The wageworker., 1909-10-09
Deputy Commissioners
Report on Omaha Strike

committee representing the employees
and President Wattles. To the de-
mands of the men he offered to in
crease wages as soon as the financial :
conditions of the company permitted.
and to increase them one cent an hour
inside of one year. President Wattles
refused to recognize grievance COM
mittee representing the union OF to
consent to arbitration of grievances.
He stated that there was no need of a
committee and no necessity to make
provisions for arbitration.
AS before stated, several confer
ences were held between the en-
ployes and President Wattles, but
without avail. and then the union sent
for two of its internatioal officers.
These officers arrived and assumed
the duty of trying to reach an agree
ment. President Wattles agreed to
meet Chairman Pratt before a meeting
of the business mems association. Mr.
Pratt told what the men wanted, and
Mr.. Wattles told what he was willing
to write and send to each individual
employe. Mr.. Pratt took President
Wattles' statement back to the en-
ployes and submitted it without COM
ment. The employees thereupon de-
clded to strike, and the strike began
on Saturday morning, September 25.
President Wattles insisted that the
company was plunged into this strike
without notice, and taken unawares.
The striking employees claim that be-
fore the strike was twelve hours old
professional strike-breakers, many IT
them armed, were being imported into
the state and used to man the cars.
The Monday following the strike 1
went to Omaha with a view to ac-
quainting myself with the facts. Be-
fore making any effort to seek an ad-.
justment of the difficulty, 1 thought
| it best to await the result of efforts
| then being put forth by Omaha parties.
A councilmanic hearing was held at
which President Wattles and the COM
mittee from the striking employees
aired their grievances. Nothing re-
suited. A little later the mayors of
Omaha, South Omaha, Florence, Ben
son and Council Bluffs undertook to
reach settlement. They met from
day to day. and finally, on Sunday af-
ternoon, September &C. they evolved
plan of settlement which was endorsed
by President Wattles. This plan l
hereby submit as Exhibit B." This.
however, was not officially presented
to the striking employees but was put
into sealed envelopes and given to the
daily newspapers with the under
standing that the envelopes were not
to be opened until 10 o'clock that
night, and no extras issued. Up to
Tuesday, September %, the striking
employees had no official knowledge Of
this, and then l was empowered by
President Wattles to present it to
them which l did. The men refused
to accept any plan of settlement that
would deprive they of the right to
join any lawful organization or So
ciety that might appeal to them.
On Monday, September 27, 1 pro-
ceeded again to Omaha for the pur-
pose of using my best efforts to ad-
just the differences between the strik-
ing employees and the company
first sought to ascertain what the men
wanted, and after having informed
myself as to that, l proceeded to con-
fer with President Wattles. President
Wattles met me fairly and frankly and
we went over the situation thoroughly.
Upon the main contentious of the men
he would not concede anything. He
refused to deal with a committee of
the employees, after the question of
the union had been eliminated from
the discussion. He refused to sub
NIT any point of difference whatever
to arbitration. Finally he declared
against employment in the future of
any man who would not agree to re-
main outside of any union of street
railway men. He did agree to take
back 80 per cent of the striking en-
ployes, but under no consideration
would he agree to taking them all
back. He also declared to me that it
was his Intention and the intention of
the executive committee of the COM
pany to punish somebody" for cali
| ing this strike. The employees would
! not listen to proposition of settle
| t-ment based upon the possible punish
, ment of the men who had transacted
their business for them. 1t was upon
this that the final split came Presi-
dent Wattles insisted that only 80 per
cent of the strikers would be re-em
plOyed I suggested to the men that