The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1913-04-10
I'VE HAVE WON"
 DECLARE BOSTON
 PHONE OPERATORS
Strike of 2,2OO Hello Girls Averted by Conference
 Committee
Good Offices of Mayor Fitzgerald and Chamber of Commerce
 Prevent Trouble

Boston, April 10-A strike of the g. 200 telephone operators in the 54 ex- changes of Greater Boston which has been threatened for the past few days was averted, 1t is believed, by a com promise agreement reached early to- day.
 The compromise was reached at 5: 30 m., after a. series of intermittent conferences lasting 30 hours, between President Spalding and other officers of the New England Telephone & Telegraph Company, the executive committee of the operators union and the committee from the Boston Cham Der of Commerce whic hacted as in- termedfary. Formal ratification by the mass of operators is necessary and meetings for this purpose will be held tomorrow. Instead of the weekly wage increases, averaging $1 each. which the unions demanded, the agreement provides for the establish- ment by the company of a plan of an- niversary payments. These payments year; $50 annually from the end o1 the third to the end of the ninth year, and $1O0 at the end of the 10th year and each succeeding year.
 The so-cal1ed split trick'', the abo- 1ftion of which was demanded, will not be compulsory upon any operator after IS months service. The lunch period will be heightened and the girls Twill have the maximum number of holidays Sundays and Saturday after moons off that Is consistent with the requirements of the service"
 These concessions are effective June
 The agreement also provides for the creation of an adjustment committee consisting of three operators and three representatives of the company which Is to consider all grievances. An ap- JAA ta 1aa a ager or to the president of the coms pany.
 we have won," the operators de- clared at the conclusion of the con~ ferences. and they were not contrae- dicted by company officials who were
 In behalf of President Spalding, B. K. Hall, vice president of the company, said:
 'eThe adjustment seems mutually satisfactory
 Both sides stated that the result was due largely to the good offlces of the Chamber of Commerce, Mayor Fitzgerald and the State Board of Consolidation and arbitration. They had interested themselves in prevent ing a strike when it seemed that the city1s business life would be crippled by a. suspension of it's telephone service
 '"The moment a strike was threat ened the company followed it's first duty and called on it's reserve opera tors to protect it's service,'' said MT. Hall ".After that had been done we sat down to discuss the questions at issue The conferences were carried on with the best of good nature.''
 The company had nearly 1900 so- called emergency operators in the city Quartered at the most luxurious hotels awaiting the strike call. They came from cities of the East, including New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Wash ington, Pittsburgh and New England points One delegation of 800 girls was on the way from Chicago when the agreement was reached.
 Mir Hall said that the girls would be kept here several days longer. The maintenance of this reserve force ts costing the company $9,OO0 daily.