Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-12-18
TWENTY-FOUR HOURSFOR AREPLY
Chicago Wages, With Double Pay for Work
on Sunday, Among Their
Modest Demands
A GENERAL qIE.UP NAY TAKE PLACE.
The arvansss o Presented and the Consultation Bearing
On Than.


more pay.
The list of grievances was presented yes
terday to the respective superintendent,
and the latter were given "a hours in which
to make reply. The following is COM
plete copy of an agreement which the men
desire the companies to enter into:
To the Officials Of Railway Company:
The following is a list of articles which we
hereby propose shall take effect January !,
1891. and to which we herewith submit our sig
natures as tine officials and yardmen OF this
company:
First-Eight hours shall constitute days
service.
Second-The pay of yardmen shall be as fol-
lows: Twenty-seven cents per hour for switch
men or helpers and % cents for conductors or
foremen.
Third-rn employing men for night service,
men of experience in yard work shall be given
the preference.
Fourth-In promotingsyardmen, time of serv-
ice. experience and ability shall be the chief
consideration.
Five-No crew shall work shorthanded.
Sixth-Yardmen shall not work on the road,
nor shall roadmen work in the yard.
Double Pay for Sunday Work.
Seventh-The pay for Sunday work shall be
double that for week days.
Eignth-All yard crews shall be paid on the
9th of each month; and when the 9th falls on
Sunday they shall be paid on the Saturday pre-
ceding.
Ninth-Yardmen's duties shall commence at
the yard Offices only. -
Tenth-No yard employe shall be discharged
without good cause proven before q committee
of yardmen.
Eleventh-No yardmen shall be discharged
for serving in the capacity Of a committeeman,
nor shall any other yardmen be discharged for
being interested In these grievances.
This move on the part of the local switch
men was wholly unexpected at this time. 1t
was known that demands for shorter hours
and more pay were to be presented, but it
was thought the move would not be made
until April 1 at the earliest. The Baltimore
and Ohio difficulty, which apparently has
not yet been definitely settled, furnished the
opportunity for the demands to be made
now, and as result the struggle which had
to come anyway will be settled just three
months earlier.
The switchmen are supported by all the
men along the lines centering in Pittsburg.
Members OF grievance committees from
Philadelphia, Harrisburg, Altoona, Con-
nellsvill,, Jersey City,. Bellaire, McKees-
port and Columbus are already in the city,
and others from points along the Ft. Wayne
and other roads are expected to-day.
The Committees Courteously Received.
The local Grievance Committee was in
session all night Tuesday night, and yester-
day morning at 10 o'clock it was divided up
into subcommittee, and these presented
the grievances to the superintendent. They
were treated very courteously by the officials,
and in some instances received replies that
the matter would be considered at once. In
no case, however, were they given much
hope that the demands would be granted.
| Superintendent Holbrook was not in his
Office at all. but the paper was left in the
hands of his clerks.
The grievances are not much unlike those
presented last April, except that they 20 a
step or two farther in asking for shorter
hours and more pay. The pay received now
| is "a and 20 cents per hour for day
and night work. The increase to 81
and 20 cents asked for is said to be
equal to the Chicago wages that were
aimed at last spring. Clause No. 9 is
| especially aimed at the Ft. Wayne road,
where it is claimed that the men are often
| compelled to walk several miles before they
| can begin work
The men have been very deliberate in
preparing to make the present demands
Many meetings were held, ostensibiy to
consider the Baltimore and Ohio trouble,
but there was secondary consideration. A
| list of grievances was prepared and for
warded to the Grand Master of the Switch
mems Mutual Aid Association and was
considered by him while the local switch
men were also deciding as to what steps %
pursue.
Backed by Their Organization
One of the officials of the association
stopped in the city last night on his way
| East to attend to some business there, but
| he will return in time to meet the other
Grand Lodge officers, who have been
notified to come Immediately. Mr.. Hanley,
Chairman of the Press Committee, said last
night that the higher Office might be here
any day. One of them was in Washington
last week and had some other business to at
tend to in the West before he could come to
Pittsburg. but he confidently expects all
the officers here by Saturday.
''We have the organization with us this
time" said Mr.. Hawley, 'and with this
kind of weather, the companies will be too
glad to grant all we ask"
SIS this move independent of the Balti-
| more and Ohio difficulty?" was asked.
"Yes, sir, replied Mr.. Hawley;" but we
will have something to say in regard to that
too. We have presented special griev-
ance to the Baltimore and Ohio officials,
but we are not prepared to state what it is
until the matter is settled. The only thing
we have to say is that every provision OF
our constitution has been followed and in a
very short time we will have the difficulty
settled satisfactorily"
That part of the constitution bearing on
grievances is interesting, and is as follows:
All grievances of general nature shall be re.
ferred to the Chairman of the General Griev-
ance Committee of the system on which the
grievance originates, in writing with seal OF
| lodge attached. He shall upon receipt of said
grievance notify the Grand Master, and upon
his approval shall proceed to settle the same.
Upon receipt OF approval of said grievance
from the Grand Master, the Chairman of the
General Grievance Committee shall call the
General Grievance Committee into session,
and they shall proceed to settle the said griev.
ance. subject to the approval Of the Grand
Master.
General Te-Up Not improbable.
According to that, il tine law has been OBJ
served, the grievances of the men have been
approved by the Grand Master of the asso-
citation, and the possibilities of tie-up Of
all the roads interested, in case of refusal
on the part Of the companies to grant the
demands, becomes apparent.
A number of the officials were seen yester-
day afternoon, but the majority of them re-
fused to have anything to say about the
matter. One Of the Pittsburg and Western
officers said he thought there would be a