Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1904-06-09
Boilermakers Employed In the
Illinois Central Shops at
Waterloo Are Out
WANT AN INCREASE IN WAGES
Between $50 and 500 Men Are Affected
by the Walk out-The Railroad
Company Issues Statement In
Which They Claim Business Will
Not Warrant increase.
speeial to Times Republican.

Special to Times Republican.
Waterloo, June 9.-The boilermakers
employed oil the Illinois Central system
declared a strike Wednesday. and
twenty-five men suspended work at the
local machine shops. Between TWO
hundred and fifty and five hundred men
in all have been affected by the action
thus far. and it remains with the boiler
makers whether or not the helpers ana
apprentices will follow suit.
The men worked as usual Tuesday
afternoon. and did not know that they
were to be called out until after the big
whistle sounded the note of dismissal al
o'clock An hour later message was
received by the local officers OF the
union. in which the men We're instruct
ed to notify their foreman "Wednesday
morning that no more work would be
done until their demand for an increase
OF wages would be met by the railway
company.
The members were notified and
meeting was held in the evening at
Central Labor hall, ard the mode OF
procedure was there discussed. All
hands assembled at the shops at
o'clock In the morning. Boilermaker
Foreman Conrath, General Foreman
Nash and Master Mechanic Bell We're
then notified that the men had been
called out by the International Asso-
citation of Boilermakers. The men lett
the building without any demonstration
or harsh words.
Trouble Over Wages.
A satisfactory settlement of the wage
schedule was effected between boiler
makers and company on June j, 1908,
the agreement to extend one year.
Early in May of the present year the
boilermakers held convention IN chi
cago, at which time a new wage sched-
ule was formulated and presented 10
the company for consideration. 1t Is
understood a request vas made Tor an
increase of cents per hour over their
present wages, which is "a cents. Rop-
ert ngersoll represented the local
union at the time. and brought back
favorable reports of the meeting. The
request Of the men was that they
should be given an answer on or before
June /, ut which time the contract ex-
pired. 40 word was heard from the
Chicago officials, and about two weeks
ago committees from the various SHOPS
along the system were called to Chi
cago to confer with Superintendent OF
Machinery Renshaw.
In a statement by Illinois Central OIL
Gals the following appears:
..n oil nf MADE
by the hoilermakers contemplated d.
rect or indirect increase IN the COM
pany's expenses. Among the increases
requested was an increase In pay from
"a cents and 1914 cents to 429a cents
per hour, from 35 and 81 n cents 10 "a
cents per hour, large increase IN the
amounts to be paid apprentices. Not
withstanding the fact that the rates
now paid are in excess of the rates paid
by leading roads. Also to pay time and
ope-half when called upon to WORK
away from home. they now receiving
full tirae for travelling and engaged in
work ia single time hours, and time and
one half during the overtime hours. TO-
yether with their az tual expenses.
THE, officers of tais company have
always, been willing: to meet Its en-
ployes and to fully and freely discuss
with them any and all questions az
fectin, their wages and conditions OF
employment. This is demonstrated by
the fact that in the years 1901, 1902 and
1908 large increases were granted to all
shopnen. At the time these increases
were made the business conditions were
such as seemed to justify the increase
granted"