The Savannah morning news., 1903-06-18
TELEPHONE MEN OUT
CONSTRUCTION FORCE OF GEORGIA
COMPANY QUIT.
TWO MEN WERE LAID OFF.
ELECTRICAL WORKERS UNION DID
NOT ORDER STRIKE.

Several of the Fifteen Men Who
walked Out Yesterday Have Said
That They Were Under Misappre-
hensiOn, and Will Go to Work To-
day-TvO Men Had Received No
tice That They Would Not Be
Needed Longer and These Men In
nuenced the other Workers to
Leave-Mannger Kenyon Says That
the Force Is Always Reduced in
Summer.
Fifteen men, representing the entire
construction and repair force of the
Georgia Telegraph and Telephone Com
pany. left their work yesterday morn
ing and the company was practically
without help of that kind during the
dav.
The office force was not affected and
the construction men in the other tele-
phone and telegraph companies in the
city showed no evidence of a desire
to strike in sympathy with the Geor-
gia people. The impression was prev
alent in some quarters that the trike
was ordered or sanctioned by the Elec-
trical Workers Local Union, No. So.
President w. D. Claiborne stated that
such was not the case, that the walk
out had been entirely with the en-
ployes of the Georgia company, and
no order or indication of sanction had
been given to the move. The cause
of the trouble was the serving by
of fxxyo mo
that they would not be needed. The
manager explained that the reduction
in force was necessary on account of
the lighter business of summer, and
that it was a regular plan to reduce
the force in summer, as could be seen
by the books of the company for sew
eral years past.
Immediately after the men received
their notice yesterday, which was not
exactly discharge. but what is called
lay off" and means that the men
are liable to be re-employed whenever
their services are needed, they decided
to quit at once. This of course was
their privilege. They then went out
side, and as the other men came up,
talked with them and persuaded them
not to go to work, it was charged by
officers of the company. Just what
argument they used is not known, but
some have intimated by their CONVEX
satIon with the manager since then
that 1t was made out that a refusal to
join the Strike meant forfeiture of
uniOnism. All of the men are mem
bers of the local union of Electrical
Workers, and it is almost certain that
some were made to believe that a
strike had been authorized.
Conference Was Held.
The men retired to Assembly Hall,
and after conference a note was ad-
dressed to the Georgia company 1t
was dated from the hall, but the head
ing of the local Council of Electrical
Workers had been torn off. In the pa
per 1t was stated that the ''employes of
the Georgia Telegraph and Telephone
Company desired a conference in order
that the difficulty might be adjusted. -
1t was signed by A. j. Walker, chair
man, switchboard man, and three other
striking workmen, as committee.
The committee called on Mr.. KENYON
yesterday afternoon, and asked that the
two letters laying off the two men be
recalled. If this was done they said
all would return to work Mr.. Ken
yon declined to do this, giving his rea-
sons very clearly and fully. The force
was only being reduced, he said. in ac-
cordance with the regular and neces-
sary custom. He did not recognize the
right of employees to say how many
men should be employed and when the
work was slack, as it always had been
In summer, the force must be reduced
He explained that there was nothine
in the dismissal of these men that
could in any way be construed as 2
| blow at unionism. The fact that 2
wage scale was being discussed was
not known officially by him, and ne
added, had anything been intended r.
| aim at union labor or a change in tho
| plan of the office, he would certainly
have made arrangements before hand
The strikers left and up to a latt
hour last night, had not sent in an,
reply. Mr.. Kenyon, however. was Wis.
tied personally by a number Of tnr
strikers, he said, who told him plafn1y
! that they had been under a nisappre
hension, and practically promised to h.
| at work to-day. The manager TOLD
| them he would be glad to see them bacl
| at their posts, and would give all :
| chance. Naturally the company viii
| not expect to wait very long. but al
| or the strikers can return TODAY T.
| they wish to do so.
inquiry at the Office of the Bell Tel.
! ephone company brought the informa,
tion that no trouble was anticipatet
among their employees. The men EN-.
! ployed by both concerns get the sam.
pay, and it is considered by MANY ~
| be very fair and reasonable. Ordinar,
ground men get 81 per day, linemer
about $2.25 to $3.50, foremen SIS pei