The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1906-11-17
SW|TCHMEN To STAY At
WORK.; TO Be NO STRIKE
Peace Agreement Monday at Chi
cago-Railroads Grant In
creaseS.
"alkout is Averted-Much Credit
Is Due to Switchmen from
Minnesota Towns.

Minneapolis, Nov. 11.-There will
be no switchmen's strike this year.
Frank T. Hawley, president of the
Sw1tchmen's Union of North America,
telephoned from Chicago last night to
Robert J. Martin Of Minneapolis, chair
man OF the adjusting committee, that
he had reached a satisfactory agree
ment with the general managers Of the
roads involved.
The wages Of all the men involved
will be advanced cents an hour with
the exception Of the night yardmas-
tiers, assistant yardmasters and switch
tenders, whose claim will be adjusted
Monday. This means that ,on the
basis Of ten hour day, day helpers
Will get 1920 a day, day foremen $3.50,
night helpers $40 and night foremen
1910.
Overtime will be paid at the same
rate. These are substantially what
were asked by the switchmen in the
first instance ,and the arrangement is
said to be satisfactory to the union.
Long Conferences.
For three weeks committee of sew
enty-f1ve, drawn from all parts of the
country, with Robert J. Martin of Min
neapolis for its chairman, has been
sitting in st. Paul and attempting to
adjust all difficulties without calling a
strike. Last Wednesday a strike order
was prepared but it was withheld at
the request of the general managers Of
the roads involved. Yesterday Presi-
dent Hawley met the general managers
In conference at Chicago and they
drew up terms of peace. His telephone
message to Mr.. Martin was the first
lnt1mation received here that what
threatened to be the most serious
strike in the railroad history Of the
United States has been averted.
Credit for this victory belongs to
President Hawley and to the twin cit
ies,' said Mr. Martin last night. 1T
was President Hawley's diplomacy
which brought about a meeting be-
tween a subcommittee of the S. U.
N. A. adjustment committee and a
Subcommittee of the general manag-
ers In Chicago last Tuesday, and it
was from that nNDeting that the agree
ment reached yesterday arose. Min
neapolis had the lions share in this
work, as it was represented on this
committee Of six by M. R. Carroll and
myself.
This agreement means that all dam
ger OF strike is at an end. BY its
terms it can be changed only by mu-
tual agreement and cannot be term
mated by either party without thirty
days notice. This notice clause means
that in any case there must be a con-
ference land our experience shows that
conference is more likely to lead to
an agreement than strike.
Never before has an employees or
ganlzation been given the attention
by the railway oicials of this country
that has been given to the Switch
mems union Of North America. The
doors Of the general managers have
been open to us at all hours and they
have always been ready to listen
carefully to our side of the case. This
Is something new in the history of
railroading.
Strike Order Was Ready.
For years the switchmen have been
looked upon as the most radical ele-
ment among railway employees, but I
think that they have shown them
selves In a different light this time.
Though the boys in the yards were
anxious to start something the middle
OF the week. and we had a strike or
der ready Wednesday, we withheld it
at the request of the general manag-
ers, on their statement that they still
hoped to offer terms satisfactory to
us. The outcome has more than JUS
tilted our action.
after this experience the general
managers and the switchmen should
know how to get along together. I do
not think We will have any difficulty
in talking things over with them next
time. We certainly could not have
asked for more courteous and fair
consideration of our claims than we
received this time. The general man.
ayers Of the roads centering In the
twin cities have always been ready
and willing to talk matters over with
their employees, and it is largely thru
them that we got on so we'll with the
others. That is another reason why
the twin cities should be given a lot
Of credit for the conclusions of this
difficulty without q strike.
Had there been a strike, it would
have tied up every line of Importance
in the country. One Of the general
managers said to me in the Chicago
conference last Tuesday: I tell you,
Bob, II this comes to strike it will
make '94 look like nine-spot' He
was right"
This averts the threatened SWITCH
mems strike. President Hawley will
return to Minneapolis Tuesday to at
tend the meetings Of the American
Federation of Labor.
Frank J. Caldwell, representing the
switchmen's union of Spokane, is at
ST. Paul to attend the meeting of dele
gates from all the switchmen's unions