Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1908-03-23
Union Leaders and Company
Officials Give Views
On Trouble.
BOTH SAY THEY'RE RIGHT,
Men say They Did Everything TO Hold
Peace OFFICIAL Says
Ans Well

Just how the union workinen here
regard the strike Of Rio Grande shop
men and its causes was made clear at
mass meeting in Federation OF Labor
hall last evening. The speakers were
j. a. Franklin, first vice president Of
the Boilernakers and Helpers organi-
cation; J, ]. Maocher, second Vice
president of tho Blaclsmithss and Help
ers, and Albert Smithen, district rep
resentative
AS these men have been in Denver
and along the line 1T was expected their
talks would be trimming with interest
so good crowd OF workmen was out
to hear them. After the meeting those
who were present discussed tho speech
es with outsiders freely. II was ex-
planned just what steps had been taken
by the union committees toward
agreement upon acceptable arrange
ments but the labor people say the
railroad company officials refused to
listen to anything reasonable The
company insisted upon abrogating its
agreements with employees and con-
Quoting it's affairs upon the open shop
policy.
FRANKLIN TALKS.
]. A. Franklin, one Of the principal
speakers at the meeting, made this
statement In substance to n. news-
paper man after the meeting: "rhe
contract with the shop men was to run
until 1909: there was no clause in il
providing for abrogation or dropping
by either side. When the notice of
ahrogation was posted here we sent
COMMITTEES to ask why. It got no an
swer' We were told the company
intended running open shops and IL
the men didn't like It, they could quit.
Repeated efforts to reach some under
standing were Ruthless.
STRIKE INEVITABLE.
our committees offered to release the
company from any portion of the con-
tract which 1t felt was unjust in pres
ent unsatisfactory financial conditions?
This was refused and when the COM
mittees offered to do anything towards
effecting peace. they were turned down
coldly. There was nothing left to do
but walk out.
I'VE did not insist upon closed
shop we We're willing the company
should hire whatever men 1t pleased
but we could not submit to the cold
bippbNu IitlbSllipll Rul OUT by lne conf
pany. 1t would have broken down the
things II has taken years TO build. We
were asking for less than other roads
gave their employees without asking"
CoMPANY's VIEW.
The company's side of the case IS con-
tained In the following statement out
from General Manager A. g. Ridgway' y
office:
"Ffrst--To bring shop productions up
TO a reasonable amount
'Second--To open our shops both In
union and non-unlon men alike
"Third-To sr.2ct foremen, ANA
others In charge Of men, of our own
choice,
''Fourth--To eliminate the enrnity OF
shop employees and to procure their CO.
operation.
"Fifth-To eliminate the oppression
OF the company from the drastic
agreement with these organizations
which II was forced to make under
the stress of circumstances and labor
conditions OF a year ago. All the
agreements were antagonistic TO. and
prevented us from obtaining, efficiency
in our shops.
In the new order OF things we
have changed no rate OF wages, max
Ing some notifications in overtime
rules and regulations, eliminating
time and one half FOR Sundays ana
holidays in the cases of monthly en-
ployment men IN roundhouses. who
are working regular hours. and allow
ing, II called after regular hours, not
less than onehalf day for a call, the
same as In the past Shopmen are to
be allowed overtime after 8, instead