The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1909-12-01

4
The Railroads Statement.
The following statement has been
sent out by the oficials of the various
railroads Of the northwest effected by
this strike.
To the public: The railroads of the
northwest recognizing that the pub
lie is an interested but unrepresented
third party in the controversy with
their switchmen through the commit
tee which has been conducting their
negotiations, desire to place at the
| disposal of the public the following
facts in connection with the negotia-
tions.
The switchmen in the northwest
| territory made simultaneous demands
on thirteen railroad companies, center
ing in the twin cities, for an increase
in wages and certain changes in SER
vice conditions. AT the suggestion Of
F. T. Hawley, president of the Switch
mems Union of North America. of
whose organization the switchmen Of
the northwest are members. arrange
ments were made to conduct the ne
gotiations in one conference. In the
conference the railroads were repre-
scented by a committee of ten man
ayers and the switchmen by f. r.
Hawley and by other officers Of the
Switchmen's Union of North America
The demands of the switcnmen were
for double pay for Sundays, holidays
and overtime, an advance of 60 cents
per day of ten hours in the wages of
the switchmen, switch tenders, tower
men, engine herders and assistant
yardmasters; a modification of the
rule providing for the payment of pen
atty in the case of failure to permit
the switcnmen to secure their meal in
the middle Of their shift at stated
period, which contemplates double
pay in cases where it became neces-
sary to work a portion of the meal
hour, and elimination of the physical
examination and the age limit, placed
upon switchmen entering the service
Five conferences were held in st. Paul
in which the switchmen in no detail
receded from their demand, which If
conceded, would have entailed an adj
ditional expense upon the railroads for
switching service of from 40 to 45 per
cent. The managers committee offer
ed the switchmen an increase of 90
cents per day OF ten hours in the
rates of pay of Switchmen employed
in the territory west of Havre, Mont.
on the Great Northern railway and
west of Billings, Mont, of the North
ern Pacific railway, the differentiaI
in that territory for switcnmen having
abstained for about two years. Fur
Their concession was declined for the
switchmen were increased over 13 per
cent in November, 1905, and because
the rates at that time established had
not been reduced during the period of
business depression which followed.
The attention of the switchmen was
called to the fact that in 1906 the
switchmen were granted larger per-
centage of increase than, any other
class of employees in train service. At
the present rates the wages Of switch
men average over 500 per month. On
Nov. %. 1909, in submitting it's final
answer to the switclmen, the manag-
ers committee, assuming that the |
switchmen joined in the, desire for
amicable adjustment of the questions |
under consideration, suggested that |
the demands be submitted to arbitra- |
tion under the provisions OF the Erd- |
man Act The switchmen declined, to |
accept this suggestion and in their |
final written answer to the managers |
committee made the statement: zine
committee begs leave to state that it |
viii not submit to arbitration under |
any circumstances"
On this same day. Nov %, 1909, af- /
ter discussion of the proposal to ar |
bitrate under the terms of the Erd |
man Act at the suggestion OF Presi- |
dent Hawley. a joint telegram was |
addressed as follows: est. Paul Mimi.
Nov. %, 1909.-Martin A. Knapp. I
chairman Interstate commerce com |
Chas. p. Neill. u. s. com
missioner OF labor, Washington. ID. q.
The conference committee OF general
OF railways and the Switcf,~
mems Union of North America. rem. |
resenting the railways Of the nortn-
west and the switcnmen employed /
thereon. having been In session at st.
Paul, Mimi, during the past four days
and having failed to agree on certain
questions at issue. Jointly invite your
good offices as mediators under the
Erdman act, and request your pres
ence here on Saturday, Nov. 81. to that
end. Please wire answer Immediately.
(Signed)
]. G. Rawn,
Chairman Managers.
#. L. Hawley,
Pres. s. u OF A.
As a result of this telegram, Mon
day, Nov. 20, was secured as a date !.
for the conference between Messrs.
Knapp and Neill and the representa-
lives of the railways and switchmen
Ut st. Paul. On or about Nov. %, be-
fore the conferences with Messrs.
Knapp and NELL had begun, despite
the understanding reached In the con-
serences that mediation under the
Erdman act should be invoked and
without the knowledge OF either the
managers committee or the mediators.
! strike order was issued by the
switcnman's committee, directing the
;witchmen of the thirteen northwest
srn railroads to cease work at 6 D. !.
m, Nov. 80, In the event that their
'ull demands had not been conceded.
This violation of good faith so embar-
lssed the negotiations that successful
mediation became impossible and led
% the demand by Messrs. Knapp and
Neill, addressed to both the managers
committee and the switchmen. that
he controversy be submitted to ar
oitration, under the terms of the Erd-
nan act TO this proposal the man
lgers committee gave it's willing as
sent, but the switchmen absolutely
declined It. The managers committee
believes that the public interests
mould not suffer because of dis