Evening journal., 1910-07-05
TRATNMEN MAY
GO ON A STRIKE
Employees Of the Pennsylvania
a Railroad Company Voting
on the Question
STATEMENT ISSUED BY
THE RAILROAD COMPANY

Philadelphia, July "A strike bal
lot is being distributed among the
trainmen of the Pennsylvania railroad
because the company has refused to
comply with demands for further in
creases in the wages Of trainmen and
yardmen. The statement of facts in
the ballot is emlnenty fair, but GER
tain matters should be explained and
others ampiihed
A criticism Of the company's action
is made that an increase Of 6 per cent
was granted TO the employees regard
less Of the expressed desires of the
committees.
The company has a duty to all OF its
employees as great es 70 its conductors
and trainmen. II has been the well
established policy Of the company to
meet changed conditions promptly, so
that the employees in all departments
may at once receive wages as high as
or higher than employees in CORE
spending service Of other railroads.
The determination to take a strike
vote was reached after a conference
on Tuesday with General Manager w.
II. Myers. who informed the commit
tees that the company would accept
the arbitration award Of the New York
Central; that II would adopt all that
embodies the principles for which they
contend and the rates that have been
put into effect on the New York Cen
trail, leaving the company's high rate
stand, but not increasing them by max
ing a ten hour day apply to the rates
which were made TO At an eleven and
twelve hour day. or that the company
would try to meet these conditions by
adjustment, fitting its rates Of pay and
conditions Of work TO the New York
Central award as near as possible, as
has been done in the rates that have
been posted recently"
with reference TO this declaration
made by General Manager Myers the
company has called to the attention OF
the trainmen the following quotation
from the strike ballot which is to be
circulated among the employees;
1.-THE specific offer made by the com
pany was that It was willing to apply
the New York Central award, putting
in the mileage system in it's entirety
with the minimum day, provided the
men would accept Herewith the New
York Central rates. AS the rates that
now obtain on this property are and
have been for a large portion Of the
service materially higher than the New
York Central rates this offer was nat
urally rejected
Generally speaking, yard rates pu
into effect by your company compar
favorably with rates paid by othe
companies in the territory. but we con
tend that both road and yard rate
should be higher on our line than pai'
by other companies for similar service
because the policy Of the Pennsylva
MIA has always seemingly been to edu
cate their employees in the belief tina
certain Of such employees were emit
tied to from s to 20 per cent more thar
paid by other companies for simila
service We feel we are entitled to
]
MED by standard condition Of pay
ment."
Ninety-fve per cent Of the gross carr
ings Of the Pennsylvania railroad ar
based on transportation rates. whic
are made as a result Of competition 1
the north with the New York Centre
and In the south with the Baltimor
and Ohio. The company has to con
pete with these railroads, and althoug
it's rates OF pay have been higher an
working conditions better than thos
OF the former roads. as the rates of pa
Of these railroads approach those q
the company the latter cannot mar
tain the same difference between tn
rates Of pay which must of necessit
In the natural course Of events reac
common basis. II Is true that III
other railroads IN this territory hay
made increases. but they have M
reached the rates generally paid b
the Pennsylvania railroad
That the company's employees ma
appreciate the seriousness Of this sit
alton and that they may realize n
effect Of voting yes" to this ballo
they should bear in mind that the rat
which we're adopted on the Bsltimo
and Ohio and on the New York &c
y tral-rates which they do not want
accept from the Pennsylvania-we
arrived at after arbitration. judi
Knapp of the interstate CONNER
commission and Mr.. Neil. comm
sioner Of labor, being the arbitrato
IN one case and Mr. e. q Clark. mel
Der Of the interstate commerce col
mission and formerly president Of Il
Order OF Railway Conductors, and N
P. H. Morrissey, formerly president
the Brotherhood Of Railroad Trainm
and now president of the Railwi
Employees Investors association,
the other
In q statement posted on bullet
boards all over the lines east Of Pit
burg and Erie the company says th
\ 1.-THE committee OF trainmen particuli
Y " called attention 10 the fact that ca
1 member should vote with full kno'
edge that II the necessary majority
The membership emnlOved upon I