St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1894-04-26
MR.. HILLS PROPOSITION.
Which He Submitted After a Re.
cess.


Which He Submitted After q Re-
cess.
At 8 o'clock the session took recess
for the purpose OF sending for some of
the members of the old brotherhoOdS
and to secure their sanction of the
proceedings of the committee. After
lapse of half an hour MIR. Hill returned.
and. taking from his pocket a folded
document. again addressed the commit
tee, saying:
I'm view of the fact that the.Ameri-
can Railway union claims to represent
majority of the various classes of the
employees of the Great Northern rail-
way, and that since the meeting this
morning the old organizations claim
their members are not ami will not be
represented by the American Railway
union, or any other than their respect
i've duly authorized representatives;
and whereas, the companY's rolls do not
show that the committee here present
represents the men on its pay rolls on
the various divisions; and, whereas,
men who have heretofore represented
some OF the different organizations on
the various parts of the railway being
here. under the authority of their or
CARNATIONS, prepared TO speak for the
men they claim 10 represent, the CON-
pany desires to avoid unnecessary delay
and loss to the public, to the men. and
to itself, growing out of the claims Of
rival organizations. The company pro-
poses that it will submit to its EN-
p;OyeS. for immediate reply, the follow
ing:
Any class of men in its service who
have any grievance or complaint as to
its rate of pay shall either personally,
or through representatives chosen by
themselves, state such grievances 10 the
company, and in case it cannot speedily
be adjusted between such representa-
t!ves and the company, the matter shall
be at once referred 10 board of arbi
tration composed of three disinterestad
men who nave knowledge of railway
service, one to be chosen by the men or
their representatives, one by the com-
pany, and the third by the two so
chosen; and i'll case they cannot agree,
the third member of such board to be
named by either the Hon. K. r. Nelson.
or the Hon. A. d. Thomas. Judges of
The United States court, or both of them
together; and the finding of the major
ity of such board of arbitration, OH mat
JerS submitted TO them, shall be final,
and shall bind the men and the CON-
pany.
1.-The positions of agents and dis
patchers, being places OF trust, the COM
pany desires 10 deal with these men in
divIdually. As regards the snopmen.
car inspectors, bridgecarpenters, etc., the
company expects TO pay wages III ac
cOrdance with the service rendered,
and at rates that average as high as
tile same service receives on neighbor-
ing roads. As to section and other
laborerS VINO are irregulariy en-
ployed, and are mainly composed
Of floating men who are here today and
gone tomorrow, anu cannot be>bound by
any representatives or organization, all
agreement with them would bind the
company aud would not bind the NEIL
Lii regard to these men it has always
been the conpanY'S custom TO reduce
both the lumber OF such men and their
rates OF pay during the winter months,
while there is little work for them TO do
beyond patrolling their sections. On the
opening of spring the wages of these
men have been advanced in the past,
and the company expects to follow this
co lrSe, as heretofore.
This proposition is made on the con-
ditiOn that the men immediately return
10 work IN their various places, and that
the business of tha company with the
public be no longer delayed. and further
loss OF time to the men be avoided.
ANY changes in the rates of pay
made by such conference or arbitration
shall take effect as of the date when
work is resumed"
After rea ding the proposition Mr.Hill
said:
Now, in regard to thIs.sw are con-
fronted. as L stated TO you before, with
this situation, which We have already
gone over, and which has been con-
firmed since we took the recess, that
these brotherhoods say again that they
will not be represented by your COM
mittee; that you have nothing to do
with them; that they do not wish to be
represented by you. This PROPOSE
ton is meant to be fair to every
man employed blythe company as
permanent employee. believe
that your own order has, in the
past, claimed that arbitration was a
fair settlement of these differences. We
have nothing to fear from any fair man,
in the company employ or out of it.
we are ready 10 submit tnlS question
fairly and fully and on condition that
the men will go on with their duty. and
that the result, whatever it u.ay be, of
any agreement reached by the company
and che chosen representatives of the
men, or on failing to agree, the finding
of the board of arbitration constituted
of disinterested men who have knowl-
edge of railway service, that shall bind
both parties. | would like to have you
discuss this proposition with your COM
mittee. You have it before you, and let
your committee act upon it. We will
put it before all the employees of the
company and we would like your assist
ance IN doing this. InaSmuch as you
claim 10 represent the majority of the
different classes. ii that proposal is a
fair one. and your information as to
who you represent IS correct. it ought
to be-a very easy matter to adjust.