Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1902-12-23
Telephone Trouble in Des Moines
Brought to an End.
EMPLOYEES AND COMPANY IN HARMONY
ottunwa Laboring Men Have Been In
terested in the Matter-Contract Has
Been Signed and Becomes Effective
Monday-Detais of Settlement.
From SATURDAYS Daily.

Moines, which has been declared off.
The eight striking linemen will return
to work for the company on January /.
Eight of the sixteen striking operators
young ladies', will return to work Mon
day morning, and the remainder with
in 80 days.
The scale of wages included in the
agreement is 10 per cent higher for
linemen, and 20 per cent higher for the
girls than the demands of the union.
While specific recognition of the uni
ons is not conceded, practically the
same thing is incorporated in the
agreement by provisions not to dis
criminate against the striking en-
ployes, to restore the strikers at once
to their places and to pay a scale in
excess of the union scale of wages.
Details of Settlement.
The conference agreed upon a form
of contract, drawn separately, for the
two unions involved. and to be signed
by the representatives of each on the
one hand and by the telephone COM
pany on the other These contracts
extend over one year. The telephone.
company wished to make it three
years, but the union representatives
declined to consider that proposition.
The contracts with each union re-
cite in the preamble that whereas
the Iowa Telephone company prefers
to employ union labor on account of
the greater efficiency of such labor"
etc. The contracts also provide that
sit is hereby expressly agreed that
there shall be no discrimination
against the members of the union who
have taken part in the strike"
The two unions involved are Des
Moines local union No. 55 of the In
ternational Brotherhood of Electrical
Workers and union No. 1887 of the
telephone operators.
The scale of wages and the condi-
tions of the trade agreement with each
of these unions and their members fol
low:
Linemen.
Nine hours shall constitute days
work.
The foreman shall receive SIS per
month.
The assistant foreman shall receive
$2.75 per day.
The chief inspector shall receive
$275 per day.
The wire chief shall receive SIS
month.
First class linemen shall receive
S2.65 per day for three months and
thereafter $2.75 day.
Second class linemen shall receive
$3.50 a day.
The inspectors shall receive $3.50
per day.
All workmen shall receive one and
one-half price for over time, Sundays
and holidays.
The company shall put to work the
eight remaining strikers on or before
January l.
The duration of the contract shall
be one year.
Operators.
Nine hours shall constitute days
work.
All operators shall receive S1.25 per
day for day work on Sundays and le-
gal holidays.
One and one-half price shall be paid
for over time.
The chief operator shall receive $40
per month.
The assistant chief operator shall
receive $3.50 per month.
The operators from first to SIXTH
inclusive, shall receive $50 per month;
from seventh to ninth inclusive, $26;
from tenth to twelfth inclusive, S24.
The first relief operator shall re
| ceive $40 per month; the second, SIS.
The first night operator shall re-
ceive $50 per month; the second $25.
The first toll line operator shall re.
ceive $3.50 per month; the second
$50; the third, $3.50; the toll clerk,
| $3.50; the assistant toll clerk, $3.50.
liz tc
hour.
Striking operators who return to
work shall return in the places and
grades at which they were employed
when they went out.
| Eight of the remaining striking op-
orators shall be put to work by Mon
day.
Sixteen operators shall be put to
work within ninety days.
The duration of the contract shall
be one year.
All Litigation Dismissed.
1t is provided that all law suits now
pending in both the district and fed
eral courts shall be dismissed at the
cost of the Iowa Telephone company
However, the strikers are to pay their
own attorney fees.
| 1t is provided, also, that the con-
tracts shall not only continue for one
year, but that thirty days notice
thereafter shall be required from eth
er side to terminate them.
| Twenty-three girls walked out of the
Iowa's Office on June 20. OF these
seven have secured other positions,
married or have left the city. There
remain but sixteen of the strikers on
the pay roll of the Trades and Labor
| Assembly OF these sixteen eight will
go to work Monday and the other
eight within ninety days.
OF the linemen but eight of the
strikers remain in the city BY the
provisions of the contract all of them
will return to work January /, if they
desire, at the same grades that they
held when they struck.
1t is estimated that the cost of the
strike to the labor inerests has been
or will be, when all the claims are set
tied, between $4,000 and $500. To
the Iowa Telephone company the
strike has confessedly been very dam
aging.
The strike lasted six months. 1t
| houan On luna On If wac catt1oa ~