The Tucumcari news and Tucumcari times. [volume] (Tucumcari, N.M.) 1907-1921, 1911-11-30
Negotiation Broken OF ovember 10th and the Issue
Is Now Up to the Employees of the System
ROCK ISLAND LINES WILL REDUCE
THEIR WORKING FORCE THIS YEAR

10 the Publis aud ali shop EMPLOYEES,
Rock Island Lines;--.
Ia view os the rumors of an iwpend'
ing strike OF the shop employees of the
Rock Island Lines, aud recognizing the
right Of the public 70 have full intormn.
tion on Il question that involves ~
welfare, ~ well AZ one which involves
the surrender 20 . committee of en-
ployes the right 10 say in what manner
the corporation shall perform It's service
to the public, the following statement
i, submitted;
The policy oi the companS ha, always
been one OF fairness toward ts eHi.
pIoves. II has withheld rctrcnchment
~ forces ~ long ~ possible. II has
always paid wages equal 80 those OF
contiguous lines. it. men have always
served under working rules and condi.
tions AZ favorable as those of Contiguous
lines,
In view at the present business con.
ditions Of the country, this company
could No, consider anything that conteIn.
plated an increase in it, expense, and
the General Committee Of shop Em
ployes, at the beginning of the confer
snces, over four months ago, were fairly
advised Of this.
But, Notwithstanding that notice, the
above committee insisted upon pressing
ueRotiations that finally terminated No
ysmber 10, 1911,
Briefly, the issues upon which the
employees committee Justify strike
ere a. follows:
l.. They demand that the payment
Of ave hours minimum overtime shall
commence one hour earlier than at pres
snt.
The company declines this, because
OF increased expense, with no conpensa'
ting return.
II. Thsy demand that any smploys
called 70 work overtime shall ''bs re.
leased upon eomplssion Of the job called
OF hsld for, unlsas other emergency
work arises watch requires immediate
attention and he Is the only man Of his
crsft on duty"
The company declines this, because
or increased expense, aud for III" reason
that a man j. given u minimum Of five
hours' pay ii he works after six \. VI.
or T.. ". The company has u right Ia
the uss Of the man tor the time paid
even though the job Tor which he j.
called may not consume all Of that time
III. They demand that laying ,Sa and
employing men shall be govsrned ex'
clusively by seniority.
The company declines this, for the
reason tha, it, schedules with all other
employees provide that ability of The
iudiv dual shall be taken into consider
alton in employing and promoting men
aud in reducing forces
II is the duty of the company to treat
all employees slik" and Ia Civ" all fai'
aud equal consideration, "a the end that
ihe most efficient, honest and diligenI
workmen shall be given steady employ
ment, and for the further Tason that II
force. were 70 he reduced in the mannel
demanded by the employees IT woul6
permit them 10 indicate those to 10 lai,
90, thereby prohibiting the compan,
from Kidding the service Of the less de
sirahle employees, and thus embarrassing
il in its efforts for economic operation
Nv. They demand that only run
hing repair work be done when shop
are closed that time and one.half b
paid 70 men employed In regular hours
when shops are closed, upon miscslla
nSOus repairs to locomotives or cars, o
upon what Is commonly known a
dead" work.
The company declines this, becaus
of increased expense which would r.
suit from an idle force Of such men
greater par, Of the time, us are n"cessa
~ to be employed in keeping up nun
ming repairs when the shops are closed
aud declined for the further reason tina
II prevents the company from cxereisin
its right to conduc, it, own husine-