El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1912-06-05

Santa Rita n. H., June 6.
Editor FL Paso Herald.
On May q, 1912, the employees In tn z
steam shovel service presented a petl-
tiOn 10 the Chino Copper Co. asking tn al
the scale Of. wages be applied TO thCsir
branch Of service that is paid the sa me
class Of employees at the Utah Cop Der
mines at Bingham, Utah. and the
Nevada Consolidated at Ely, Nevada,
on account OF the three places being
operated by the same corporation. The
agreement was advanced that living
expenses and accommodations are
higher at Santa Rita than at either Of
the other two mines
This petition was handed to the OIL
GERS on the 18th. On the morning OF
the 29th the locomotive engineers and
firemen, brakemen and switch tenders
presented a likewise petition, asking
for the same rates to be applied to
their positions as at the other mines
Each craft asked the company TO give
an answer not later than June J.
On the morning Of the 18th at 10
o'clock the steam shovel crew that pre-
scented their petition was ordered to
get down Off their shovel at once. The
company officials said they would stop
the trouble and agitation and all oLher
steam shovel men were notified that
this crew had been discharged
Their discharge being considered. un-
Just the remaining crews refused 10
work after 1870 unless the crew was
returned 20 work
This being denied, the tieup followed.
Immediately after the tieup the Off
GERS began to order the locomotives 10
the rOundhOuse, and also told some
that all men that had signed the pell-
ton asking for an increase IN pay
were discharged and their time was
waiting for them
Previous TO presenting the petition
the different crafts had drawn up
federation papers and obligated them
selves to each other, so when the steam
shovel men declared the strike every
empl0ye in train, engine and yard ser
vice went TO the round house, whether
he had been instructed TO do so or
not The same night the steam shovel
men were requested to meet the O1t1-
GERS Of the company at S o'clock.
The discussion of reinstatement for
the crew that was discharged was
made and positively refused by the
officers, but they agreed TO give them
a letter stating that they were first
class WOrkmen and had a clear record
with the company The steam shovel
men, feeling that this proposition was
unfair. declined TO accept, knowing
that they had been discharged without
a cause
Then the committees elected to rep
resent the engineers, flremen, brake
men and switch tenders, were re-
ouested to meet the management the
same night, which was done The
company made a proposition TO the
committees that If they were willing
to remain in the service the officials
would be glad for them to do so, and
would use their influence TO get the
increase for their branch of service,
but would not promise anything in the
way OF more money They wanted Is
days 10 give US an answer
The employees, feeling that so much
malice was exercised against them for
signing the petitions requesting the
increase, that within the j. days the
largest majority would be unjustly
dealt with the same as the steam
shovel crew had been, decided that
they would not accept their PROPOSE
ton unless a satisfactory settlement
could be effected with the steam
shovel men. as all crafts were feder-
ated 10 stand pat with each ether
On the morning OF the 50th the com