Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1907-06-22
TElEGRAPHERS
QUIT THEIR JOBS
Western Union and Postal Tele-
graph Operators in San Fran
cisco Leave Their Keys.
THEY DEMAND HIGHER WAGES.
ANY Attempt To Bring In New Men VIII
Result In Calling Out Employees
In Other Cities.

san Francisco, June II. --Strike-rdden
san Francisco had another strike add
ed to the list this afternoon when this
telegraph operators employed by the
Western Onion aud Postal Telegraph
companies left their keys at $3.50 o'clock
and walked out OF the offices. Three
short blasts from police whistle gave
the signal and at the sound the opera
tors arose from the tables, put on theif
coats and quit their jobs
Both the Postal and Western Union
main san Francisco offices are located
close together In the ferry building.
since the fire the main relay of the
Western Union has been at West oak
land, where about $50 men and women
are employed In the san Francisco
Office about Il operators are employed,
and at outside branch offices about 20
more. The Postal company has 30 OPP
orators IN its main san francisco
office. Employees of both companies,
with the exception of one IN each Office,
stopped work at the signal,
The operators in san Ftancisco and
Oakland were dissatisgiied with the let
ter from President Cowry of the West
ern Union published yesterday and IN
sisted that their demands for 20 per
cent increase in wages should be grant
ed
president Small OF tho Commercial
Photographers union arrived here yes
tevday ana after considering the stu
alton ordered the strike unless the IN
crease was granted, Both the Western
Union and Postal officials decline to
grant the increase or To consult with
the union. They expressed their will
linEness to consider and act upon any
grievances presented by their employees
as individuals, but this has not salts
fled the men and the walk-out resulted.
The superintendenis of both COM
panies have nothing to say about the
strike. They state that the matter will
have to be adjusted In New York. and
have simply issued notice TO the public
that messages will be accepted subject
to indefinite delay. President Small of
The union will remain here and advise
The strikers. SO long as an attempt
IS not made to bring in operators from
outside points the strike viii be purely
local from San Francisco and Oakland.
II, however, the company attempts to
bring In outside men, operators in 9TH
pr cities will be called out. In order
that the strike may be confined to San
Francisco and Oakland. It Is announced
that operators in other cities will be
allowed to work with so~caled ''un-
fair" operators IN san Francisco and
Oakland, who did not go out with the
strikers.
The trouble that eliminated today
has been brewing for a long time, The
increase Of 10 per cent granted By
the telegraph companies few months
ago. did not satisfy the employees OF
san Francisco and Oakland They Claim
that the increased cost Of living since
the fire made it imperative that they
should receive a larger increase. They
claim that ;hey cannot live upon the
present scale of wages So far only
the lines handling commercial business
are affected Ivy the strike. Press oper-
ators will remain at work.
A statement signed by Gen, Supt.
Frank ,laynes, and applying TO all oper-
atOrs remaining on duty during the
strike, has been posted In western
Union Offices. 1t reads as follows:
AN operators win be paid their reg
ular salary as bonus and all services
will be computed as extra on the basis
of seven hours per day or night. Oper-
ators and other employees working at
West Oakland VIII also be furnished
free meals and lodgings"
In tho main San Francisco Office OF
the Western Union tonight there We're
only two mcn working. Ordinarily
there are about 10 employed at night
I'm mis- office, which handles only local
business. SInCe the fire the Western
Union has maintained their principal
oitldNlllE IbOAil ~ W est idkthtlu. IN
this Office about $50 operators are en-
ployed Tonight there were but abou,
is at work. Including chiefs.
The Postal company tonight had iive
operators. including chiefs, on duty. out
Of a total of 60 usually at work in their
main office.
Gen, supt l, W, storrer of the Posta
tonight said;
THE Postal company has always
paid the highest standard wages fol
commercial operators. We are at al
times willing TO consider any fair prop
ostion of our employees. The local
tclegraphers have asked for an increase
Of 25 per cent in addition to the II
per cent raise in salaries which was
granted by our company few months
ago. This we consider exorbtant: II
would practically mean a salary of 1921