Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1910-06-20
Electrical Firms Issue a State
ment on the Late Unpleas-
antness and Strike.
BLAME OUTSIDE AGlTAT0RS
Did Not Object to Paying Higher
Wages Declined to he Told Whom
They Must Employ.


meeting Saturday afternoon, when 1t
was thought advisable to present their
stase to the public The following docu-
ment was therefore prepared:
To the Pubic-The electric firms
have been asked on several occasions
to state their side Of the strike
troubles. and at meeting Of the
electric contractors. held at the Y.
NJ. c. A. yesterday it was unanimously
decided to answer the article published
by the electric workers.
In the first place We would ask the
public TO investigate the individual
characters OF the executive committee
and the / g. f. W. agents
II our regular resident wlremen had
come 70 US with any grievances we
would gladly have listened and talked
the matter over with them. but when
such men as have been put on the
committee approached us, in view OF
the fact that they were the instiga'
tors OF the trouble. we could not seq
our way clear TO meet their demands,
and We believe. that In very snort
time the home men OF the ]. b. Il. W.
will see this matter in the same light
az we 90 anu lndN lntA viii NC biaS
too glad to assume their old positions
regardless Of the objections OF the
agitators who realize that they can
not MI a position in any shop, and
are only holding the good wiremen on
strike so they can secure salary
from the union for their alleged onl-
cial services.
we had received written request
from the union asking Tor an answer
by June g, and while their letter was
being considered by the contractors.
preparatory to an answer the union
men suddenly all went on strike over
night two weeks ahead of the date
asked for their reply. and we have
never heard from them since, and
have never been notified that strike
has been called, therefore. we I'M
mediately hired more men TO continue
our work
ALL MEN THEY NEED.
! Al the present time we have about
all the men No need to take care OF
I ali thb cfttti1t business IN Town, and
are In a pOsiuDn 60 take care OF all
! contracts that lnay come up In the
| future. The Fort Douglas work viii
4 be all through In a snort time and
| then there wiil be an overflow of men
I in this territory
IL Is fact that the Engineering
| company which is owned 10y the
W
agreement but Mr.. Alderman the
manager stated that same was signed
without his authority and he ordered
same Cancelled, which was done.
Later the officials OF the company ac-
cepted the agreemen and signed
same with a view OF securing and com
pletiug several contracts through the
aid OF the union. but as the contrac-
| tors and the public know the business
| connections between the Engineering
| company and Western Electric COM
| pany. and the r. NJ. Bell Phone COM
pany. II can readily be seen that tins
| agreement was entered into not for
| the good of the union. but as an UNI
| fair advantage over the other electric
| contractors.
We desire tho public TO know we
/ have been entirely just in this matter
Of the union demands, and that the
matter of higher wages was no serious
| objection. but we certainly did object
to being ordered to employ only such
/ men as the union would select, and TO
| discharge any other men In our en-
| ploy such demands as these made by
! The agltators who are Incompetent to
| hold a position are keeping the first
| class wiremen out of work.
we might state TO the pub
lice that the l. r. E. w. by
| harboring such men as have
come into town made the wiring
| at Fort Douglas cost over $1,000
| more than Il should cost, and the police
| line construction $4,000 more than II
! should cost. and that since We have
| been using non-union electrical
| mon on this work, We have for the
| same expenditure I'm wages. doubled
| the output In progress. The fact can be
plainly demonstrated that there was
| a compact to make these Jobs last as
| long as possible We do not believe
| that the public desired the electric
| contractors 10 sign any agreement
whereby the wiremen will compel us
10 hire any and all men that come
along. in preference TO our resident
| wiremen and allow such men TO work
| along as they please. We propose as
| long as we are in business 10 hire
| such men as will give our customers
satisfaction. and pay them a liberal
salary for their service.