The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1896-03-11
TALK ABOUT STRIKE
There Is Much UneasineSs in the G.
N. Working Forces.
A REDUCTION IN SALARIES
Men Quit Work and Others Take
Their Places and Some of Them
Draw Out rouble May
Possibly Come.
A REDUCTION IN SALARIES

There have been two small strikes or
! the Great Northern in Butte as a re.
7 suit of a new order which went into
effect last Sunday, and affairs on that
road are in a much more unsettled and
unsatisfactory condition, so far as the
men are concerned, than they have
been at any time since the great strike
of two years ago. The new order which
was received Saturday evening pur-
ported to be an adjustment of wages,
but 1T was really a reduction all
around. The salary of NJ. FISH
er, the round house foreman, was
reduced from s11s.75 to SHOTS a
month. The car repairers were cut
from $50 ITO s55 a month, and the coal
beavers were cut from s55 to $50 a
month. The pay of car inspectors was
raised about 20 cents a day and they
are the only branch of employees men,
toned in the new order who did not
have cause to regret Its issuance.
The car repairers We're formerly paid
by the day at a rate which was equiv
alent to $50 a month. The Great North
ern employs 10 car repairers in Butte,
and when they were notified Sunday
morning that their pay had been cut
80 month they quit work in a body.
Ten new men were secured to take
their places and they went to work
yesterday morning at the $55 rate.
They supposed that SIS a month was
the wages that had been paid all along,
and when they learned of their mis-
take they also quit work. They had
worked just two hours and each man
was given time check for 80 cents. At
last accounts last night the car fore
man was endeavoring to find men to
take their places and was meeting with
very poor success. The railroad men
don't believe that the company will be
able to secure any car repairers In
Butte at the reduced rate. For the
present car inspectors are doing Vhe
car repairers' work. Seven or eight of
the coal beavers quit work on Sunday
morning on being told that they had
been cut from s55 to $50 a month, but
their places were filled without any
trouble.
The new order has been the cause
of a great deal of discussion among all
of the Great Northern employees and
has been condemned by all the men.
1t is plainly apparent that there is a
feeling of the greatest discomfort pre-
valent among the men and that seri-
Gus trouble is not at all improbable. al
though II is not likely to come for a
few weeks, If at ALL The men believe
that the company's motives in making
these petty reductions Is to feel of their
temper, so to speak, and see how
much they will stand. So far the wage
schedules of the trainmen and switch |
men, which were agreed upon at THE |
time of the trouble two years aR,o. /
have not been interfered with, but they !
expect that their turn will come next 1
and they are not in a particularly I
pleasant frame of mind.
The men charge the road with violat-
ng the spirit of their agreement with
Them and they say that IL this is con-
-inued 1t will be tied up in as bad shape
rs 1t was before. They say that the
A. r. U. is now stronger along the
Great Northern than il ever has been.
)ut the greatest secrecy is maintained
n regard TO the order 1t holds no
meetings. and members will not speak
II their connection with II under any
An old railroad man said last even
ng: IF this thing is kept up there
VIII be another strike in just about two
nontns. We are getting ready for
rouble and it may come inside of that
ime. The tendency is to cut wages so
ow that men cannot make enough TO
I've on. The coal beavers at Clancy
we're cut to $3.50 a day and IL costs
hem 90 cents for every meal they eat.
-hey nave either got to get along on
Wo meals a day If they want to sleep
nder cover or eat three meals and
leep in an empty coal bunker. How
re they going to clothe themselves is
more than / can tell. You don't hear
any A. X. u. in Butte any more.
ut l have reason to believe that II ia
ere just the same"
master Mechanic r. Bruce came over
rom Great Fails last evening, but he
ecilned TO say anything about the
ew schedule |