Omaha daily bee., 1910-02-09
EaREMEy TALK OF STRIKE
Men on Fifty-seven Western Roads
May Quit by March /.
HOPE TO EFFECT AN ADJUSTMENT
Grievance Committee Of Union Pa
cific FIrcmen IL Holding Sessions
IN Omaha Now 60 See what
Gun BE Done.

ITO strike or not to strike" is the
question that will be voted upon by the
locomotive firemen OF the Union Pacific
railroad, between now and March l.
This appears to be the course open to the
enginemen since the refusal Of the western
railroad managors TO grant the request OF
the men for an increase in wages.
Members Of the grievance committee or
.the Union Pacific branch Of the Brother
hood Of Locomotive Firemen were closeted
In an all-day session at the Arcade hotel.
Similar meetings are to be held this week
OF the grievance committees Of the fifty
seven roads operating west OF the Missls-
sippi river.
Late in the afternoon one OF the com
mlttee made this statement:
'"The question Of a strike will be polled
by our members. The railroad managers
turned down every request we made of
them In regard TO wages, seniority and
Jurisdiction over our own men, with the
formal reply that they would be willing
to arbitrate the wage question.
1--WE shall submit the matter to r%eferen-
dunn. The men will be asked to vote on the
question as to whether the matter shall
drag through the slow channels of arbi-
tration or whether a general strike shall
be- called. The matter will be settled by
March L. ,rr
Thirteen on board.
There were thirteen members of thu
|, grievance committee from various polntr
on the Union Pacific In session at the hotel
= c V. Mclaughlin Of Omaha is q, member
of the committee and is also president OF
the Western Federation of the Brother
hood Of Locomotive Firemen.
II a strike is voted to take effect March
/, It will mean that fifty-seven railroads,
operating west OF the Illinois Central be-
tween ChIoaso and New Orleans. will he
tied up. There are $1,000 men employed on
the western roads.
Sometime ago the firemen petitioned the
western railroad managers for increase in
wages and for the recognition of seniority
rights. They also asked that the flremen's
order be given jurisdiction over engineers
who kept their membership in the firemen's
organization.
The firemen set forth that their work
had become more arduous and heavy by
the Introduction of the big Pacific type
of locomotives, which they refer to as
IMAM killers" because they consumed
such large quantities of fuel. They also
presented that the firemen were not given
proportlonate increase in wages in 1907,
"hN 49, "N
given raises. ta
AS to Firesneh.
Firemen employed on the western roads
are now receiving from $2.25 to 1925 pei
hundred mile trip. according to seniority
and type of, engine. In 1907 the men were
given E raise amounting to about 6 pei
cent, although they set forth that conduc-
tors and engineers were raised 10 and L
per cent.
The railroads. they say. refuse to permit
the firemen to have Jurisdiction oyer en-
gineers who have retained their member
ship in the firemen's order. because the Of
ficials wish to stir up strife between the
two orders. thu Brotherhood OF LocomotivC
Engineers and the brotherhood OF Loco
motive Firemen-
This same thing, they say, was the rea,
son the switchmen in the northwest failed
- win their point. as there was blood
between the Switchmen's union n tn,
brotherhood Of Railway Trainmen-