Los Angeles herald., 1907-08-09
OPERATORS
OUT IN EAST
CHICAGO MEN WALK OUT AT
MIDNIGHT
REFUSE TO WORK WITH NON.
UNIoNIsTs HERE
None Remain When Whistle Blows,
Telegrsphers Refuse to Replace
Strikers on Overland
Wires
BY Associated Press.

BY Associated Press
CHICAGO, Aug. S-The telegraph ope-
rators employed by the Western Union
In Chicago went on strike at u o'clock
tonight. The trouble was precipitated
by the Los Angeles strike.
Tonight the local executive board of
the Commercial Te1egraphers' union met
and passed resolutions requesting the men
to refuse to work with the non-union ope-
rators employed In Los Angeles. When
the men were notified of the step all ope-
rators employed in the overland division
of the office refused to work any longer
with the non-union men on the other end
of the wire.
When this announcement was made to-
night Chief Harry Price ordered all who
refused to work to leave the office. He
then went into other divisions and re-
quested the men to go into the overland
division. In every case he was met with
refusal, until over seventy men had
been sent home
The grievance committee of the union
called on Price and notified him that un-
less every man was reinstated by mid
night every union man in the office would
be called out. This was refused, and
promptly at midnight, by prearrange-
ment whistle was blown and every ope-
rator employed in the main office with
the exception of six wire and loop chiefs,
two assistants, left their keys, and with
round of cheers filed out of the office.
The men employed by the company at
the various morning newspapers had
been notified of the contemplated strike,
and they also quit work.
Day Force Out
The local officials of the union tonight
stated that the day force employed by the
company most of whom belong to the
union would refuse to go to work in the
morning This will also include all branch
offices throughout the city.
The national officers of the union spent
all day today in an effort to prevent the
rank and file of the organization from
taking matters in their own hands and
calling strike. The men for weeks have
maintained a sullen attitude toward the
company.
The Chicago force was dissatisfied with
the basis of the settlement reached at
the time the strike in San Francisco was
called off. Ever since then they have
| been visiting the office of National Sec
| retary Russell, seeking information. To-
| day his Office was crowded all day long
| with operators looking for news regard
| Ing the progress of the peace negotia-
tions in the west, but were given little
| satisfaction.
II am waiting to hear from President
Small. Until 1 hear further I can say
! nothing" he said.
Such replies, together with the fact that
the men believe, according to their own
statements, that President Small sub
mitted to defeat at San Francisco was
what prompted the executive board of the
local union to take action tonight
Strike Unsanctioned
1t was under these conditions that the
strike was called without the sanction of
the National officials.
After the men had quit work Secre-
tary Russell refused to talk about the
controversy except to say that the men
had taken matters in their own hands
and undoubtedly felt that they were
capable of handling their own affairs
Secretary Ulrich of the local union
said: The men were utterly tired of
the conditions under which they were
working and could not stand 1t any
longer. When the additional insult of
asking them to work with non-union men
in Los Angeles was put upon them they
refused to stand it and quit work. We
could get no information of the situa.-
tion on the Pacific coast from our ma
tional officers, so we decided that it was
up to us to take care of ourselves"
Officials Silent
When General Superintendent Cook of
the Western Union was informed of the
strike he declared that he was unable to
say anything that was of interest and
could not outline the action of the COM
pany until tomorrow.
Fearing that trouble might arise fol-
lowing the walkout of the men an Of
fetal of the company a few minutes after
midnight telephoned the central station
and requested that a few policemen be
sent to the main office to preserve order.
lieutenant and five policemen were
ordered to report to the telegraph office.
After the 200 men and women quit
work they gathered in front of the build
ing where the telegraph office Is located,
and for half an hour filled the air with
cheers and whistles, but the police were
given no cause to use their authority.