The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-11-04
.sWITCHMEN TO HOLD
final conferences
IMP oRTANT MEETINGS. IN THE
-. : TWIN CITIES MONDAY.
Labor Organizations Representatives.
Will Confer with Officials Of Various
Railroads, as to Wage Demands
Grand Master Hawley Here Today.

The adjusting committees Of the
Switchmen's Union of North America.
will hold conferences Monday at 10
am. with the general superintendents
and managers Of railroads thruout the
country, making a final demand for an
incI ease of wages Of fat 10 cents per
hour, the work day remaining, as at
present, ten hours. TX.
r: J. Martin Of Minneapolis, master
Of lodge No. 80 Of Minneapolis and
chairman of the general adjusting com
mittee, accompanied by other commit
teemen, called on the various railroads
centering in the twin cities Saturday
afternoon and left word Of the desired
conference for Monday. In every case,
reports Mr.. Martin, the notification was
cordially received and it looks as tho
the general conference would start out
with every hope of an amicable adjust
ment.
Power to Gall Strike.
However, back Of the request for an
increase in wages asked by the adj
justing committee, is power granted to
them, on a poll Of the organizations of
switchmen along lines centering in the
twin cities, to- order a strike on vote
of the grand lodge without further sub
hitting the matter to the general mem
'bership Of the order. In view Of the
fact that such a strike would extend
we'll into the ranks of the brakemen,
the leaders believe the railroads will
think twice before rejecting the re-
quest for increase in pay, coming as it
does with withdrawal Of the secondpor-
tion of the first request, which asked
also for an eight-hour day.
On Monday the adjustment commit
tee of each roads union will meet with
the management Of that railroad COM
pany. These meetings in the twin cities
will be held at the offices of: the Min
neapolis & st. Louis and the 500, in
Minneapolis; and in the offices Of the
Northern Pacific, Great Northern, Chi
cago Great Western, Railway Transfer
company, Minnesota Transfer company,
Omaha and Wisconsin Central railroads
in St. Paul.
/. Haw1ey in Twin Cities. 49, =
An important circumstance preceding
these meetings is the presence here Of
Frank T. Hawley of Buffalo, N. Y,
grand master of the Order of Railway
Switchmen. He will hold conference
with the twin city adjusting commit
tees all day at the Foley hotel, st..
Paul. where the committees have had
headquarters established for two weeks
past. a. -.
"Some of the, members of our order
along the road yards have been getting
restless because. our committeeman have
been here for two weeks and there
seems but little yet accomplished,
said Chairman Martin Of Minneapolis to
Journal reporter, "but we have
been busy. all the time. Part of our
wait was necessitated by adjusting mat
tiers in our organization on lines east Of
Chicago. We are not going into this
thing with our eyes shut, but have ar
ranged matters all over the country best
to meet the crisis.
- ~ In Other Cities, 4yse,3 90
x:There will be meetings Monday in
try, as well as in St. Paul and Mime
apolis, between adjusting committees
and railroad officials. Mr.. Hawley, our
grand master, leaves Sunday night for
Chicago to take personal charge of the
conferences there. We have every hope
Of success. We believe our cause is
Just, that we are not asking too much,
and see no, reason why our demand for
an increase in pay, all accompanying
elrcumstan 6 e weighed, should not be
Frank P. Hawley Of Buffalo, head of
the order, deprecates all strike talk
and has constantly asserted that the
end would be accomplished without a
walkout. 8. =
The 10 cents an hour increase to be
asked for all men included in the I'M
ion, will make the scale of wages to be
met by the railroads, as follows: $3.50
day for day helper; $40 for dav
foreman; St. for a night helper; $3.50
for night, foreman.
Accompanying the request for an in
crease in wages will probably also come
request for stricter observance of the
old schedule rules, especially the one
stating that no road shall ask a man to
work overtime even on, extra pay for
more than fourteen hours out Of twenty
four. The switchmen say it is not at
all unusual for men to be asked to
work for sixteen hours at stretch.