The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1909-12-01

and overtime. switch tenders. towermen,
engine hcrders and assistant yard
masters: modification of the rule
providing for the payment of a penal
ty in case of failure to permit SWITCH
men to secure their meals In the mid
die of their shift at stated period.
which contemplates double pay IN
cases where it became necessary TO
work portion OF the meal hour: and
the elimination of the physical exam:-
nation and the age limit placed upon
switchmen entering the service.
Five Conferences Held.
Five conferences were held in St
Paul, in which the switchmen in no
detail receded from their demands.
which, If conceded. would have or
tailed an additional expense upon the
railroads for switching services o: from
40 to As per cent.
The managers committee offered
the switchmen an increase of 90 cents
per day of 10 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, on the Northern
Pacific railway. the differential in that
territory fer sWitchmen having OBJ
tanned for about two years.
Further concessions were declined
for the reason that the rates If nay Of
switchmen We're increased over Is per
cent in November. 1906. 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 a larger per-
centage of increase than any other
class of employees in train service. At
the present rate the wages of the
switchmen average over 800 per
month.
"On November 90, 1909, in submit
ting its final answer to the switch
men. the managers committee, as
Stunning that the switchmen joined in
the desire for an amicable adjustment
of the questions under consideration,
suggested that the demands be subit-
ted to arbitration under the provisions
of the Erdman act. The switchmen
declined to accept this suggestion and
i'm their final written answer TO the
managers committee made the state
ment that the committee begs leave
to state that it will not submit to
arbitration under any circumstances
On the same day, November %. 1909,
after discussion of the proposal to
arbitratc. under the terms of the Erd-
man act at the suggestion of Presi-
dent Hawlcy a Joint telegram was ad-
dressed as follows: st. Paul, Mimi,
Nov. %. 1909. Martin A. Knapp,
Chairman Interstate Commerce Com
mission, Charles p. Neill. United
States Commissioner of Labor, Wash
ingtcn, ID. c.; The conference COM
mittee of general managers OF rail-
ways and the Switchmen's Union of
North America. representing the rail-
ways of the northwest and the switch
men 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 offices as medita-
tors under the Ardman act, and re-
quest your presence here on Saturday.
November 81, to that end. Please
wire answer Immediately
tSigneD I. G. RAWN,
Chairman Managers Committee.
+. 7. HAW1.EY.
President Switchmen's Union.'
As result of this telegram Monday
November 80 was selected as the day
for Il conference between Messrs.
Knapp and Neil and the representa-
tives of the railroads and switchmen
at st, Paul. On or about November -.
before the conference with Messers.
Knapp and NELL had begun. despite
the understanding reached in the con-
ferences that mediation under the
Erdmen act should be involved. and,
without the knowledge of either the
managers committee or the mediators.
strike order was issued by the
switchmen's committee directing the
switchmep of the Is northwestern rail-
Der 80 in the event that their full de-
mands had not been conceded. This
violation of good faith so embarrassed
negotiations that successful mediation
became impossible and led to the de-
mands by Mcssrs. Knapp and Nell. ad
dressed to both the managers com
mittee and switchmen, that the con-
troversy be submitted to arbitration
under the terms of the Erdman act.
This proposal the managers commit
tee gave its willing assent. but the
switehmen declined it. The managers
committee believes that the public in
terests should not suffer because of n
disagreement when the proper method
to settle the differences is offered
through the decision of disinterested
third party under the terms of a fed
eral law.
Respectfully submitted. l. G. Rawn.
chairman: w. c. Nixon, j. +. Hurley,
j. NJ. Gruber. G. T. Slade. 4. l..
Mohler. F. o. Meieher. r. II. Ashton.
d. l.. Bush. A. w. Sullivan. managers
committee; George T. Slade."
Switehmen's Statement.
Speaking for the switchmen tonight,
President Hawley said:
we have had no further COMMUNE
cation from the railroad officials. The
switchmen have been fair i'm their re-
Woak H<