The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1907-04-22
Demands Of Employees of R. G.
and R. G. W. Would Add
$5O0,0OO to Payrolls.
FEDERAL AUTHORITIES
MAY ACT AS ARBITRAT0RS
New Phase of Labor COntrOyer-
sizes Will Result; General
Managers Statement.

Employees of the Rio Grande and RiG
Grande Western are voting by ballot
upon the proposition TO call a strike of
all railway hands to enforce demand
for an increase in wages which amounts
to nearly half million on the com.
pany's payrolls. While the outcom" IF
the ballot is only problematical, among
the Salt Lake employees of the Ric
Grande system the opinion prevails that
the strike will be voted down and that
the offer Of the railway for subs5ai.-
tial increase in wages will be accepted
But should the vote prove to be in ia
vor of a general strike the entire con
troversy likely will be Immediately
thrown into the hands Of the Fedora
authorities and an entirely new phase
of labor controversies will result as tho
settlement Of the trouble will be re,
ferred to the Department of Labor aud
the Interstate Commerce commission.
The Rio GraDde management has Of
fered TO submit all matters concerned
to arbitration, but this action has been
refused by tho officers OF the Order of
Conductors and Brotherhood of Rail
way Trainmen, who insist upon an in
crease Of "a per cent in the pay Of en-
ployes. Replying to this refusal 10 ar
way has announced that the RE
Grande, being an interstate carrier and
in order to protect the public, will cali
upon the Interstate Commerce commits
sion and the Commissioner Of Labor 10
amicably settle the differences by me-
diation and conciliation in accordance
with the act of Congress Of June !.
1898, which gives the Federal authori-
ties power to arbitrate controversies
hGf Int n h9i
employees.
Statement Of Differences.
In frank effort 10 submit the diff
ferences fairly TO their employees, the
Rio Grande has sent to the men n full
statement Of the differences and drawn
a comparison between the wages paid
by the Rio Grande and other compel.
ing roads which shows that the men OF
greater compensation for less hours of
labor, than the employees of other rail
ways.
Last December the conductors aud
trainmen made a demand for an In
crease of 32 per cent in wages. which
the railway maintained was impossible
to allow. In March, the men submitted
another demand for an increase of =
per cent and again on April S a third
demand was presented involving an in
crease of l3 per cent IN all wages.
In reply TO this the railway pro.
posed the adoption of the scale accept
ed by the Chicago railway managers on
April 6. and to allow the men an III.
crease over and above this scale, such
increase to be agreed upon by arbi-
tration. This plan was also rejected
by the officers of the two organizations
and the Rio Grande sent the following
offer 70 the men:
DENVER. Colo. April IS. 1907.
Mr.. L: E. Sheppard, Assistant Grand
Newman. Assistant Vice Grand Master
&. r. r. Denver. Colo;
Dear Sirs-Making reply 70 your re-
quest that the company give. further con-
wages. etc. l have to submit the fo!-
lowing:
to increasing the pay OF passenger. con-
ductors thai are now receiving S14o per
calendar month TO $50 per calendar
month; also passenger STaken1en S9 se e ] shs, are
month to $S7 and $3.50, Respectively,
with the understanding that the present
rules and regulations Will be allowed to
stand.
Freight Service-we are agreeable TO
advancing all monthly, trip end overtime
rates, and also mileage rates where II
prevails. 3.s3 per cent over and above
This particular percentage OF increase
is the average increase that was gwen
engineers in our recent wage settlement
with them, and after the engineers, as
a body, of other railroads settled the
wage question at Chicago with the Gen.
eral Managers committee. In view OF
our excessive rates of wages (see nv
letter April 1lth, 1900 we feel this Is the
best offer we can make. u being equlta-
BILE as between the train and engine
branches OF the service and virtually
the high differential OF pay,
Work Tralns-We are agreeable TO re-
ducing the hours OF service from twelve
10 ten lO) with no change in present
rates Of pay or other regulations.
Swltching-We are agreeable to in
Leadvine to $3.50 per DAY OF ten Qol
hours: helpers to $3.75 per day OF ten
GO) hours.
Having on November 1st. last. raised
the paw of yardmen In other yards 10
the Chicago schedule. which has always
been the bnsis OF pay in such yards, ne
cannot grant further Increase OF TWEEN
~ cents per day.
In conclusion 7 desire TO call your et,
tention TO the fact that we are still
being willing 10 arbttrate as to what
differential, ii any the Denver e Rio
Cirande Railroad company and the k!9
1rande Western Railway company shoNld
allow over the amount paid on other
roads for like service-or, in other words,
willing 10 arbitrate the whole wage ques-
lion.
/ hope YOU will give the above Your
serious consideration. Very respecuciN'
(SigneD a. G. RIDGWAH.
General Manager.
Circulars Sent Out,
In explaining the situation 10 the
men, General Manager Ridgway has
sent each of them circular, in whlcn
no points out;
rrhot tbo connnaDv Is rcadv and will