Los Angeles herald., 1910-07-19
Trainmen Open Sealed InStruc-
tions at Appointed Hour
and Walk Out
DIFFICULTY is OVER WAGES
R. R. Officials Say They Offered
18 Per Cent Raise and
Will Give No More
TAssociated Press1

MONTREAL, July 1S.-Conductors
and trainmen Of the Grand Trunk and
Central Vermont railways obeyed an
automatic strike order at $3.50 o'clock
tonight. Sunday, when the members
of the strike committee left here, each
man carried a sealed envelope to be
opened at that hour calling a strike
unless q telegram had previously been
received which, upon comparison with
copy enclosed in the envelope, stat
ed otherwise. No such telegram was
sent and the strike became effective at
$3.50 o'clock this evening. Under the
terms of the strike order, trains which
began their runs before $3.50 are to be
taken through the terminal by the men
in charge. After that the company is
expected to look after it's own inter-
ests.
Grand Trunk officials tonight issued
a statement in part as follows:
"Messrs. Berry and Murdock, with
committee representing the Grand
Trunk trainmen and yardmen, met the
officers of the company this morning
and advised that they had received tho
authority of a large majority Of our
trainmen to order a strike if a settle
ment was not reached with the COM
pany. -
"a general discussion of the situa-
vised them we were not in position
to do more than had been offered in
our former proposition, giving the
men an increase of approximately 1S
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
relations with the Grand Trunk Pacific
is in a position to participate in the
higher rates obtaining on traffic in the
northwest by reason of the competi-
ton 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.
at was explained that If there was
any question of indefinitenesS as to the
date when the standardization was to
take effect, we would agree that 1t
should not be later than January l.
1913. or earlier If the board of rail-
road commissioners, upon hearing the
facts in the case, should so determine.
WILL FIGHT STRIKE
"This was not considered satisfac-
tory and the conference was adjourned
until the afternoon, when we were
handed the schedule of rates of pay
and rules, which are practically the
eastern standard.
do no better than what had already
been offered. and we have no future
propositions to make.
"Should a strike be ordered, we feel
confident many of the employees of the
company in the train service will dis
regard such strike orders and will con-
tinue with the company. I'VE have
many applications from other partles
for employment, and shall also recruit
largely from our other departments.
I'm the meantime, we shall make ef-
fectiye the rules and rates of pay Of
fered the employees. Pending settle
ment. all shops on the system will be
closed"
To this President Hayes added:
1--WE have done the best we can, haV-
ing regard to the interests of the share
holders and of the men themselves. We
have offered substantial increases In
wages. For instance, we give conduct
ors between Montreal and Portland an
increase from $110 to $135 a month, be-
tween Montreal and BrockVille from
$50 to $140 a month, between Montreal
and Toronto from $11O to $140, and bag
gagemen from $40 to $S5 and brakemen
from $55 and $50 to $50.
OFFERS TO ARBITRATE
"On mileage rates conductors or
through trains are to be raised from
290 to 1856 cents mile ana pIdheiileH
from 100 to 2.95 cents.
ION the runs between Montreal ana
Ottawa, conductors are raised from $l1O
to $40 a month; baggagemen, $40 to
$S5, and so on.
"When l put this to the men / said
further that this was a large increase,
but that if they did not think it salts
factory there was still another alterna-
tive. I said / was willing in such case
to go to the arbitration of a board OF
expert railway men as to whether or
NOT the proposition was still fair, and
would be willing to abide by the decls-
ion.
FURTHER, said to the representa-
tives of the men: Suppose a strike is
brought on with all its disturbance OF
conditions and business, what snail we
do eventually but settle as have pro-
nosed? You will have displaced a
great MANY men, created great losses
All over, and have got no farther
ahead But they refused to listen to
this" .,,,,,s,o,y
Vice President Murdoch of the Bro
therhood of Trainmen said:
"The company's proposition which
Mr.. Hayes said was its estimate oi
the award of the board of conciliatlor
was very far from being anything like
the boards award, we thought anC
in the great majority of cases where
rates had been specified these rate:
are very much below those suggested
by the board.
"For instance, on the Portland-Mon'
| treal runs we find Mr.. Hayes offering
| S2.25 per 100 miles to a passenger con
| ductor instead of $2.45 $40, as filed II
| the boards award we find in Mon
treal-Toronto passenger run he offers
conductors $2.31 per 100 miles instead
of the boards award Of $2.45 $40.
"Mr. Hayes ignored entirely tht
boards recommendation to standard
| ize conditions on the Grand Trunl
and its recommendation to put int
| effect the mileage basis of pay in eithel
passenger or local freight service. In
! stead he proposes to perpetuate ex
| istine conditions and in some WAYS Z