The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1900-11-11
MIR. BAKERS STATEMENT.
Company's side of Controversy-Con-
ditionaIIy willing to Arbitrnte.


General Manager E. X. Baker of the ]
Southwestern Telegraph and Telephone
company gave out the following statement
in behalf OF the company;
1T is due the Southwestern Telegraph
and Telephone company to place its side
of the controversy In the present strike
before its patrons and the public. Many
msstatements have been made, and pub
lic sympathy aroused thereby by persons
who know nothing of the company's bust
ness and who have never been in it's en-
ploy.
"on October ~ every operator signed
scale of wages based upon length OF sery-
ice as follows:
"one monitor. s35 per month; five OPP
orators $50 per month seven operators,
$3.50 per month, sixteen operators, S95 |
per month; two operators, $3.50 per
month. three operators, $50 per month.
AN average of S2645 per month
The operators were perfectly satisfied
with the scale and so expressed them
selves by signing 1t. They we're paid these
wages for October. every last one OF
them. Their names and signatures are on
the compauy's pay roll in proof thereof
+ No attempt was made 10 make this al
vance in wages conditional upon their
withdrawal from any union or society
1T will be seen from the above that the
walkout was not for the benefit OF the
s operators. but for that of others the line
, men. whose wages it is sought TO advance
y in sums OF $50 TO $50 per month and to
exorbitant increases in rates for overtime,
! Sundays and holidays.
The operators hours UP to the time
of the strike were for day service, nine
hours and twenty minutes at the switch
y board Thus, an operator coming on duty
at : O'Clock had one hour for dinner and
twenty minutes recess before o'clock,
;, between . o'clock and o'clock twenty
minutes more was allowed her for recess
:, This one hour aud forty minutes out OF
eleven hours was hers to Use as she
~ pleased
"A few of the night operators eame OF
duty at o'clock and remained Ia tbs
building until O'Clock in the morning
-, but there were six Of them, when no
~ more than two were needed after
~, o elock, and they were privileged to divid
Up the watch and sleep as they pleased
ue Not one of them but had at ieast TIRE
on and half hours rest, II she wished 1t.
20 mo complaint was ever made to tn
company or any OF its officers concernin
the length Of operators hours. Every OF
orator in the service of the company
-oe allowed ten days in every year, under tu
me pay for a vacation, after such operate
,d- has been in the companys service on
year This rule has been in force Il
more than ten years in every telephoI
TO exchange of this company, Including So
mes Antonio
act In addition to this, only one-halt
ado the force of operators were on duty
=. Sundays Every one Of them was above
each alternate sunday. On holidays
many as could he spared we're let of al
those who remained were given the ne
holiday. Any person who has ever visit
the exchange on Sunday or a holiday "
IL testify to the diminished force.
up to the time that work was beg
,nce on tie telephone building TO provide
,ts Installing a complete change OF central {
80, fee equipment, cots, blankets, sheets a
pillows were provided for the use of nig
all operators when not needed at the switc
ex- board, as above shown. The alterations
the building and changes of pnrtiti
res- walls TO support tho second story, wn'
the new switchboards will be located
ihey ouired so much space for sosffOiding a
aug material that the present SWITCHBOARD
p TO were moved forward to about fifteen Il
de- OF the windows leaving no room for @
shiy in front and no clear space for them
Aons the rear. but bedding and blankets W
The t,rnIshad Ia he vsad whsreyer nractical
lsii', Not one word of complaint was ever
tue tered on this account
tue 1.-THE sanitary arrangements Of the bu
stieA ing have been kept as complete as posi-
during the alterations. The new arran
n e ments will be as perfect as our archit
can make them, Every person who
IN visited our buildings in Texas will ties
49, to the unusual provisions made eve
-iyes where for the comfort and convenience
.ss our female employees and toward their
,ight disturbed enjoyment OF them.
rIcai I'VE are paying the highest wages
nssnt to operators in the United States for
aimed same class OF exchange service aud I
ands are not overworked The average n,
ment Der of calls answered by each opera
- the average number of subscribers
operator and the greatest number of {
= answered by one operator in one hou
- less in san Antonio than in any exchs
S and of it's size In Texas and Arkansas.
Nv. Antonio averages are exceeded evel
Waco.
Much has been said about the {
that the strikers demand here being
> same as is now paid at Houston. A
about that. The storm that wrecked
~, weston destroyed over 100000 wort
~ this company's property. Meny Of
'A0 operators families were swept away,
Wy lother employees of Galveston and tlou
D\A lost their all. The vice president
81 lat once to Houston. The president
Az himself and the company contrib
- $500 through Governor Sayers. towsr
M Immediate relief fund. Upon his ar
VAN the vice president fixed a scale Of sdva
,SX& wages for the Galveston and Houston
';sT changes. but before Il was publish
demand came in from union requ
taken an immediate snswer fixing $
obacco thinking TO take advantage Of the wre
lothlng condition 81 the cnmpanys propert
simply force upon II an exorhitsnt price for I
\, ~ ain This demand came very near defeatin
"a ana vice presidents object but the stu
rowing Of our people especial at Galveston
rettes, lpealed to his charity and prevailed
aEe py IA schedule was posted without regal
!, sn5 1.-THE demand and without limit as 10