Middletown transcript., 1894-06-30
PULLMAN BOYCOTT.
A History of the Strike-Both Sides
Given

Inc StTlke vi the fuliman employees is
the largest that has been known in this
section, with the exception of the coal
miners. 1t involves 5000 employees, whose
payroll amounted to $1,000 day. II
started on May 1lth, and has continued Al
days, with loss of over 100000 to the
employees.
Like all large strikes there are two sides
to it. The men claim that their wages have
been cut down from 30 to 80 per cent. since
September, 1898, and are now so low that
after paying rent to the company there is
little or nothing left for them to live on
Another complaint is that the foremen are
not competent, and that the favored ones
have their own way, while others must
suffer.
The system of piece-work in vogue is
such, it is complained, that there is no
show for the ordinary workman, as it
: is based upon the labor of the most expert,
and when piece of work is given out at
one price and finished in given time, the
next day the same character of ork is put
out at reduced rates. AS an illustration of
this, it is cited that where door was given
to workman who finish ed it in eight
hours for Sl.90, the next time that it was
sent out the same man only received 81 62.
SAMPLE OF THE CUTS.
Workmen who formerly received So a
day now get only 81. In the iron depart
ment cut of 25 to 10 per cent brought the
wages down to $3.50 and 81 % day, while
at other similar establishments the pay, it
is claimed, is s2.75. In the passenger-car
department there have been cuts from 80
cents an hour to less than 10 cents an hour
and in the street car department reduc-
ton of 55 per cent. On the piece work plan
the best men in this department can, it is
said, only make 10 to IL cents an hour.
Brass molders were cut 25 to 40 per cent,
finishers 20 to 35 per cent, iron molders 25
to 40, and laborers 40 per cent.
Upholsterers suffered reduction from
$2.75 to $1.50 and 175. Cabinet-makers
were reduced Is to So per cent. and carpen-
ters from S2.75 to $3.50 and s175 per day,
and in the freight-car department from "a
cents to 16 cents an hour.
THE CoMPANY's SIDE.
The company officials say that it is not a
question as to what the company is willing
topay,but what it can pay and that is would
rather keep the works closed six months
than run as there are few constr uction or
ders to be had. They claim that in the
past the company has paid the highest
wages. and that now, when every
thing is down, the men are unable to ad-
just themselves to the changed situation.
They ask why, if the men have been
badly treated, some have remained with
company five, ten and twelve years? The
Pullman Company own the town of Pull
man and the employees rent from the com.
pany.
One especial grievance that the employees
have is that rents have not been reduced
while wages have been cut. The company,
on the other hand say that the basis on
which the houses are rented only pays 4
per cent. on the investment, and that 80
per cent, Of the employees are $3.50, 900 in ar
rears for rent and as yet no evictions have
occurred.
This very system of renting from the
, company is one of the things complained
ofby the men, who say that money which
they get flows back to the company in
rents and through the company stores.
THE STRIKE PROPER.
The strike at Pullman, ILL.,, began May II |
when 1000 of the 4,300 men walked out |
They we're not then organized into union |
bus the night of the 10th they had met the |
meditation efthe American Railway I'm |
ion, who had advised the local unions to |
take vote on the subject of striking, but |
it was claimed that the officers of the Pull
man Company had obtained knowledge
Of this decision and intended to shut down
the works. So the strike was precipitated
TO avoid lockout
On May 5 Vice Presiden.. Wickes, Of the
Co., was waited upon by a delegation of the
employees from pullman, representing every
branch of industries of that town, and the
grievances of the employees were laid be-
fore the company. The men wanted a res
toration On the scale of wages paid them in
1898 and double time for Sunday work.
Vice President Wickes told the delega-
money and that the works were in opera
tion at all was due largely to an inclina-
iion to give the men continued employ
ment. He said the company intended to
restore the wages when business improved.
AMERICAN RAILWAY UNION.
After the strike began the strikers num-
bers increased to more than 5000, and in
less than twenty-four hours they effected
formal organization of branch of the
American Railway Union and began to
picket the shops to prevent the rintroduc-
ton of outsiders. Vice President Howard,
of the American Railway Union, was placed
at the head ofthe general committee which
was appointed to direct the struggle.
The project of stopping the handling of
Pullman cars throughout the country was
then canvassed. but it was agreed not to
resort 10 this remedy until after the meet
ing of the American Railway Union Con-
vention A report was made to that body
on June II to the effect that the Pullman ]
Company refused to recognize the union or
to treat with 1t in reference to the strike, :
and it was decided to leave the manage
ment of the struggle in the hands of the
national officers, by whom the boycott of
Pullman cars now put in force was decreed.
EMPLOYERS WILL NOT ARBITRATE.
Officials Of the Pullman Company refuse
to arbitrate with the employees. aud say that
there is nothing to arbitrate. At the same
lime they are willing to confer with their
OWN men as individuals. They stubbornly
refuse to recognize the American Railway
Union, but President Debs is quoted as say
ng that the union does not ask for recog-
1ition, but is simply trying to secure the
proper wages for the employees.
One of the last acts of the Railway Union
was to decide upon a general
boycott OF Pullman cars wherever they
might be found if the company refused to 4
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