The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-05-20
MAY HAVE STRIKE
OF PHOTOGRAPHERS.
Members Of Commercial Union
Charge Evasion ~
Order.
NOT PAYING ALL NEW SCALE.
Alleged Western Union is Dis.
charging Regular Mcnand Put.
ting OIL Others.

According to story coming from
New York Of an impending disagree-
inent between the company and repre-
sentAtivcs or the Commercial 'relc-
graphcrs Union Of America In that
city, there Is a strong possibility ola
general strike OF photographers In the
employ OF the Western Union Tclc-
graph Company. An Indignation meet
ing was scheduled for yesterday after
noon ,.,i ut Arlington Hail. New York
INC claim is made by the dissatisfied
employees In New York that the ON
cia.s or the Western Uyion have not
., ,de good their promise to incrsnso
inc snihrlos OF It's operators March LIST
ps zen per cent, MS announced In ,d.
vance ana heralded broadcast. 1t IA
s.nil'lea IN New York that only n small
PROPORTION or the two thousand opera.
tors employed there have received tho
benefits OF the Increase. lorcsidon+ 9
!. small, Of the Commercial Telegram.
srs Union OF America, has been called
rom Chicngo to New York. ana ~
endcavorlng to negotiate m amicn,ia.
settlement OF the differences -
a committee was appointed Ia cnrra,
with President Clowry In the ,nn,tar
put IT is said that he declined to mcni
tn's committee and referred them "a
the chief operator, who gave the com.
- t.oo ~ itope Oh favorable action on
their complaint. t # ~
May be General Strike.
Thereupon the committee addressed
to President Ciowry letter stating
the situation, recalling the announce
ment of the raise and the increase
made IN charges for telegraph mes
sages to meet tho increased cost of
service. The committee then cxpress-
+aH IN matt ~ !
increase Is being cvaded. This state
ment has been In the presidents hands
for nearly three weeks. and the time
for reply Is up today. 1t is alleged
that the company has been discharging
operators who have been active in the
union recently.
In the event Of failure of the onl-
Gals and union operators to get to-
gcthcr there Is strong probability OF
general strike among operators, but
such result would hardly be ordered
before action had been taken by the
executive board on President Smails
report OF the situation.
Up to late hoursno Information
had been received here OF the meeting
scheduled for yesterday In New York.
Local members OF the C. T. u. state
that practically all the regular opera
tors in Richmond received the ten per
cent. advance. ard that about eighty
per cent. OF all the operators employed
In this office arc members Of the union.
1t is charged here that the policy OF
the Western Union management re-
Gently has been to evade the order by
employing number of extra opera
tors at the old figure. instead of Civ
ing the new ones the Increased scale. -
Whenevern new man Is availa BILE, 1t Is
said that one OF the old or regular
operators receiving the extra ten per
cent. Is dropped and a new man put
on as extra, and ut the old wage.
The alleged prevalence Of this practice
the action OF the New
York union In naming committee to
bring the matter to the attention OF
President Clowry. Heads OF the West
ern Union local Office were not on duty
last night. and could not be reached
when sought for statement as to
these charges
The public Is interested in that II
IS paying aEhigher rate for commercial
messages on the assurance that tho
Increased wage OF the operators made
7 necessary. In the event the claim
of the operators Is sustained by de-
.alled presentation OF the facts it is
believed that public sentiment would
'e against the company In the event
If a strike, since the people are pay
ng q higher rate of Which the operators
'r large proportion. OF them receive
10 benefit. II their claims are SUBJ
,tantiated.
The number Of members of the Com n
nercial Photographers Union of America
s placed approximately at 10000.
Richmond is an important point, and
las a large number of operators.
5sfa..5 i.g5 . i