The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1908-03-07
bic STRIKE IMMINENT
ON SOUTHERN | ! ! N. RAILWAY
If It Comes Forty Thousand EN-
ployes Will Be Effected
Thereby. .
Railroad Managers Determined
That Employees Shall Bear En-
tire Burden of Business De-
preston.

From Our Washington Correspondent.
WASHINGTON, D. c., Mar. "a
big strike, of the n2achinists boiler
makers, papem en- blacksmiths, and
carmen Of the great Southern Railway
system, with its thousands of miles of
tracks all cverN the southern states,
looms up IN the Industrial skies. If it
comes 40,OG0 men will be affected.
Action Of Road Managers.
Recently the management OF that
system, by reason, as it was stated, of
a heavy decrease in business and the
earning power of the road brought
about by Industrial depression along
that line i'm all of the southern states,
decided to reduce the salaries Of its
officers 10 per cent and to follow that
up with other financial retrenchment
all over the system to enable the road
to keep it's head above the industrial
depression that threatens, it is claimed
to engulf 1t. AS soon as the general
order went into effectTth machinists
felt Its effects.
:. Maehinists Laid of.
Many Of the members of the Inter-
natianal Association Of Machinists
were laid off and those that were re-
tanned were cut down in working
hours from 81 to 40 hours. Then it
was that the railroad officials went
further and proposed to reduce the
wages Of those retained and working
the 40-hour schedule. This proposition
was met with a propositions on the
part of the officials Of the Interna-
| tional Association of Machinists for
conference. 1t was granted and the
conference has just adjourned without
result and the machinsts officials have
returned TO thei: homes to report to
| their locals. The propositions on the
! part Of the railroad was for the men
| to accept 6h per cent reduction. Gen.
I era1 Manager Ackert conducted the
negotiations on the part of the rail-
road.
The road proposed a return to the
old scale Of wages in effect October,
1906. Furthermore the road would
not promise to retain the present hour
scafe-40 hours per week--and would
give no assurance that there would
also not be cut in hours.
The Machinists' Retort.
The machinists came back with this
proposition, which Mr.. Ackert agreed
was fair but could not be accepted:
First. That we realize the present
financial and industrial depression has
placed the Southern Railway in a
critical condition.
Second. We feel that we can con-
sistently recommend to the employees
We represent to lend assistance
Owing to- the facts as stated, we
offer as a cOunter-proposition that the
Southern Railway, instead of reducing
our rate per hour, withhold the per
centum asfled for, without interest,
for such time as can be agreed upon.
''You must realize that since this
depression came on about Is or 80 per
cent of your employees have been dis
missed from service. and those of us
who remain in service have for some
time, and are now suffering a reduc-
ton Of about 80 per cent in our in
come through the reduction Of hours
Of employment. You also realize that
1t has been the policy of the Southern
Railway to employ men of families
and to- offer them inducements to buy
homes and settle along the railway at
points where its shops are located,
which policy has been pursued by
many. These men are under financial
obligations which must be met, or all
their sacrifices lasting for years will
be for naught. The price, OF commo-
ditfes, furthermore, has not decreased
in keeping with the loss Of opportuni-
ties for pursuit of a. livelihood.
Stockholders Should Share Burden,
1--WE are OF the opinion that it is the
duty Of the stockholders who have
received the dividends, to return &
portion of them to tide the railway
over this critical period, and not i'm.
pose upon the employees alone the
brunt Of the burden; equity demands
that all interests should assist"
General Manager Ackert and 40 O.
the leading machinists, from all shops
on the outhern System, were in con.
ference for four hours on this PROPOSE
ton, but on it's conclusion it was an
nounced by President Archie McGilli
vray, Of District No., 4, Internationa
! Association Of Machinists; that agree
ment was impossible. -"
1.-THE road has stood pat upon it.
proposition, and we have stood pa
Upon ours,'" he said. There seems t.
be no middle ground upon which w
can compromise. The road insts Their
must be a reduction, not loan as w
suggested, and we do not see how W.
can stand a further reduction. w
We only work 40 hours per week
whereas four months ago we WORKED
ti54.
1--WE return home to submit to tn
Il l -
They may wish to strike; dom
know. The road has told us that a
answer must be forthcoming b
March l."
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