Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1902-09-13
PHONE GIRLS
ON A STRIKE
Rock Island and Moline
Operators Leave
Places Today.
WANT BETTER PAY
And Shorter HourS--Re-
sent Presidents
Discharge.


II
| Telephone company in this city and
Moline to the number of 40 went on;
on a strike this morning to enforce
certain demands that were made on
the company about ten days ago for
increase in wages and shorter hours.
Within few minutes after the
girls had gone out of the office their
places were taken by strangers whom
the company had assembled here IN
the evident expectation of trouble.
Affairs have come to Il head rapidly
since the organization of the Twin
City Telephone Operators associa-
ton including the operators of Rock
Island and Moline, some five weeks
ago through the efforts of +. c. Ber-
ry. representing the Tri-City Labor
congress.
Demands Made on Company.
The Rock Island GIRLS first organ
lied and later the Moline girls were
taken in and joint organization
formed. About ten days ago the com
pany was notified that the operators
of the two cities desired raise in
wages TO 81 for a day of eight hours
to those who have had six months
experience. with time and half for
Sundays, holidays and overtime, and
a weeks vacation annually after they
have been in the service of the com
pany one year. This demand was
presented, the girls say, after they
had heard that they were to have
their hours increased from nine and
a half to 10 per day and "a cut in
wages in some cases.
The company was gixen time to
answer and when things came to a
head this morning several of the dis
trict officers were here and every
thing was in readiness to act upon Il
refusal on the part of the operators
to accept the terms that were pro-
posed to them.
All Follow President.
According to the girls story, Miss
Anna Sieghartner, president of the
union. was summoned to the mama
gers Office. The interview was not
satisfactory to either side. Miss Sieg-
hartner says she was discharged. The
officers of the company say she was
not At any rate, upon leaving the
office. she gave the signal to the 9th
er operators and the strike was on in
less time than it takes to tell it.
All the girls were given their pay III
full. As soon as il was learned IL.
Moline what had been done here the
operators also went out. In all,
about forty girls quit. % here and Is
in Moline. All operators but one quit.
Pay They Received.
The strikers, in stating their griev-
ances today, declared that they had
been working for from $15 to- SIS a
month and nine and one-haIf hours =
day. Sundays, they say, they got less
than on week days. They say they
have asked for only the wages and
hours that are given the operators n
Davenport. They also desire the rec
ognition of their union. which they
say has been refused. Further, they
declare that they have had to take
care of the office, doing their own
ianitor work. and last winter part of
the time suffering with cold so that
they had to work in street wraps.
sympathy From business Men.
This afternoon the strikers toll
their story about the city and much
sympathy was aroused in their ia
vor The business men in some cases
took down their receivers and thus
threw their lines out of use. In 9TH
err instances party lines were thrown
out by one subscriber keeping re-
ceiver down. The girls held n meet
| ing with the operators from Moline
late this afternoon at Industrial hall
for the purpose of deciding upon a
plan of action.
The officers of the association are:
President-Miss Anna Sieghartner,
Rock island.
Vice President-Miss Minnie Atkin-
son, Moline.
Secretary-Miss Neva McCleary,
Rock Island.
| Treasurer-Miss Belle Hunt, Moline.
The striking operators at their
meeting at the Industrial Home assoc
citation this afternoon appointed COM
mittees on strike and press, and then
~ strong marched down town AMI
included The Argus among the first
places of visit. They are a bright
and cheerful lot of young ladies and
expressed themselves as fully conf
dent of winning their fight for better
wages and shorter hours.
This afternoon a number of line
men went out in sympathy with the
striking operators.
Statement by Homogeneous
Manager T.. j, Richards this after
noon stated in behalf of the company