The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-06-03
Demands of the Men We're Com
piled With.
26O OUT AT NEEDLES.
Men Want 40 Instead Of 81 1-2
Cents Per Hour.
Strike Extends to Point Rich
mOnd, CAL, Shops.

that place, winch mas Just been settled
as reported IN Mondays State Journal:
In substance the requests made by
the committee representing the boiler
makers at the conference held in the
office of Mechanical Superintendent
Joughins last Tuesday afternoon, and
which We're granted by the officials fol-
low:
First-That the men who participated
in the walkout in the local boiler de-
partment last Tuesday morning, togeth-
er with George Wilson, the man who
was previously asked to leave the shop
for a similar position in Seligman, Ari-
iona, be taken back into service with
out prejudice
Second-That none of the men par
ticipating in the walkout be asked to
work with any of the men who are at
present trying to do the work here
formerly done by the union men. nor
be obliged to work under any of them.
Further with regard to the men work
ing at the shops at the present time,
that should the union men be returned
to work they shall not be obliged to
finish any jobs of work already begun
by those employed at the present time
Third-That, providing the men re
turn to their duties, they viii not be
obliged in the future. to work side by
side with those employees commonly
termed handy" men.
The fourth and last request. which is
at the present time causing the stand
still in the progress of adjustment, and
upon which the committeeman and the
officials were unable to agree at Tues
days meeting, deals to use a plain and
una bridged term, with blackllsting- Not
that the Santa f'e officials have refused
to grant the request that there shall De
no such system, for in their policy they
have never even so much as limited that
such a system has been or ever Will be
resorted to by them, but according to
a committeenan's account, they refused
at Tuesdays meeting to prove to the
men that no such system as blacklist
ing was in vogue, by giving a boiler
maker by the name of Peterson, who
was let out in the recent cut in force.
which took place several months ago,
work in the local shop. The men asked
this as an evidence there was no black
list before they returned to their du-
ties.
Behind this request, which on the
face may seem a strange one, there is
story which is best told in the words
of one Of the committee 1t is as fol-
lows:
'.some little time ago Mr. Peterson,
who was let out in the cut because, as
was believed, he was among the stril5-
ers in the WalkOut which preceded the
present one, applied for work at the To-
cal shop Office. which was denied him.
Three days later a man by the name
of Brown came to the city from Los
Angeles, asked for work. was immedi-
ately sent to the cOmpanys physician,
" no examined him, and the next morn
ing found him on the spot ready for
duty. This particular instance along
with several others, has led US to be-
lieVe that the blacklist system is being
used against us, or. at least, against
those who have participated in previous
strikes.
Acting under this belief, we have re-
quested the Santa E'e officials to prom
Use US. before we return to work, that
no such list shall be held against any
Of US and that, as a proof that no such
system is or has been used. they give
Mr.. Peterson work in their shop in this
city
According to our present attitude in
the matter we viii refrain from re-
turning to our former duties until the
gentleman in question is put to work.
President AIcNeeIs opinion on the sub
ject may change our plans but we are
inclined to think that he viii be heart
ily in favor of our demands"
THE STRIKE AT NEEDLES.
It is reported that the cause of the
still unsettled strike at Needles was
the refusal on the part Of the Santa
Fe officials to grant the boilermakers
| at Needles a raise in wages which
grievance was to have been settled one
way or the other by sunset last Thurs
day.
For some time past the workmen at
Needles have complained to the COM
pany that they were not receiving the
wages due them or. in other words, as
much as the Southern Pacific is paying
its shop employees at points similar to
Needles in regard to climate and cost
/ of living. These demands for more
I pay coming to naught, the bOilern akers
at that point agreed to take it upon
! themselves to make up a grievance ask
/ ing that their pay be raised from BIZ
cents an hour to 40 cents per hour, Civ
/ ing the company 80 days in which to
1 make answer The end of the allotted
/ time came Wednesday last, but, owing
I to the fact that Grand President Nc
/ NPpi of the D0IipTTnq KeTG the fra
/ ternal official who is expected to short
( " take advisory action in the trouble
/ here, was expected from Kansas City
( to assist in settling the difficulties, and
/ alsoS because the Santa Fe officials were,
/ in a way, tied up with the trouble in
\ San Bernardino, the final debate be-
/ tween the employers and employees, was
+ deferred until Thursday.
As to exactly what took place at that
I time little is known. but the natural
] conclusion is that the officials refused
] to grant the raise and consequently the
men walked out
The fact that the machinists and
/ blacksmiths accom- panied the boiler
/ makers in the walk-out is explained by
I the statement that the grievance sub
I mitted by the latter body was nothing
/ fusal on the part Of the company to
grant it left no chance for the remain
der of the employees to obtain the
I raise in wages which they hOped for
and demanded. The wages of all three
departments are on the same scale.
Mechanical Superintendent JoUghins Of
the coast lines. with headquarters in
! this city and Superintendent OF Motive
j Power Henderson, represented the
Santa F'e in the conference.
| 100 MEN OUT AT POINT RICHMOND
News has been received that 100 shop
/ men IN the santa Fe shops at East Yard,
/ near Point Richmond, Calf have quit
because OF a refusal on the part Of the
/ company TO grant a similar raise in pay
/ to that demanded by The Needles shop
men.
Al Point Richmond the mechanics and
/ bollerIuakers receive the same money as
/ IS paid 10 the San BernardinO employees.
| which, it is claimed, is less than the
| southern Pacific wages. ana it is on these