The evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1907-1908, 1907-08-10
OPERATORS
in NEW YORK
MAY STRIKE
Telegraphers' Union Claims
That Western Union
Is Unfair.

NEW YORK, Aug. 10.-A strike Of
the 1900 telegraph operators in New
York in sympathy with the Chicago
strike is to be considered at a meeting
called for tomorrow. President Ahearn,
Of the local union, said early today:
1T is likely that New York will be
involved in the strike. The union has
done all in it's power to prevent a
strike, but the company has not acted
fairly. 1 think the strike will become
general throughout the country
Officials of the Western Union n
Postal Telegraph companies, who yes
terday expressed the belief that
the strike in Chicago would
prove to be local in its nature. said to-
day hat the situation was such that
preparations We're being made to han
die the business in case the men walked
out.
The Western Union Telegraph COM
pany will fight the strike in the West
ern cities, in the East or wherever the
men may go out. They expect to win,
as they claim to have won in 1888. A
strike among the 5000 operators of
Greater New York city is imminent
though the sentiment among the en-
plpANES 10 dllC6Ch NC ANA014
The position taken by the company
is that the men have no substantial
grievance, but are in some instances
the willing and in other instances the
unwilling victims of the prevailing
social unrest" A man who enjoys the
confidence of high officials of the West
ern Union said tonight:
"The men lave no grievance. They
nave the strike fever, and the younger
element, which appears to be in con-
troll in the West and to which a period
of idleness would work no par
ticular hardship, is anxious for a
showdown which will test the strength
of the organization throughout the
country The company will fight, for
to surrender would be 5uicidal: If the
strike becomes general, as it was in
1888, business for a time will be ham,
pered as it was then, but eventually
the men will be beaten"
On the other hand, it was pointed
out in Union circles last night that the
original grievance against the COM
pany was in this city. and that rs per
cent. of the operators employed here
are union men and prepared to leave
their keys the ONE a strike is or
dered by executive officials of the
union.
1t was announced officially today that
the Postal Telegraph Company will also
fight. Charles c. Adams, of that COM
pany, said:
This time 1t is going to be a fight to
the finish. Not only have 175 men
walked out on us in Chicago, but in
New Orleans 80 men. without a mo-
ment's warning, notified our manager
there that they, too, had joined in the
strike. As 1 understand it. two of the
men refused to work on Chicago wires
with non-union fillers-in, n when
they were discharged the whole crowd
went out with them. Their action was
unjustiiable and u-nwarranted."
MINNEAPOLIS. Mimi. Aug. 10-With
but Il few exceptions every Western Union
Telegraph operator In Minneapolis lef-
their Instruments and walked out Of the
Office today. This includes the Western
Union operators who handle the quotations
In the Chamber of Commerce.
The trouble came when n. M. Hansen,
flee of the Western Union, was ordered to
work a wire to Chicago.
NEW ORLEANS, La. Aug. 10.-AH OF
the operators in the employ of the West
ern Union Telegraph Company walked out
formity with an order issued after a vote
had been taken at a meeting of the local
telegraphers' union.
HOUSTON, Tex, Aug. 10.-All the West
ern Union operators struck here today.