Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1909-12-24

Swltchmen and railroads i'll the CHI
cago district, when the Twin City roads
VIII agree to meet any wage increase
or any working conditions granted the
switchmen of the Chicago lines
WHAT RAILROADS WANT.
In their proposition the switchmen
agree to arbltratc under the arbitra-
tion act of 1898. but Insist that separate
negotiations be conducted with the
Twin City lines.
The proposition OF the railroads 20
Gov. Eberhart follows:
"A conference between representa-
tlves of the railroads In the Chicago
district and representatives of their
switchmen is now In progress to de-
termine scale of wages and the es-
tablishment of working conditions for
that district.
Rates of wages in the Chicago dis
trict and in the Minnesota cities for
Switchmcn have been identical and the
working conditions similar.
Representatives of the Twin City
lines in conference this date have con-
firmed, by majority vote. the report
to your cxcellency. that these roads
represented will agree to re-employ
such of their former yard employees
as the roads may have places for. ct
the rates of pay and under working
that at the termination OF the Chicago
conference the lines here represented
Will meet any additions In rates of
pay or working conditions that may
be granted by the Chicago lines TO
their Switchmen, and that, as hereto
fore announced, the dIfferential of two
cents per hour In the wages OF switch
men will apply In the territory OF Bill
lngs and west on the Northern Paeihc
railway and in the territory of Havre
and west on the Great Northern rail-
way"
SWITCHMEN'S PROPOSITION,
The switchmen's counter proposition
follows:
For the employees. we are aware that
a conference is being held between the
representatives of certain railways and
the Chicago district representatives of
their switchmcn. We have no informa-
tion relative to the questions between
the railroad and their employees I'm the
Chicago district being likely to be sub
mitted to arbitration.
Representatives of the switchmcn
employed upon the Twin city lines
are willing that differences between the
employees and the employing companies
be submitted to arbitration under the
terms of the arbitration act Of 1898. with
the stipulation that both sides agree to
abide by the award given by the arbi-
traitors. Furthermore, that the hear
ings shall be conducted by representa-
tIves of the employees and the employ
ing companies without the aid of at
torneys, as far as II is possible.
I'VE are not satisfied TO leave our
questions to be settled by any func-
ton In Chicago. whether by arbitra-
ton or otherwise, claiming that our
questions be settled locally and kept
separate and distinct from all other
questions; that. as we arc ready to
agree to arbitrate this evening. and the
negotiations In Chicago have not
reached that stage. 1t seems to US it
would be better to agree TO arbitrate
here and proceed as II there were no
negotiations going on In Chicago.
I'm this qustion and the subsidiary
questions as to the men returned to
work and agreement to meet the COM
mlttees after the award is given for
the purpose of amending the existing
schedules. In accordance with the
award, we contemplate that II may be
possible to put an end to the strike
within few hours. and industrial
peace will be assured I'm the pendency
of the arbitration proceedings"