The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-05-04
BOTH SIDES FIRM
in LABOR DISPUTE
FIGHT TO A FINISH" SAY MEN
AND MANAGERS.
Officials Of Telephone Companies Say
They Can Maintain Service with Help
of New Men Founders and Molders
Settle Down to Fight for Open Shop.

"We are out to win and will give
no quarter is the declaration given
dry and telephone company strikes.
The. strikers are as determined as the
employers. In both cases outside men
are to be brought in to take the place
of strikers who refuse to 20 back, and
the employers profess to Be fully able
to secure, in a few days, all necessary
men to carry on their business as usual.
The public is more directly interest
ed in the strike Of the telephone con-
struction crews, which is general in the
twin cities and thru the state and the
two Dakotas. The general managers
of the two companies say that not
more than half the crews in the af-
fected departments are out, tho the
strikers assert that they have the con-
struction and maintenance departments
OF both companies crippled. ~
Able to Keep Going. +
ave cannot accede to the demands
of the men, said General Manager G.
P. Wainman Of the Northwestern com
pany today We have enough men
still with us to keep up our mainte-
nance easily, and with the, addition of
new men to be brought in here and
those who will return, we will continue
construction without difficulty. We are
asked to increase wages in the face of
rapid and substantial raises in the last
few years. In addition, we are to agree
to union rules limiting the number of
apprentices and to complete recogni:
tion Of the union. I believe many of
the mon who went out will return, es-
pecially whose who, did not belong to
the union.' 49,. ea.... r.
L. ID. Richardson, general manager
of the Twin City company, said: "We
will fill the places Of the strikers at
once and proceed with our business
Not half the men in the affected depart
ments are out and most Of those are in
the city as our men in the country were
not in. the union. We will take back
all old men who desire to return as in
dividuals SO long as we have work fol
them' r = p, .~E.'>>>s.
The union leaders say that by tomor
row they will have the full force Of
their strike movement in hand, so tina
it will be felt. More men have beer
called out thru the country, making
a total Of $50. The organization is be
ing perfected. A large class was mi
1 tiated last night and many old mem
bers have been reinstated. The chic:
demand of the union causing the strik'
is question of wages. tho in SOM
cases shorter hours are asked and il
othersano change is asked. They sa,
the union has been sufficiently recog
nized in the past and that the old ap
prentice agreement is satisfactory.
/ .az7 What Men Demand.
The changes in wages and hour
asked for, the branches of the trad
affected are as follows: 80, aka
Gable splicers now receiving $50
month ask no 70, increase, but a reduction
Inspectors and line1nen now receiving
$40 to be advanced to t$75, time re
naming at nine hours day. This j
the largest branch of the trade.
Switchboard men to be advance
from $65 to $40 a month at the sam
: hours. -, ~. - F-'1
, Installers receiving $e5 are to hav
: no change in wages or hours.
J The advance asked for is refused b
both companies on the ground that tn
work is not specially skilled, that tn
men are paid by the month the yea
round and lose nothing on account O
lost time caused by bad weather O
slack work, and that the business wi
not warrant the advance. ~.
Among the Foundrymen.
uS SIIIho u tu0 1IOuHOlu0rS du
coremakers threatens to be a long
drawn-out affair. The employers Of
ganization, the Twin City Foundry
, men $ association, met at the Nicolle
! ! hotel yesterday afternoon to- conside
! the situation and to plan for handlin
: it. New men to take the place Of tn
strikers will be brought in from else
!: where or trained. All old men who DE-
q sire to return will be taken back. Tn
Ia rbf Sc al Pow tho cho,
!; and will be fought to q finish, the en-
ployers say. =. .. --=.. ~ q:
Charges Of duplicity on the part Q
:, union leaders, especially the conferenc
q committee. are made by the association
9 An officer Of the associations said tt
today: ~ - : ,av an H..
n II believe the leaders were dete
: mined to- have strike and tried
e bring it about. When the agreemer
It tion to the committee to be referre
to the union, and had it been presente
as we made it, I believe the men woul
have accepted it and there would hay
been no walkout. It is my opinion the
= the union never heard of our offer, {
+. we made it to their committee.
Q Eow Wages Stood.
). + s.t.The. minimum for moulders ,befo1
i the strike was 1888 a day, but SON
were. receiving as high as $3.50. "
Z agreed to make level advance on a
]. of IL cents a day. making the minimu
q for moulders So day. The minimu
% for core-makers was $2,33, and we o
- fered to advance it to 1915, which
y what they now ask.
it Insist on Open Shop.
!. 1--WE will not allow the closed sht
= rule to be applied on us, and will fig
- - for the open shop to the finish. We a
r. to blame for the complete organizatit
- cf our plants, and tho we were n
y agreeing to closed shop, we had 1t.
y a non-union moulder worked in O
I plants, the union men would not he
him pour off his floor. He could n
do it alone and all he could do was
b join the union or quit. We now p1
s; represented, five from st. Paul a
IN thirteen from Minneapolis, and e
IT. ploys fully 80 per cent Of the men n
IT, out. The members have agreed
NJ stand together in the fight. Men "
,e-- be brought in or obtained and busin
nd will be continued.
The strikers hold daily meetings a
say they are able to put up long, he
fight. No arrangements for bene
ne have been made yet, but there is
or fund to care for it if necessary.
N, m, Epickets have been established, and II
ca phase Of the situation will be met la
ny if necessary. Three shops have sig1