New-York tribune., 1911-09-17
LACKAWANNA MEN STRIKE
Almost 1900 Section Hands Are
Ordered Out by Union.
DISCHARGE OF ONE ISSUE
Foreman Headed Committee That
Asked Better Wages and
Working Conditions.

Scranton Penn Sept. 1e-A strike order
,o tho delaware. Lackawanna e. Western
Railroad trackmen on the entire system
was issued to-day. and went into erect AT
o'clock tonight. The order was signed
tv A 3. Lowe, of Chicago, national presl-
cent of the International Brotherhood OF
Maintenance of Ways Employees. and the
members Of the local committee, consist
Ing Of N. j. Foley. NJ. ". Durkin, Fred
Kimban and Grove c. Ernest.
About thirteen hundred men are employed
IN the maintenance Of way department Of
the I.sckswanns. There are two hundred
and 6fty foremen, and each has gang OF
section hands averaging from four TO six In
number They are scattered over terri
tory extending from Buffalo to Hoboken'
" j. Syracuse to Binghs mton and Utica
10 Bnghamton. i'm New York State, and
from Scranton to Northumberland and
Portland 10 Bangor. in Pennsylvania.
II is asserted by the trackmen that 90
rer cent of the men voted to strike when
ballot was taken three weeks ago How
general will be the response TO the strike
order cannot be known until Monday
morning The order directed the men TO
put away their tools at the end OF the
days work lock the shanties and turn
their KEYS over to the nearest station
agent.
The company has been devoting much
time to quietly bringing in men 10 Scran-
ton TO be detailed as special officers for
the protection OF the road These men
were dispatched TO different points along
the line to-day and tonight The Lack
avanna company officials say that the men
nre not in favor of a strike, that the or
der will not be generally obeyed and that
the places Of the strikers will be filed
without difficulty.
The strike grows out OF demand by
the men for better wages and working con-
d,tjons. The unionizlng of the men had
been going on for months and several
weeks ago a committee of men headed by
NJ j. Foley, OF this city, section fore
man. waited on Chief Engineer George j.
Raw 10 present grievances. The demands
were refused and the national officers of
the brotherhood took the matter in charge
When Foley presented himself for work
ct the end Of two weeks he was told by
the roadmaster. the men say, that there
was no place for him, that he had been
discharged for overstaying his leave OF
absence and for insubordnation At this
the men sidetracked the original griev-
ances and made a demand for the rein
statement Of Foley, accompanying the de-
mand with a strike threat.
The matter was carried up TO the presi-
dent, w. II. Truesdale, OF the railroad
company. and after an attempt TO arbi-
trate the trouble the strike was called.
The brotherhood has given out the fol-
lowing as the demands OF the men:
Reinstatement Of Foreman NJ. j. Foley
and other members of the scale committee.
a ten hour day, with eight hours on Satur-
day. Time and half for all work In eX-
cess of ten hours and for Sunday work.
Promotion by , seniority af wnsre r mer't trs ana
portation for foremen In accordance with
The current general regulations OF tina COM
psny u snS bs 10 hesfins Tscays nsr aer
for time lost II the decision is that he be
reinstated- Leave of absence and trans
rortation for members Of duly authorized
committees.
The new scale Of wages. showing the in
creases asked. is as follows:
Forernen in first class yards, from SCI
20 so to SIS 50 a month. All other section
foremen, S65 TO so q month. Foremen OF
ssss5 ssfs ss from % to cents
hour, the frst man Of each gang to receive
- cents an hour.
In the New York Offices OF the Delaware.
Lackawanna & Western Railroad yester-
day the president, w. II. Truesdaie, con-
frmed the statements made by the officers
OF the employees union that the company
had declined 10 arb!trate.
THE management OF. this company can
not In justice TO its best interests" he
said submit to any outside parties or
board questions involving its right 10
discipline its employees for wilful disregard
Of orders, nor the policy IT shall adopt and
tursue In dealing with questions Of this
character
There does not exist any general dis
satisfaction among our employees IN road
way service over existing conditions. This
company has paid the current rate of
wages paid by competing railways or other
employers in similar classes of labor"
Those statements, said Mr.. Truesdsle,
were made by him to A. B. Lowe, presi-