The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-01-16
START A BOYCOTT.
Linemen Declare Topeka Bell
Telephone Co. /" Unfair

It is claimed by the electrical work.
ers Of this city that 40 men formerly
employed by the Missouri & Kansas
Telephone company here as inemen
are now out on a strike.
The national officers of the union are
taking hand in the situation and it
is asserted that unless the company
grants the demands of the men. there
viii be a general strike called against
the Missouri & Kansas Telephone com
pany. affecting every town in Kansas
and Missouri reached by the company.
The union is organizing for hard
fight against the company. and is now
planning what is practically boycott
on the Missouri & Kansas lines. They
are trying to induce people to take the
Bell phones out of their houses and
places of business
D. D. Mckillip. one of the officials of
the local organization of electrical
workers, says:
Il was in san Antonio. Texas, a few
years ago when they had some trouble
with ono of the telephone companies
exactly like this I saw 500 telephones
taken out of houses and business con-
Germs and dumped into the street by
the owners of the property They would
not patrOnize an institution declared
by the union to be unfair People in
this city can take out their phones in
the same way. They are required to
give the company "a hours notice to
remove the phones, and if the instru-
ment is not removed within that time,
they can take the apparatus out them
selves"
The strikers say that the telephone
company now has only one Scab
working on their line repairs, and can't
get any more men. They assert that
the company offered one man a posi-
ton here, and the man moved here with
his wife, children and household goods.
He was not informed that he was to
take the place of q striker. When he
ascertained the situation, he refused
to go to work it is claimed. and the
strikers paid his expenses to go back
to where he came from.
The NJ & K. phones seem to be work
ing about as we'll as usual SO far. but
that isn't saying much. The lack of at
tentiOn by the 40 linemen is not being
missed The strikers say. however,
that if it should turn cold. and snow
or sleet. there would be all kinds of
trouble for the company, and 1t would
have to practically suspend operations
The strikers have issued the follow
ing public proclamation concerning
their position. and the proclamation IS
/ indOrsed by the Building Trades coun-
ell. and the Trades Council:
Whereas, The International Brother
hood of Electrical Workers No 225 has
established rate of S2.50 per day and 8
hours to constitute days work in the
city of Topeka. among the several cleo
rrical companies in said city; and
Whereas, On the 18th day Of Decem-
Der, 1902, committee representing No.
225 did present to the Missouri and kan
sas Telephone company copy OF q
schedule which had been signed by all
the other electrical companies in the
city of Topeka and asked for an answer
on said schedule. The only response tina
our committee has been able to secure
was to the effect that the general man
ager was awa-- from the city. He has
been known To have been in Kansas
City several times since then and our
committee has repeatedly asked for a
conference with the general manager o.
some authorized agent OF the company
by telephone message and by special
letter to all of which aDpeals the man
agement of the above company have
Hersisteatly refused and ignored to give
any expression whatever as to their al
ttude. On the 18th day of December
Union No. 20 found it necessary to cal
strike in defepse of its rights in the
Topeka exchange of the Missouri &
Kansas Telephone company The COM
pany st-u refused to have a conference
or to receive a committee or make any
effort to adjust the difficulty. but has
+persistently by presentation and
by false Dretenses tried to secure
electrical workers from other states or
the ground that the difficulty had beer
settled This action on their part in Of
fering 1915 per day of ten hours proves
eonciusively the stand they propose te
take while all other companies are pay
ing $3.50 for nine hours.
Therefore in view of the above con-
ditions and in view of our inability &c
get any conference or to secure any
possible settlement: be it
Resolved. That local No. 255. inter
netio1al Brotherhood of Electrical
Workers Of Ameries. do hereby place
the Topeka exchange upon the unfail
list and hereby declare the Missouri 6
Kansas Telephone company unfair OF
, the ground that they have perSistentls
: refused to recognize or deal with oui
, committee and have proven by their ac-