet cases of nm,
S kind, and the order for the
)eal was drawn up a day or two III
}, in anticipation of our action of to-
Z. We expect to be plentifully sup
ed with money, though we do not ex- I
It the strike to last very long We owl
We already offers of assistance from Wa
ious strong labor associations. Some can
the striking operators can find en- an
yment with the United Press Associ- nee