The San Francisco call., 1910-07-19
GRAND trunk
TRAINMEN Cd
OUT ON STRIKE
Railroad Employees on Big Cana
dian System Obey Order to
Quit Work
Union Official Declares Men
Have Million Dollar Fund
Back of Them

MONTREAL July 1s.-Conductor
md trainmen Of the Grand Trunk an
-entraI Vermont railways obeyed a
automatic strike order at $3.50 o'cloc
tonight. Sunday. when the member
n the strike committee left here, eac
nan carried sealed envelope, to b
opened at that hour, calling a strik
unless a telegram previously had bee
received which upon comparison with
,opy fnclosed in the envelope state
otherwise. No such telegram was sen
and the strike became effective a
$3.50 p. m.
Under the terms Of the strike orde
trains which began their runs befor
$50 are TO be taken through to til
terminal by the men in charge Afte
that the company is expected to loo
after its own interests.
Crank Trunk officials tonight issue
a statement 10 part as follows:
We offered 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 Pacllc
as soon as the Grand Trunk,
through its relation with the Grand
Trunk Pacific. is in position 10
participate in the higher rates OBJ
tanning on traffic in the northwest
by reason Of the competition OF
that road and the obtaining OF
through rail connections between
the Grand Trunk and the Grand
Trunk Pacific. which should be ac-
COmplished within two years.
1t was explained that if there was
any question as TO the date when
the Standardization was TO take ef
feet, we would agree that II Should
not be later than January l, 1913,
or earlier il the board of railroad
commissioners. upon hearing of the
facts in the case, should SO de-
termine. This was not considered
We feel confident many of the
employees Of the company in the
train service win disregard the
strike order and viii continue with
the company. We have many ap
plicatiOns from other parties Tor
employment and shall also recruit
largely from our other departments.
In the meantime we shall make
effective the rules and rates of pay
offered the employees. Pending set
viii be closed.
To this President Hays added:
We have done the best we can,
having regard TO the interests of
the share holders and of the men
themselves. We have offered sub
stantial increases in wages.
] said I was willing TO go to the
arbitration Of a board Of expert
railWaymen as to whether or not
our proposition was fair and would
be willing TO abide by the decision.
Vice President Murdock of Il
brotherhood of trainmen said:
The company's proposition. which
Mr.. Hayes said was its estimate Of
the award of the board of concilia-
tiOn was very far from being any
thing like the boards award. we
thought, and in the great majority
Of cases where rates had been
specified. these rates are very much
below those suggested by the board.
For instance. on the Portland
Montreal runs. we find Mr.. Hayes
Offering S2.25 per 100 miles TO a
passenger conductor instead Of
S245S-1O as filed in the board s
award we ind in Toronto
passenger runs he offers conductors
1921 per 100 miles instead Of the
boards award of S2-45 $40
Hayes ignored entirely the
boards recommendation to stand
Trunk.
There is a protective fund of a
million dollars back of US now, and
there will be no difficulty in getting
S350.000 month TO keep the strike
going.
Murdock this afternoon received
telegram signed by Martin A Knap
chairman Of the interstate CONNER
commission and Charles P NeiIl, cor
missioner OF labor, expressing the
to use their offices.
To this Murdock replied:
The situation is such. consideril
the attitude OF the company, as TO lea
small hope for settlement as a rest
Of mediation. Men leave the servi
this evening"
The order closing the shops all alol
the lines Of the Grand Trunk will a
feet 5000 Workmen, Of whom about Z
are in Montreal. IT is understood tn
p considerable number will be offer
q chance 10 take the places Of strikil
conductors and trainmen.