The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1907-05-02
MEN CONCEDE ALL
BUT WAGE DEMAND
Difficulties Between Elecfrlcal
Workers and Company Are
Not Adjusted.
B. H. ROBERTS STILL
ACTING AS MEDIATOR
He Will Deliver Final Answer
of Officials to the Union
Some Time Today.

Action in the matter Of the Difficult
ties existing between the electrical
workers and the Utah Light Rail
way company was again postponed
Tuesday, but it IS thought that some
conclusion will be reached tins lore
noon. At 10 =. m. the commlttee rep
rcsenting the employees Will meet WIN
y II. Roberts 10 resume negotiations
and. as both parties to the controversy
have shown an inclination TO peld IN
order 10 avoid rupture, the prospect
for q sett ,ement today IS encouraging
Tho only question which remains 10
he settled rs that Of wages, and 10 has
been announced that the railway com
many is willing to submit the matter
to arbitration. Whether or not TINS
will meet with the approval OF the en-
ployes is not known as the COMPANY
PROPOSAL 10 arbitrate was not formally
announced Ia the committee or the elec-
trical workers, but it is possible that
other methods of procedure will be sng'
gested at this mornings meeting, one
of which may be accepted.
The committee from the electricians
met with r. II. Roberts at 10 o clock
Tuesday forenoon, IN accordance with
the request of Mr., Roberts, whose IN
tervention Monday night brought about
a postponcment of decisive action by
the employes. The conference contln-
ued nearly two hours, and 1T is said
that the committee made some conces-
sions.
Men Make Concessions.
AS a matter of fact, it is understood
that the employees conceded every point
except that Of au increase of wages.
They asserted that the wage scale which
now prevails has through the varying
conditions become obsolete. aud that
they therefore found it necessary 10 re-
quest an ad djustment They contended
that the cost of living had so increased
as to bring about wide discrepancy,
80 that they, as elect trical workers, were
at the present time, Notwithstanding
their hazardous occupation, the poorest,
paid mechanics in tho city.
As to working hours and all other
circumstances, the committee agreed, 1T
is said, to permit them to remain as
specified in the former contract. MI
Roberts said that he would meet the
representatives of the Utah Light &
Railway company early Tuesday after
noon and, if possible, report to the com
mittee Immediately after the confer
ence. At p. m. he said that he had
not succeeded in obtaining any definite
reply from the company, but that he
WOOld prODdDlY De aDle 10 report TO Jne
representatives Of the employees by 3
O clock.
Promptly at ?, m. he informed the
committee that the officials were still
working on some of the details Of the
agreement and requested that the COM
mittee meet him at his Office at 10 a.
m. today. The workmen readily ac~
ceded to his request, and all who were
IN touch with the situation were san
guipe of an amicable settlement.
What MIR. Roberts Says.
~ think the men aud the public real
ize that the company, since the new
owners took possession, has had great
deal to contend with, said Mr. Roberts
Tuesday afternoon "'These things can
not be arranged in day. IL takes
time. The men indicated this morn
ing that they were willing 20 meet the
company half way. The same spirit ac-
tnates the company. For this reason
| think that all questions will be quick
ly and agreeably settled -
Nothing has been heard from NJ. ].
sullivan. grand vice president of the
Electrical Workers, to whom the local
of the differences that exist between
the linemen and the Bell and Independ.
ent telephone companies. A message
was sent to Mr.. Sullivan Monday night
by l.. Lynn. secretary and business
agent of the local union, asserting that
matters here were approaching A. crisis
The )inemen have been negotiating for
raise in wages for some time, but no
settlement has been reached. IT is pos
sible that Mr.. Sullivan will arrive here
some time this week.