Omaha daily bee., 1889-06-09
OUR HONEST SONS OF TOLL.
How They Are Living in the World
of Labor.
THR EATeNED
Unskilled Labor - Consolidation ot
Hallway Laboring Associations
Carpenters Opposed TO
Strikes-Other Items.
A Threatened Strike.

There Is feeling of restlessness among
the railroad men, and they are in daily an
ticipaton of reduction in wages-or rather
an attempt on the part of the roads to make
q reduction. Particularly is thisitrue OF the
Union Pacific, officers of that road having
limited that the wages OF the engineers
would be reduced. An attempt Of this kind
upon the part of the company, it Is judged,
would be met Immediately by n walkout of
the men. The brotherhood is stronger here,
probably, than in any other section of the
country, and feels that it can win any fight
IL may have occasion to wage with the com
pany. The men claim that the work here Is
arduous and the pay no more than adequate
to the amount of labor gwen.
A few days ago in an interview had with
him by newspaper reporter al Chicago,
Chief Arthur declared that he would never
sanction another strike, no matter what the
grievance. Speaking of this the other day, a
railroad engineer said, "That cooks Arthur's
goose and he will never be reelected. The
idea Of his making declaration like that!
Under such policy, the brotherhood would
soon become impotent and useless. sup
pose us local men should give In here
on the Union Pacific where we are so strongl
The road never would get through reducing
our wages"
This declaration of the chiefs seems to
have met with the general disapprooation of
the men here, and large number of votes
by meh running into Omaha and the Bluffs.
Unskiiled Muscle.
Inquiries at labor employment agencies
and other points of information establishes
the fact that the percentage OF lloorsore
idle Is very small. There are but very few
men loafing in the city, and many of these
could secure work if they really desired it.
There is much employment for men in
Omaha, and, in addition to this, the demand
for railroad hands and day-laborers for new
territory Is very large and keeps employment
agencies busy. Wages for unskilled labor
range from s1.50 to 50 n day, the former
ggure being the rule. This is low, and
there is considerable dissatisfaction among
become sufficiently chafed to strike and no
trouble of that kind is anticipated.
Don't Believe in Strikes.
"You will find us an anti-striklng organ
izatiQn," said member of the carpenters
union No. 1.-THE new union--as he laid
aside his tools at quitting time. "We are
opposed to strikes, and that was our princi-
pal reason for drawing out of the old union
ana forming a new one. We certainly
wouldn't strike for some ones else griev-
ance. We refused to do that when the other
men were called off The Bee building by the
striking plumbers, and so, as far as we are
concerned, all this stuff that has been pub.
| lished about general strike of the building
trades, is incorrect If all the other men in
| town go out, you will still find us at the
bench, unless we have some grievance of our
own which we find impossible to settle by
| arbitration. No. II is not striking union. -
| The new organization. it is said, is getting
| along swinmlngly, and the membership roll
is being increased right along. At the last
| meeting four new members were enrolled
Railway Unions Consolidate.
| In Chicago, last Thursday, nine delegates
| representing the Brotherhood of Ralwa,
| Brakemen, the SwItchmen's Mutual Aid as
| sociation and the Brotherhood of Locomotive
Firemen, met and ratified q constitution
which shall hereafter govern the three
organizations now consolidated into one unde,
| the United Order of Railway EMPLOYEES
The governing body will be supreme coun
Gil. of which the following are the officers
| president, +. p. Sergeant, of the Firemen's
association; vice president, Frank Sweene
| of the Switchmen's association: secretary
E. F; O'Shea, of the railway brakemen's
| association.
Members of these orders here were asked
concerning the new organization, and, while