The sun., 1908-04-14
TELEGUAPHERS VOTE STRIKE
UNLESS THE WESTERN UNION RE-
STORES WAGES BY JUNE T.
New York Local Fellows Lead Of Chicago
Local and Other cities Are Getting In
I.ino-POStai Company Not Affected
More Organizer Arc Sent Out.

The definite announcement was made
yesterday by the officers Of Local No, 10 oI
the Commercial TeleRaphers Union thai
there will be not only a local but a nationa
strike Of the telegraphers against the West.
ern Union company on June / unless the
wages paid before the last strike are re-
stored before that time At a secret meet
! ing Of the local the resolution Of the Chi
cago local to strike on June unless the
company restores wages was indorsed.
and il was announced that dispatches had
been received from locals in many other
cities that they had taken the same action.
Secretary Charles p, McInerney Of Local
No. 10 said that he had talk in the morn
ing over the long distance telephone with
President Beattie Of the Commercial Teleg-
raphers Union, who is in Washington
and who informed him that he has sent
a new corps Of organizers to the different
oities to enroll members
Secretary McInerney said also that the
Postal company would not be affected by
the coming strike, as it did not reduce
wages after the last strike The majority
Of the teleRraphers employed now by the
Western Union company. he said including
strike breakers and the members Of the
union who did not strike. we're now organ
lied The enrolment Of new members
was done secretly Nd meetings were
called for the purpose but the telegraphers
were enrolled al their homes or at places
where they met the organizers privately by
appointment The same methods, he said,
were employed in some Of the other cities.
When the strike occurred, hs said, the
Commercial Telegraphers Union had only
$4,000 for the fight and to meet all pre-
liminary expenses Now plans we're being
considered arranging for loan TO the Com
mercial Teepraphers Union by the Order
Of Railroad Teegraphers Of t25O,OOO out Of
a fund Of $4,000 belonging to the o, r. r.
said to he lying idle in the St Louis banks
Since the last strike the constitution Of the
Commercial Telegraphers Union has been
amended. One Of the new clauses s that
before strike is declared President Com
pers Of the American Federation Of Labor
will make an effort to bring about an ami
cable settlement.
with regard to the union men who did
not strike last year. said Secretary Mo
Inerney. we took them back into the union
on their plea that the last strike was not
regular, the telegraphers stampeding from
the Offices in violation Of the constitution
after the union had voted not to strike
There will be no walkout this time. There
will be no individual strikes but the strike
il 1t comes will take place all over the coun.
try.
-Ihe constitution provides for a strike
vote. TO be ratified by the national officers
and these preliminaries will be rgidly lived
up to. We will proceed in II businesslike
way prepare demands and submit them
TO the company and the strike will surely
take place on June / II the demands are
finally rejected As to the statement on
behalf Of the company that the wages are
merely reajusted, we meet that by saying
that they have been reduced all around,
In addition to this trade is dull al this time
Of the year and large numbers Of operators
are working only day or two in the week !
and sometimes only a few hours day al |
these reduced wages. We have nearly |
two months to prepare, and on June the |
busy season will be in full swing when there |
will be a demand for operators. The !
Postal people have shown a disposition to |
regard the strike Of last year as past event !
and to let bygones be bygones.