The San Francisco call., 1907-06-10
UNION ACCUSES COMPANY
OF BREACH OF FAITH
Construction Men May Quit
Work 70 Enforce the
Wage Agreement
RECEIVE $3.50. A DAY
Claim That Corporation Has
Failed to Abide by The
Arbitration Award
RECEIVE $3.50. A DAY

The lsSoe members OF the railway
construction workers union. known as
Railroads, practically made up their
minds al a meeting held yesterday
afternoon 10 strike and If the present
plans are carried out the men will
leave the service of Calhoun next FIJI
Day morning. They claim that the cor
peration has failed TO live up to the
findings or the arbitration board, that
money has been withheld from them,
and that the United Railroads is seek
ing TO make them work for less money
and longer hours than heretofore.
That the strike seemed assured was
known last Thursday night. when the
men met and Instructed their delegates
to seek the sanction of the labor 'coun-
ell which met the following evening
The grievances We're duly presenteo,
but the executive committee of the labor
council instructed the trackmen 10 pre-
sent their claims in writing and as
sured them that favorable action prop
ably would be taken
Accordingly the trackmen met yes
terday afternoon and complied with
the request of the major body. Presi-
dent James Lynch addressed the men,
informed them of what the labor coun-
ell had promised and by unanimous
vote it was decided to comply with the
wishes of that body
The claims will be presented to the
labor councils executive committee
this evening. viii probably be reported
upon favorably. and at the meeting OF
the trackmen on Thursday night VIII
be ratified and then another strike will
be on.
COMPANY Is ACCUSED
The trackmen have long list OF
grievances against the United Rail-
roads According to their statements,
when the arbitration board made pub
lie its findings the corporation agreed
TO live up to the agreement Tor an IN
definite period of time. The trackmen
were to receive s2.25 for an eight hour
day for the first 80 days and after that
time the scale was to be advanced to
$3.50.
The trackmen allege further that the
new schedule should have gone into
effect on September Z. They claim that
the United Railroads failed TO pay
them their extra money from that time
on, a period of go days, and that many
thousands of dollars is being withheld
from every member of the union who
has an hour and a half overtime com
ing to him during that period
The trackmen are also incensed AT
the action of the United Railroads In
laying them off at the time the car
strike was declared. 1t is their con-
tention that the company could have
ACCOMPLISHED more work during the
last few weeks than during months be-
fore that time, and that instead OF be-
ing kept busy at work they were laid
OF without notice, being idle ever since.
TRACKMEN GET $50 A DAY
According to the executive commit
tee of the union, the United Railroads
has taken back about 800 union track
men during the last several days
These workmen. it claims. are receiv-
ing but $50 a day for nine hours
work. 1t is alleged that many OF the
men are in straitened circumstances AS
result of their long layoh and were
forced to return to work for whatever
the United Railroads saw mt to oner
them.
The trackmen originally struck last
September when the carmen went out
At that time they were working nine
and a half hours a day for wages ran gf
| ing from So to $3.50 a day. They agreed
| to abide by the decision of the arbitra-
tion board and worked steadily till the
present difficulty arose.
THE United Railroads has violated
every clause of the terms OF the arbi-
tration board" said James Lynch, presi-
dent of the union. The men have
! waited in vain for their back pay. but
! 1t has not been forthcoming, and natur-
ally the members of our union have be-
come dissatisfied and disgusted.
! Then again, the company laid OF
most of the men when the present car
strike was declared, although 1t had a
chance to repair every line in town
without interference. From present in
dications our strike will be an inde-
pendent one when it is called, though
we may yet declare the strike to be
in sympathy with the carmen. A COM
mittee from that body will be present
at our meeting next Thursday night"
At the time the car strike was de-
clared nearly 1000 trackmen were on
the payroll of the United Railroads.
Since that time nearly 700 of them have
left the city or engaged in othsr lines
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