The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1907-07-10
He Will Hold A Conference
With the Bell Telephone
officials.
MANAGER ID. $. MURRAY
MAKES A STATEMENT
Conditions at Butte Are Set
Forth in Communication
to Patrons.

Negotiations between the striking
linemcn and the Rocky Mountain Bell
Telephone company may be reopened
today. Grand President +. i. Nc
Nultr Of the Electrical Workers late
Monday night was expected to arrive
here today TO attempt to unravel the
tanglc between the mon and the COM
pany that has existed for two months,
but train ; of the Rio Grande Western
from the East on which he was ex-
pccted to arrive, was nearly four hours
late, and at the time Of gong 10 press
he had pot come Mr., McNulty's s home
town is Springfield, III.
Mr.. McNulty comes dag late, as
he was due to he here Monday, but
was detained. II may be TINT Grand
Vice President Sullivan Will come 10
Salt Lake TO assist in the attempted
peace. He has been III, however, and
his coming is doubtful
No conference would have been held
Monday had Mr.. McNulty arrived then,
but ii is likely that one will he held
today. Mr.. McNulty Will attempt a
settlement along the lines adopted by
Charles A. Elmore, a special represen-
tative of the linemcn sent here from
Oakland, Cal. by the grand officers
two or three weeks ago Gilmore pro.
posed a new agreement providing for
a slight increase IN the linemen s wages,
but the Bell company refused TO agree
TO it on the grounds that the district
council had not shown that II can con-
troll the several locals.
Manager Murray Talks.
In explanation OF the closing of the
Rocky Mountain Bell Telephone eX
change at Butte, Montana. General
Manager D. S. Murray of this city is
sued The following statement Monday:
our operators at Butte were called out
striking lincmen at Salt Lake and else
where. although a contract with the op-
orators union had been arranged by the
run until January l. 1908. When the op--
orators went out I went 10 Butte and
met the Business Mems association and
the labor committee, and the labor com
mittee agreed TO put the operators back
st work for ten days, pending negotta-
tions / said these negotiations would be
through F J, McNglty, grand presld,e re 1S,en
trical Workers Mr. McNulty telegraphed
a few days ago that instead Of being here
when he had expected he could not reach
Salt Lake until July S. today. The ope-
rators at Butte did not see nt to con-
tinue work until he should arrive and
arbitrarily closed down>our business there
leaving the company no recourse. The
only dealing that can be done must be
through the grand president. and as we
cannot control mis- movements, the action
exchange in Butte Is closed. and must
necessarily remain closed until the labor
people at Butte see At to permit it TO
reopen.
Butte Statement.
A statement to the patrons Of the
Rocky Mountain Bell Telephone com
pauy at Butte and the public was issued
by the telephone management Monday.
The statement reviews briefly the strike
and It's causes and saws:
During the month OF May lipemen in
the employ OF this company In Salt Lake
City and at some other points demanded
an increase OF wages, and because the
mands they quit work. The wages we
were paying these men were higher than
the wages paid for similar labor In the
territory of the Nebra ska. Telephone com
pany the Colorado Telephone company.
and most Of the other telephone compa
MES In the United States. and. in our
Judgment. all that this company could
afford TO pay.
Shortly after our linemen went on strike
at other points, the linemen In the com
panys employ at Butte declared a strike
In sympathy with the striking linemen
elsewhere, and generally several hundred
miles away, and the Butte operators also
declared n strike in sympathy with strik
ing linemen elsewhere.
For years past this company has en-
tered into contracts with It's employees
and has lived up 70 its part OF every con-
tract. believing that written contracts
defining the hours OF labor and wages to
be paid enable both the employer and the
employee TO get better results. II a
member of a labor union be derelict In
this company believes that the labor or
ganization should imm edlately consent to
the discharge OF the employee and make
an effort to furnish an employee willing
TO conform to the rules of the company
as far as honest labor Is concerned.