The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-08-26
Clerical Employees Seek
to Force Recognition
of Brotherhood.
WANT REGULATION
OF WORKING HOURS
Strike Bulletin Charges Road
With Systematic Effort to Dis
rupt Brotherhood by Sum-
mary and Unmerited
Dismissal of It's
Members.

.lh"arted In their efforts to secure
an adjustment OF alleged grievances
because Of the fiat refusal OF nanap
ing Offices TO give hearing to their
committee. the clerical employees
or the Chesapeake and ohio Rail
way responding 70 an appeal sent
oct BY the general board OF adj
1ustment OF the Brotherhood OF Rail
way Clerks. arc balloting on strike
vote
The movement. according to 7 r
Ri!ey' vice grand president OF the
brotherhood. who heads the COMMITTEES
"i nine that began two weeks ago it's
unsuccessful campaign TO secure a
nearing from the railway officials az
fects about 1900 Chesapeaka ana
90 IN every department, and einbrac~.
so per cent OF all employees whose
duties are OF Il clerical nature
Inc strike vote closes at 10 o'clock
next Saturday morning, when Vice
Grand President Riley, who is in the
cry VIII designate disinccrested
committee OF Judges 10 canvass the
ballots II co per cent of the mem
hership votes for n strike, n general
walk out o. all Chesapeake and Ohio
clerical employees viii be ordered bl,
the national organization
Statement by Johnson
Fenerai Manager johnson. OF the
Chesapeake and Ohio Railway las,
night authorized the following state
mcnc:
Efforts have been made by com
mittee for the past ten days to secure
4 conference. but the officers OF the
chesape"ke and Ohio have declined to
recognize the Brotherhood OF Railway
Clerks as an organization. We do no;
sntic!pate any trouble from clerks in
The employ OF the Chesapeake and
Ohio Railway
Discussing the strike vote now in
PROGRESS Mr.. Riley last nigh, said:
he clerical employees OF the Chesa-
pcakc and Ohio are Just as anxious as
the road Is To avoid trouble ThstT
relations With the road have until re-
Gently been extremely cordial Through
their committee they have sought to
obtain the same degree OF recognition
mat is granted to employees OF the other
departments. but IN this they have SO
FAR completely failed. The strike vote
is their last resource and. much as
they VIII regret TO do so. they Will be
forced to join In strike II the re-
qulre" SO per cent OF the membership
register In its favor"
Want Recognition.
The chief grievance OF the clerks ac
cording to Mr. Riley, is that they ~
all the roads employees, are the only
ones that are denied the privilege OF
submitting their general claims ana
grievances TO the managing officers In
all cases Of differences this class OF
employees. II is claimed. are referred TO
agents and division superintendent for
an adjustment OF their claims
An attempt was made by the eencra,
committee to secure an interview with
General Manager Johnson on August
II. The committee was composed Of
Vice Grand President Riley. Of Kansas
city: General Chairman d. IL Hen
dershott Of Cincinnati; II. j. Schmauch.
of Ashland, Ky: O. II Purcell. OF
Huntington. W. Va; F.. Fl. Withrow. of
Charleston. w Va: @. T. Giliispie. of
montgomery. w. Va: a. E. Pierson. OF
Hinton, W. Va; j. p. Casey. OF clifton
Forge and J. II. Leath, OF Newport
News.
In answer to the committees r.-
quest for conference General Man
ager Johnson replied that 1T is not
the practice of the company to have
conferences with committees represent
Ing clerical employees" Further over
lures of like nature met with no bet
ter success.
Appeal to stevens.
Failing In its effort to secure an
interview with the general manager.
the committee addressed President
CitNtHS' itCciNlHS from MIN renly
in which he stated that "a COMMITTEES
OF employees of the company will hava
no difficulty in discussing with Mr.
Johnson any grievances that may have
arisen. On the strength OF this the
committee applied again to Mr.. John
son, but without success Later the
committee received a letter from Pr.si
dent Stevens stating that in a confer
ence with Mr.. Johnson 1t develoncd
that the object OF the meeting sought
was for the purpose OF discussing
grievances that should be taken un
with the division superintcndents
The immediate object sought by the
committee. said Mr. Riley, was TO OH
tain adjustment of working hours
Under the present system, he said.
clerks are required often to work
twelve and fifteen hours day without
extra pay. more equitable arrange
ment is desired.
Charge Abuses.
In connection with the matter or
hours is the question of recognizing
the brotherhood. The charge is made
that the road has recently discharged
from its employ at Cincinnati and
Huntington several prominent mem
bers of the organization without anna
rent cause. The circumstances sur
rounding these dismissals. it is charged.
support the bolief that the men were
discharged because Of their af,iljation
with tho Brotherhood Of Railway
Clerks. The bulletin accompanying the
strike vote charges the company with
a systematic effort to disrupt tho or
ganizatlon.
The enrolment of Chesapeak and
Ohio clerical employees in tho Brother
hood of Railway Clerks, said Mr. Riley.
began about eighteen months ago.
About 90 per cent OF all eligible men.
no said. have enrolled, and the organi-
zation la strongly intrenched on all