The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1893-05-05
THE STRIKE SPREADS FAR
Fears That the Linemen's
Action Will Affect the
Whole State.
SYMPATHY FOR BRooKLYN'S MEN.
Origin of the Trouble is the De-
mand for Higher Wages, and
Redress Of Grievances.

The strike of the Brooklyn nnemen
employed by the New York and New
Jersey Telephone Company. a branch of
which company has monopoly of the
telephone business in this city, with GEN.
tral Offices on the top floor of the Flem-
ing Building and general offices
at Bay and Erie streets. has
spread to a greater extent than
the electrical companies of Brooklyn
imagined it would. Two of the four cleo
trical companies of Brooklyn. whose line
men threatened to strike if their wages
were not increased from 81. so to IS per
day. have acceded to the demands of the
men. But the other two are holding out
against the workmen, and the out
look is that there will be general
strike ordered by the President OF the Ma
tional brotherhood OF Electrical Workers.
WILL BE WIDEsP READ.
Should u general strike be Or
dered, the electrical companies of
this city. Newark, Paterson, Passaic
and every city and town in the State
would be hopelessly tied up. Ard what
Is now most feared by the officials OF the
electrical companies implicated in this
strike is that the linemen acd climbers
the purpose OF materially aiding the
chances of their Brooklyn brothers.
IN SYMPATHY WITH BROOKLYN.
The JERSEY CITY NEWS yesterday told
of contemplated move of the local line
men ana climbers to strike on general
principles with the view OF securing for
| themselves the increase in pay which the
Brooklyn men demanded and were re-
| fused.
Whether strike will be ordered or
not, will be decided this evening au a
meeting to be held under the auspices of
Local Union No. 81 of the National Bro
| tnerhood of Electrical Workers.
| The linemen are determined TO win
| this battle. and no stone will be left un-
| turned to compel the officials OF the
electrical companies in this city to accede
to the demand for increased pay.
| AN IMPORTANT MEETING.
Tonlght's meeting will be particular
| ly important one because of the certain
| attendance of the First Vice President of
| the National Brotherhood. Notices have
| been sent out by the officers of Union No.
| 81 to every ltneman and climber in the
city, and they expect that representatives
| il not oil the members of the Brother
hood employed by the Jersey City and
| Bergen and North Hudson Railway COM
panies, Hudson County and Jersey City
Electric Light companies. probably the
Western Union and Postal Telegraph
companies and the New York and New
Jersey Telephone Company will be
present.
| Yesterday afternoon I met First Vice
President HealeY OF the National Brother
hood. asked him what course he
| Thought the linemen would pursue, and
in response to my question, he said:-
ORIGIN OF THE STRIKE.
HThis strike has assumed larger proper
tions than the electrical companies i'm
agined it would. The strike. as you
undoubtedly know, originated at the
Jersey Telephone Company. This strike
could very easily have been averred. It
came about in this way: Three men,
! whose names / now withhold, were ap-
| pointed committee to wait upon the
| New YORK and New Jersey Telephone Of
ticials.. and present to them petition
| from the men asking for an increase of
| so cents per day in their wages. The
company at once ignored the petition and
| without provocation, maintain, dis
| charged them. That action promulgated
| this strike. Now. the company, | i'm
| agtne, thought it had about twenty men
| to contend with, but it will prob
| ably cause surprise to Know
| that there are about IL, 600 of us. Last
| November the National Brotherhood had
| in its treasury IS, 600, and from that time
until now the fund has increased at the
rate of 81, 900 per month.
| READY FOR FIGHT.
IF the New York and New Jersey Tele-
| phone Company hopes to win this suit
| oy hiring new men and paying them $40
| per day, we are i'll position to pay the
| same men SIS per day to Sto2
II the Brooklyn men want assist
| ance, can assure you that
| Union No. 81 will give them support. and
| not only Union No. 81 but Unions in
every part of the country. We are strong
! in numbers and strong financially. We
will see what is best to be done tonight.
'.One of the few grievances that liuemen
| have now is that these companies hire
green men, put them under old timers,
and as soon as they learn the business,
advance them in pay and ofrent1mes
| make foremen of them, while the old
| hands stick to tine business just as long
as they can stand and get only the small
salary they are Kicking about now"
From other remarks made by Mr..
Healey it is probable that strike will be
ordered in Jersey City.