The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-08-12
ALL ON ACCOUNT OF A WOMAN.
Origin of Strike as Set Forth by a Los
Angeles Paper.

The Los Angeles Times. published
where the existing strike of telegra ptl
operators originated. prints the follow
ing account of the troubles
number of the operator of the
Western Union Telegraph company in
Los Angeles quit work because Gas
they Say) of the discharg of one of
their number on the complaint of a
woman operator in Oakland. who had
accused the Los Angeles man of in
suiting her. The operators declare
the woman is a pestiferous trouble
maker.
Superintendent Lamb of the south
ern California division of the Western
Union. states that the employee was
discharged for deliberately delaying
business.
Superintendent Lamb made the fol-
lowing statement:
AT $50 p. m. the night force walk
ed out of the Western Union main Of
ice. They had just reported for duty.
and the day force was being relieved.
No reason has been given for this &C
ton. 1t is assumed. however, that il
was caused by the discharge of an
operator who was accused of deliber-
ately delaying business while working
with Oakland on the night of July %.
The complaint was investigated and
the evidence of two division chiefs at
Oakland. who had been watching the
actions of the operator referred to.
and observing the manner in which he
was sending messages was conclusive
that the charge of delaying business
was well founded A request signed
by some thirty operators for the re
3nstatement at once of the operator
who had been discharged. was sent to
the chief operator and handed by him
10 the superintendent. but no action
had been taken upon the request up to
the time the walkout occurred"
Operators Gossip.
Why one small woman in Oakland
should cause so much trouble as to
cripple the Geographic service of Los
Angeles and jeopardize the positions
of sixty or seventy operators, is what
4g puzzling men higher in authority
IN the Western Union Telegraph COM
pany than the operators who quit
work CATER demand upon Superin-
tendent Lamb) because of Mrs. Mary
Nichols. a woman operator in Oak
land
Both union and non-union men quit
at the time the night force came on
duty
Word was passed around to those
who deserted their keys to meet in the
Holienbeck hotel, and the gathering
sent an invitation to a representative
N the Times to be present J. F.
Lyon was elected chairman and called
the informal meeting to order. Those
present stated that they wished it to
be distinctly understood that it was
not a union meeting. or that because
thev had quit work it was union
strike.
Two women were present and were
among the speakers. Quite a number
OF these had something to say. and
~ WAS all along the line that they
could not stand receiving over the
wire served by Mrs. Nichols in Oak
land.
Reports Insults"
II was stated by a number of speak
ers that three or four of the old en-
ployes of the Western Union have
been discharged beca use of reports
made by Mrs. Nichols that they had
insulted her over the wire. The last
one to be discharged was 7 f. Ryan.
Mr.. Ryan has served with the West
ern Union for twenty-six years with
out a break and without even a repri-
mand and he has always been consid-
Rred one OF the best operators in the