Omaha daily bee., 1902-08-26
REFUSES TO HEAR STRIKERS
President Burt Says Oar Builders CON-
mittes Was Not Sent For.
STATEMENT or THE coMPANrs POSITION
Grievances VIII Not Re Considered,
Declares the President, Until Men
Have Taken Up Tools and
Resumed Work.

W cannot treat with the strikers as
strikers. but whenever these men will re-
turn to the shops, take up their tools and
go back to work they may present any
grievance they may have and Il will be
given prompt and thorough consideration. :"
Such was the statement Of President
Horace G. Burt Of the Union Pacific Rail-
road company to a reporter for The Bee
yesterday morning. 1t was made soon after
a committee from the car builders, who are
on a strike, had called upon Mr.. Burt on
the supposition that the ~ofAcials had sent
for the committee to discuss possible means
OF settling the strike. Continuing, Presi-
dent Burt said:
N official OF this company sent for
these men and the conference, II II may
be called one. was fruitful of no results
SO far as this company is concerned. We
hold that the car builders have directly
violated a specific agreement entered into
with the company, and under these cir
cumstances we cannot and will not treat
with them. II they want to go back to
work they may and then IL they have any
grievances and will present them we will
talk over the trouble"
The car builders committee claimed to
have been sent for by General Manager
Dickinson, but Mr.. Dickinson not being
In the city, Mr.. Burt was approached.
The colloquy between the men and the
president was as follows:
Burt and the Car Builders.
Mr.. Burt-Who are you, gentlemen7
Committee Spokesman-A committee
from the car builders who are on a strike.
Mr.. Burt-What have you come for?
Car Builders-We don't know; we are here
at your pleasure.
Mr.. Burt-Who sent for you?
Car Builders-We understood Mr.. Dickin-
son did.
President John White OF the Car Builders
union, who was chairman OF the committee,
then said that a man called at his residence
the other day and informed him that Gen.
eral Manager Dickinson requested him to
inform the car builders that he (Mr. Dick
inson) would like to confer with them as
to settling the strike.
Mr.. Burt-Who was that man?
Mr.. White-I would rather not divulge
any names.
Mr.. Burt-Very well, gentlemen. can
only say this, that l did not send for you
and ] don't believe Mr.. Dickinson or any
other official Of this company sent for you.
But II you have come here to discuss this
strike question with a view to effective
terms Of settlement, 1 might as we'll tell
you that We cannot aeesds to your desires.
We cannot treat With you so long as you
are on a strike; II you wish to return to
work and have any grievances, then you
may bring them before us and they will be
heard.
The committee left Mr.. Burt's once. The
members gave practically the same version
Of the case after the meeting with the pres
ident.
General Situation.
Mr.. Burt. discussing the strike situation
In general. said.
These car builders violated an agree
ment they entered into with the company.
They, through their committee, signed an
agreement to accept piecework. or rather
the premium system, and remain at work
under that system for one year. That was
but q few weeks ago and now they are out
on a strike.
"All these men were guaranteed as much
as their regular days wages under this
premium system, whether they earned the
amount or not, and II they made more than
their original wages they got all they
made"
Were all the strikers given that guar
anty ?" was asked.
Yes, all OF them. That was the under
standing when these men went on a strike.
They knew the conditions"
It was suggested that the general i'm
preston had been that only the car build
ers we're involved in this consideration, but
the president corrected this view by In
sisting that this guaranty applied to all
other shop men as well as car builders.
THE company pledges its honor that
every man in its shops will receive at
least as much as his original days wage
under this new system and as much over
that as he earns. Isn't that fair? Why
should men strike under conditions such
as those7
No Intention to Deceive.
Now. the assertion has been made that
the Union Pacihc's object in introducing
this system is to eventually cut Its mems
pay, that for a time the shop men probably
will be allowed to make as much or more
than their old wages, but that when the
men become so skilled that they can sur
pass their old wages right along and the
company finds its pay rolls are increas-
ing, We will make a general reduction and
bring the pay below par. l want to deny
any such object or motive. There is not
the least truth in It. Our purpose and
desire is for our men to get all they earn
and earn all they can, and II they get so
ohAAACQ mat AlGy q even uOuDlS luClE
old wages we will gladly give them that
much. We will increase their pay under
this system up to the point where the
company can make a fair proportion. OF
course we could not be expected to 90
beyond that point and lose money our
selves.
las a matter OF fact, when this strike
began our shop men were making from 10
to is per cent more money than the shop
men in most OF the competing railroads,
and l believe in time they would be able
to make from 20 to so per cent more
under this new system than our COMPETE
tors are paying their men. Does that seem
like an unreasonable proposition. one
against which men should protest and
striker Well. that is precisely the stu
alton.
Looking 10 More work.
TN tell you one reason why we could
count on our men making so much more
money under this new system. With our
new shops. equipped with the best and
most modern machinery. making them as
fine shops as there are in the country, the
company would be enabled to manufacture
a great deal OF its material right here
which now IL is compelled to buy in the
east. Our men would become skilled in the
manufacture Of this material and this