The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1903-04-21

at $3.50 last evening wnen the agree
ment Of settlement was signed by the
committee appointed by resolution of
the Trades and Labor assembly for
the strikesr and the officers of the
telephone company.
For two days the negotiations have
been carried on and with the excep-
tion of a few details was practically
settled Saturday night The last con-
ference between the two sides was
held in the Thornton hotel Sunday at
ternoon and after three hours delibera
tion the final adjustment was made
The articels OF agreement have not
been made public, but the sense OF
them is that the company will take
back all OF the strikers without preju-
dice, the union agreeing also to allow
it's members to go back to work with
out prejudice, and the agreement to be
binding for a period of one year. The
company will have the right to ar
range it's force as it may think serves
the best interest of itself and its pa
irons, and to remove or discharge any
of it's employees for cause. The EN-.
ployes, on the other hand, it is under.
stood, will be allowed to place before
the union their side OF any case in
controversy to be acted on by the
proper committee.
Both Sides Made Concessions.
On the whole, the agreement and
adjustment is a satisfactory one.
Both sides have conceded something
and it has been a case OF give and
take all through. The committee
from the Trades and Labor assembly
have worked faithfully for the inter.
ests of the striking girls and have
carefully guarded union interests in
all OF their concessions. The officials
of the company explained their stand
at the start and from then on it was
only matter of the principles involv-
ed in accepting the terms OF the un.
ions.
At $50 the announcement was
made publicly that the strike was off
and that the operators would go back
to work at o'clock. The batteries
at the central Office were Connected
and everything put in shape for a re-
sumption of business at the time ap.
pointed. There was some hitch with
the operators, however, and at 8
o'clock about five of the force were
at the office giving service as we'll as
possible. The others were in the
office OF the American Labor union in
the Pennsylvania block, discussing
the agreement and the report of the
committee.
Hitch in Settlement.
The discussion assumed proportions
as a new phase was introduced. 1t
was claimed that the committee from
the Trades and Labor assembly was
appointed to cooperate with the Amer
1Cdu 1ldUOI ulllOl IAu eAAoC tAAA' AAS'>A
not been done, that after two days
arbitration the singing with the tele'
phone company did not bind the strik'
ers, and while they agreed to the
points obtained and agreed to, there
was matter of principle involved
which the American Labor union
wanted Strengthened. 1t was claimed
by some that the fundamental princi
pie OF unionism had not been observ
ed, and that in not having repre-
sentative in the arbitration OF the diff
terences the strikers had not been
given all of their rights.
At 9 O'Clock it was decided to take
the matter before the Trades and La
Dor assembly then in session and set
tie it at once. The strikers and mem
bers of the American Labor union re
paired to the assembly meeting ane
the report of the committee was takeI
up.
The officials of the telephone com
pany when notified OF the action beint
taken and the reason for the delay o.
it's operators in reporting for duty al
agreed, said that so far as they were
concerned the incident was closed
General Manager Murray said: "W'
have been arbitrating this matter TO
two days, and while there may hav'
been some heated discussions of tn
points involved, there has been moth
ing but the most amicable relations
between the members of the commit
tee and ourselves. They were looking
,.o,,c+, of tho <o1onhOn