The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1907-08-09
WESTERN UNION MEN STRIKE
OPERATORS IN CHICAGO QUIT
THEIR KEYS ar MIDNIGHT.


Men TO work with operators
a. Los AngeIes-The Postal Company
Not AHected-TroubIe Likely To spread.
CHICAGO. Aug. s.-A strike completely
tying up the main Office or the Western
Union Telegraph Company was called at
midnight. One hundred and seventy-hve
union operators wen out.
Four operators remained at work, but
the wslkout completely closed down the
business Of the company and the four men
remaining we're powerless 10 do any con-
siderable amount Of work.
The messenger boys got the strike fever
and were soon on the street declaring that
they would carry no MESA ges handed out
by non-union operators. There were no
messages for them to carry.
The executive board of the local union,
at a meeting held tonight. adopted this
resolution:
Whereas our Western Union brothers
in Los Angeles, Cal, are out on strike for
their rights; therefore, be IT.
Resolved, by the executi We board of
Chicago Local No. 1, c. T. U. A. the West
ern Union grievance committee concurring,
that it is the sense OF these bodies that no
member OF this union, any friend OF union
labor or any self-respecting telegrspher
should work with an Office where men are
on strike"
As soon as the resolution was dis
tributed among the operators in the over
land division OF the Western Union here
each one Of the thirty operators in the divi-
sion refused point blank to work with the
%non-union men in Los Angeles.
The men were then informed that they
were not wanted any more for the night,
whereas they would generally work until
3 o'clock in the morning.
This action Of the c%ompsny's officials
was reported to the executive board and an
ultimatum was served on the Western
Union that the men must be marked on
gain before midnight or a strike would
be called.
The Postal Company's operators did not
go ont.
1t in believed by the men that the strike
will become general. The men had never
been satisfied with the settlement reached
when trouble threatened n few weeks ago.
They felt that they got the worst OF the
bargain at that time and have been fretting
at their keys ever since.
Secretary Russell OF the national or gani-
zation of operators said that the renewal
a - Ill. ill
over the entire country.
THE union men believe now that the
company will never give them any rights
until those rights are established by force"
declared MIR. Russell. W nave acted
fairly in all our dealings with the COM
panies as a union and we DO not propose
10 lose our organization without a fght.
and it looks now as though we would la
the Fl ght."
Los ANGELES. Cal. Aug. s.-About sixty
five out of seventy-ive operators in Los
Angeles Western Union office are out on
strike, according to the men. and no negotia-
tions nave yet been begun for their return.
The Western Union. by closing branch
Offices. has mustered eighteen operators.
many Of whom are women, at the main
office. They are getting away with bust
ness. subject to delay.
The operators declare that Ryan's dis
charge was due to false reports about him
by Mrs. Sadie Nichols. a strikebreaker
in the Oakland Office. They say the woman
is incompetent and that her reports have
led to the transfer of several OK perienced
operators and Ryan's dismissal. They
assert that none of the men who are now
out will return unless Ryan is reinstated.
W. l.. Burke, one of the strikers. said to-day:
This strike is simply TO protect ourselves
from being weeded out by the Western
Union management. Supt. Lamb has a list
OF men who were active in union work. and
these men are being discharged as rapidly
as complaints can be filed against them. We
will not return until we know we are not to
be.discriminated against
Supt. Lamb said:
Il discharged Ryan because two OF our
division chiefs listened to his work and re-
ported that he was deliberately delaying
business in various ways. The real reason
OF the strike is the refusal OF union operators
to work ~harmoniously with non-union en-
ployees in the Oakland Office. The men here
have made it difficult for strike breakers to
work. and one who has felt this more than
others Is Mrs. Nichols"
j. c. Robinson. night manager at the gem
eral Offices Of the Western Union here.
said early this morning that he hadn't
figured out yet how the Chicago strike
would affect New York. The first tip he
got on the Chicago situation was at 1890.
twenty-five minutes later he heard that
the Chicago operators would go out at 1.
But at i:25 two Chicago wires were still
open and messages were being sent N
received. At that hour in the morning, Mr..
Robinson said. it was the usual thing to
have three or four OF them In action.
The Postal company reported that all
It's wires to Chicago were working.
gTDBKE M II AnDTHEDN