The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-04-12
OF LITTLE avail.
Strike Would Not
Benefit Employees
at Present.
DELAY COUNSELLED
Railroad Men Advised to
Await Next Pay Day
Before Acting.

Trainmen on the New York, New
Haven and Hartford road are playing a
waiting game at the present time. The
statement sent out by the Providence
official of the road Monday claiming
that the men would see the benefits of
the new wage schedule on their next
pay day, has satisfied them to such an
extent that they are saying nothing,
but doing lots of thinking.
The possibilities of a strike have
dwindled into obscurity since the Off
Gals of the road have made an answer
to the men asserting that every en-
ployee would get his due. The orders
compelling the wearing of nothing but
white shirts and black neckties, with
no tan shoes, are similar to those en-
forced by most of the leading railroad
companies. - -
Yesterday the Spy man talked with q
New Haven road man who has acted
in several capacities during the time he
has been employed by the company. He
said: There is no use disputing the
fact that employees of the New York,
New Haven and Hartford are dissatis-
fed, but it is all rot this talk about a
strike. The road is too powerful for
poor men to fight against,
Il begin to believe that the public
has little sympathy with strikers any
way. A strike would create excitement
and might hurt theroad for a few days,
but there are enough good railroad
men idle who would grab up the places
we left, and we would be left without
position. The freight handlers are the
hardest worked men at this time of the
year, and the biggest kick comes from
them They work overtime nearly ev-
cry day and get no extra pay
Most of the men l have seen con-
slider the strike talk injurious to the
welfare of the men. l believe it much
better course to wait until the men
have had another pay day and see
whether it benefits them, as Claimed by
the Providence official. If the men are
no better fixed after the next pay day
it will be time enough then to hint at a
strike.
1T is impossible to tell now just
when every man employed by the road
will have received his pay. The diff
ferent departments have pay days OF
their own. By the latter part of this
week, the crisis will come, and unless
the men are satisfied that the company
intends to help them by increasing
their wages, the hot-headed ones vii
surely stir up turmoil.
Railroad strikes are easily started
but hard to quell. One. department II
the employ of railroad company may
have a grievance against the magnate'
and seek the sympathy of men EN-
ployed in other work by the company
Trainmen are sympathetic, especially
when fellow employee is concerned II
the case, and strike may come IL
what seems to be very small anc
weak way, and develop into gigantic
fight. 80, 90,
for the most part men who served un,
der the Old Colony management ano
the change in the attitude of the Off
Gals is very noticeable, but the men
realize the folly of striking, and unless
the organizations to which the EN-
pIovees belong, order a strike there
Viii not be any, in my opinion. 1t is
not because the men do not feel that nat
they have sufficient cause to strike, oul
because they are long headed enough
to see that it will avail them nothing.