The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1908-04-17
Yielded One Point.


the strike.
Yielded One Point.
The company has yielded the rule
as to reporting while under suspen-
sion and had stated that all imported
men Should be returned to the points
from whence they We're brought; both
of whi h statements were entirely
satisfactory TO their former employees.
The company. in reply under date of
April 18th. 1908, agreed to take back
ut the same rate of wages, thirty-fiVe
of the fifty-eight men on strike 1t
agreed. indirectly, that none of these
thirty-five men should be discriminat
ed against because of their union af-
filiation. It would not agree, how
ever. not to discriminate against the
union or against union men in the
selection OF its future employees. 1t
is pointed out in this connection that
the companyis language as used in
paragraph one of their second propo-
sition, would give to them the right
TO require men employed in the fu-
ture DO sign a contract not to become
members of any union; naturally. it
will be understood that of the thirty
five men who remained members of
the union a number would. from
time to time be removed from the
cOmpany'S service upon various pre-
texts and their places filed by men
obligated (if the company so desired)
not to become members of a union
While 1t is true that the company
agrees to meet individual employees or
a committee Of employees for the adj
justment of differences, the company
nevertheless reserves to itself the
fright to discharge any employe here
after employed For any reason salts
factory to 1t, thereby leaving to the
company the arbitrary discretion to
say that any reasonSit might name
whether. reasonable, Or unreasonable,
was satisfactory TO 1t; in other words.
that the company might either refuse
to employ or discharge any future
employee because of the fact that he
had become member of the union.
Destruction of Union.
1t will be observed by closely read
ing this counter proposition of the
company that the sole purpose N
view was the eventual and certain de-
Struction of the union. Upon receipt
of this proposition from the company
this committee felt disposed to end
negotiations, feeling that as union
men we could not, with honor or self
respect, advise the former employees
of the company TO accept the terms
laid down. Realizing, though, the ur-
gent need of the community for an
immediate resumption of street rail
way traffic. We placed still another
proposition before the company in
which il was agreed to accept prac
tically all of the terms embodied in
tot %
to the number of men to be rein
stated This proposition accepted the
open shop and also yielded the right
to the company to employ and dis
charge any future emplOye at any
time for any cause This proposition
embodied and accepted all of the de
mands of the company made up to
and including their proposition of
April 14th. to the effect that all the
men not under suspension or dis
charge would be reinStated as individ-
ua's. The proposition of the com
panv was to operate its cars upon an
open shop basis and to take back
thirtv-five of the fifty-eight men who
had lately left the employ, without
giving any reason whatsoever as to
WHY these tWenty-three men should
not be reinStaIed: this committee con-
sidered that this was al arbitrary de-
mand without justice and reason. and
felt that all Of the men were entitled
to be reinStated except those against
whom the company could allege and
establish before some diSintereSted
person Or persons a fair cause for
their discharge. and therefore this
was embra- ed in the counter PROPOSE
ton made to the company on April
18th To prevent the destruction of
the union by the company a second
counter proposition was also made to
the comDanv that it should keep in
its emmy at all times a reasona BILE
percentage of union men. say 50 per
cent. this being the percentage which
the company expressed itself as beng
willing to take back into its employ
Company Declines.
On April 18th. the company declined
TO accede 10 either Of these counter
PROPOSITIONS II VIII be noted that
in its communication the company
saws it is unwilling to accede to any
nroposition which will put il in the
hands of any third person. disinter-
ested or otherws Sc TO determine
whether any of its former employees
should not be reinStated. and this
committee would impress upon the
public the fact that the company at
all times has shown an unwillingness
to permit anyone but itself TO Judge
as to whether or not a sufficient
cause or reason exists as to why any
Of the twenty-three men sought to
be eliminated should not be returned