Omaha daily bee., 1902-11-14
DEMAND INCREASE OF WAGES
General Committee Of Order of Railway
Trainmen in the City,
WILL MEET UNION PACIFIC OFFICIALS
Present Business Concerns Only
~switchmen, as Demands Of COnduc-
tors and Brnkemen VIII Come
Through other Organizations.

Several member Of the general commit
tee Of the order Of Railway Trainmen,
which is 20 present a formal demand to the
Union Pacific for increase in wages, are in
the city, having taken up headquarters at
the Arcade hotel.
Those who arc here are: J. E. Murphy,
Grand Island, chairman; Charles Bogue,
North Platte, secretary; F. p. Ferryman,
Omaha; Robert w. Cain, Kansas City; J.
F. Campbell, Denver, and J. T. Garrett,
Cheyenne.
While this order includes some brakemen
and conductors, It is composed chiefly and
primarily of switchmen. meaning men who
work ia any capacity in the yards Of the
! Union Pacific. The switchmen, therefore,
are the only ones to be affected by the
proposition to be submitted. Tit brakemen
and conductors orders will deal with their
own affairs separately.
The order of Railway Trainmen is the
regular order for switchmen. Another
small organization, known as the Switch
mems Union of America, exists, but has a
very mail membership. On the Union Pa
cihc there are but two lodges, each with
but a few members. Notwithstanding the
fact OF the separate organizations, how
ever, all the switchmen, those in the minor
organization as well as those in the origi-
nal OTueIs are TO De aUeCteQ.
want Twelve Per Cent Raise.
The demand which will be made will be
the same amount of increase granted by
the lines terminating in Chicago. These
concessions were 8 cents more an hour for
all yardmen except foremen, who were
given 4 cents. This will mean substan-
TALLY a y per cent increase. II was the
original plan to ask for 20 per cent in
crease, but after the Order Of Railway
Trainmon made its demands at Chicago the
Switchmen's union interposed a demand for
less and accepted ~ and 3s cents. This
had the effect of defeating the aims of the
parent organization to get what they were
after. Only one principal trunk line, the
Rock Island, entered into and completed
negotiations with the new order.
Not until these demands we're made was
1t generally known that a division existed
among the switchmen of the west. The
claim is made by members of the original
order that the new union was organized
with a view of undermining the brakemen
WIN identified themselves with the Order
OF Railway Trainmen. 1t is likewise
claimed that such a plan will prove utterly
futile, and that within a short time after
the new scale Of wages being conceded to
the main order goes into effect disiItegra-
tion of the new branch will set in. These
men in the new order being as much the
benehciaries OF the larger concessions as
the men whose organization secured 1t will.
1t is held, naturally be drawn away from
their minor organization and find their way
gradually into the central body.
strike is Not Anticipated.
The trainmen have no doubts whatever
as to their success in securing the conces-
sions they demand from the Union Pacific.
They say they have no grievances to offer,
simply a plain demand for more money.
which they think is due them, as well as
all other trainmen throughout the country,
owing to the increased cost OF living and in
view OF the constantly increasing earnings
Of the railroads. The thought OF a strike
is scarcely entertained by them. as they
look upon such a contingency as too re-
mote to be entitled to serious considera-
tion at this time. The men feel confident
they will secure a satisfactory adjustment
Of their affairs within an hour or two after
meeting the officials.
President Burt's absence from the city
may have the effect of delaying the con-
ference.
ChRnGe i'm Train Schedules.
The Northwestern has changed the
schedules Of its passenger trains Nos. sol
and 5O4 so as to send them on through to
Pierre. S. D., instead Of terminating their
runs at Huron. as has been done. This will
bring the former train into Huron at 7:4O
a. m. as before. Returning, No. 504 will
leave Pierre at 2:20 p. m. and arrive at
Huron at 6:45. These schedules obtain
every day except Sundays. Arrangements
have been made so that coaches from Chi
cago on No. sol will run as far as Water
town, making connections there for Huron
and Pierre.