The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1910-07-21
RAILROAD STRIKE ON
Grand Trunk and Central
Vermont Affected By
Walkout ofEmployes
FREIGHT TRAFFIC BLOCKED

EkLIUllI lNHillU DLUUhLD
Long Expected Break Between En-.
ployes and Railroad Officials Came
Monday Night when Order Came
For Trainmen and Conductors to
Cease Work at 9:3O-Tralns On
ROue Made Runs.
Montreal, Que, July 1S.-Conduc-
tors and trainmen of the Grand Trunk
and Central Vermont Railways obey
ed an automatic strike order at $50
o'clock tonight. On Sunday when the
members of the strike committee left
here each man carried sealed en-
velope to be opened at that hour call
ing strike unless telegram had
previously been received which, upon
comparison with copy enclosed in
the envelope stated otherwise. No
such telegram was sent and so the
strike became effective. at $50.
Under the terms of the strike or
der train which began their runs be-
fore $50 a. e to be taken through to
the termi o. by the men in charge.
After that the company is expected
to look after its own interests. The
developments of the day previous to
the calling of the strike were ex-
planned as follows in statement is
sued by the company at 6 o'clock:
The management of the Grand
Trunk tonight issued the following
statement: "Messrs. Berry and Muir
dock with a committee representing
the Grand Trunk trainmen and yard
men met the officers of the company
this morning and advised that they
had received the authority of large
majority of our trainmen to order a
strike in the event settlement was
not reached with the company. A
general discussion of the situation
took place during which we advised
them that we were not in a position
to do more than had been offered in
our former proposition, giving the
men an increase of approximately IS
per cent. with the further promise
that they should be given the same
standard rate Of pay as the Canadian
Pacific as soon as the Grand Trunk
through its relation with the Grand
Trunk Pacific is in a position to par
ticipate in the higher rates obtaining
on traffic in the northwest BY reason
of the completion of that road and the
obtaining of through rail connections
between the Grand Trunk and the
Grand Trunk Pacific which should be
accomplished within two years, it was
explained that if there was any ques-
ton of indefinteness as to the date
when the Standardization was to take
effect we would agree that it should
be not later than January |, 1918, or
earlier if the board of railway COM
missioners on hearing of the facts in
the case should so determine.
"This was not considered satisfac-
tory, and the conference was ad-
journed until the afternoon when we
were handed the schedule of rates of
pay and rules which are practically
the eastern standard.
"This reply was made that we could
do no better than what had already
been offered, and we had no further
propositions to make.
Should a strike be ordered we feel
confident that it will be found that
many of the employees of the company
in the train service will disregard
such strike and will continue service
with the company. We have a large
number of applications from other
parties desirous of obtaining employ
ment and shall also recruit largely
from our own forces in other depart
ments.
In the meantime, we shall make
effective the rules and rates of pay
offered the employees. Pending settle
ment of matters all shops on the sys-
TEN will be closed"
To this President Hays added: eve
have done the best we can, having
regard to the interests of the share.
holders and of the men themselves
We have offered substantial increases
in wages. For instance we give con.
ductors between Montreal and Port.
land an increase from $11O to S135;
between Montreal and Brockville from
$50 to $140 Montreal and Toronto
$l1O to $14O and baggagemen from
$40 to $S5 and brakemen from $50 ant
$50 to $50
"On mileage rates conductors O
through trips are to be raised from
2.9O to 1886 cents a mile and brake
men from 100 to 2.25 cents.
"On the runs between Montreal an,
Ottawa conductors are raised from
$11O to $40 a month; baggagemel
from S75 to $S5 and so on.
When | put this to the men | sal,
further that this was large increas
but that II they did not think II sat