The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1912-09-14
WON'T ARBITRATE f.
GARMENTS STRIKE
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V236AkE6C - % x64xA-&l
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such employees under suspicion for
having discussed with other employees
grievances they possessed against the
company.
Let every person In Duluth who
has not read the statement of the
men do so now. It is worthy Of the
closest scrutiny. It contains no bit
terness nor does it cry tor the VEN
geance. 1t simply tells story Of
petty tyranny that ought to be re-
pulsive to every man. woman and
child who has a feeling of tenderness
for his fellow. The statement reads
as follows:
Honest and Frank.
1--WE exceeding regret that it has
become necessary to call a strike of
the street railway employees and thus
Inconvenience the people Of this city,
who have been more than kind to
us and who have in the past shown
much sympathy for our position as
employees Of the Duluth Street Rail-
way company. The strike is the Gull
mination Of a long series Of griev-
ances, with most Of which the public
is familiar.
Some months ago we requested Of
the management Of the Duluth
Street Railway company that we be
given an increase in wages, a differ
ent regulation Of our working hours,
a correction Of the merit and demerit
0vG tnp nj &1hA - I,
by committees in presenting our
grievances to the management of the
company.
When Peace Seemed Sure.
considerable publicity was given
to our side of the case. The city
council passed strong resolutions urg-
ing General Manager Warren to meet
and treat with q committee Of his
employees. This he reluctantly agreed
to do. A committee was appointed,
the employees were canvassed and our
grievances and demands were put in
shape and presented to Mr.. Warren.
THE committee held a half-hour
conference with Mr.. Warren at which
he turned down every request we
made, except the change in the wait
ing room. Later, however, an an
nouncement was made that an in
crease in wages would be granted to
the men. This increase, while a dis
appointment to us because 1t was
much less than We had expected, was
accepted and we had hoped for q
time. at least, there would be no
trouble.
Working Hours.
THE matter OF wages was not our
main grievance. We had expected
and hoped to be able to Cooperate
with the management to secure g.
change in our working hours. so that
we could get ten-hour day within a
twelve-hour spread. AS it is now,
many Of the men are working fifteen
and sixteen-hour spreads, and some
Of them even more than this. The
day is split up 50 that we have little
time to spend with our families, and
it is with us steady grind Of work,
eat and sleep, with precious little
time for the latter. ..s,.
disappointed because the manage
ment ignored our request for a
change in our working time, we set
out to quietly and secretly organize
a street railway employees union. We
would have liked to have done this in
the open, but it would have been I'M
wise because of the known opposition
Of the management to any kind of g.
union among its emplayes. We OBJ
tanned a charter from the Amalga-
mated Street Railway Employees and
held our meetings at the homes of
certain of the members. We have
been organized about three months
and have a paid up membership COM
prising rs per cent Of the employees.
Meeting Invaded.
ION last Monday evening, while
we were holding a meeting of our
union at the home of Axel Peterson
Alb Magellan street, and while we
were in the act Of admitting some
the railway company forcibly en-
tered the house and made their way
to the room In which we were meet
ing. These officials were Ralph H.
Wellington Of the claim department
and David Wright, line foreman.
Mr.. Peterson, in whose home we
were meeting, told these officials that
they must not enter his home, but
they brushed him aside and rushed
into our meeting room. They at
tempted to make excuses about their
presence, claiming that they were
looking for Mr.. Peterson, whom they
had brushed aside, for the purpose
Of asking him about an accident.
They remained in the meeting room
long enough to ascertain who were
there and then passed out into the
kitchen, where the secretary Of our
union was examining three appli-
cants for membership. They then left
the house.
Discharged All Members.
ION Sunday evening, Sept. 8. every
member present in the meeting was
discharged from the service Of the
company, excepting Mr.. Peterson in
whose home the meeting was held.
The situation was critical. A meet
ing Of the employees was held during
the night until 3 o'clock this morn
Ing and a committee was appointed
to wait upon Mr.. Warren and de-
man6 the rninst a +anoan% ~ %hn WAN