Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1913-04-09
Being Landed in Boston by
' Te|sphone1Company, /.
Six Hundred Operators Already
Arrive from New York City.
company's Answer Due ai2 P. NJ,
1hursday..strlke Feeling Strong.

Boston, April S.-The reply of PreSl
dent Spalding of the New England
Telephone and Telegraph Co., to the
demands of the 1900 operators for in
creased wages is promised, at
o'clock tomorrow afternoons
In the meantime the negotia lions
between the company and its en-
ployes will be continued at confer
ences in which the State Board oil
Cancellation and Arbitration will par
tieipate. This much was determine
at the close of the day, during which
developments in the telephone dispute
followed thick and fast. The expect
ed lull following the agreement OF
yesterday, that there should be no
strike until President Spalding's de-
cision had been received gave place
to unusual activity in union circles
when it was learned, this morning
that girls. We're being brought to this
city from other places to take the
place of union workers, if the latter
quit
G. NJ. BugniaZet, vice president of
the Electrical Workers of America
appeared before the State Board and
protested that the company was vio-
counsel for the company replied thai
the company was taking only steps
necessary to protect the public in
event of strike. Tonight. Mr. Bug
niazet said that he was inclined to be-
iieve that the company was acting in
good faith. He said he was willing to
admit that the company thought that
the operators We're in the wrong anG
he believed that both parties to the
controversy were honestly anxious te
adjust their differences.
II will not say said the represen
tative of the girls. what will happe,
il our demands are fatty refused. bu
until they are refused formally I am
In favor Of continuing the negotiations
and have SO recommended to our exc
cutive committee. The State Boar
is doing its best to settle the trouble
and / do not believe that the state %
Massachusetts will see the YOUNG
women in the employ of thee compan,
unjustly treated by the bringing in Of
girts from other states. / hope for ar
agreement"
1t is known that the action of tn
company in bringing from New Yorf
women already in the employ of tn
American Telephone and Telegraph
Co.. coupled with the announcement
that the whole Bell organization was
behind the subsidiary company in tn
local fight, was a distinct disappoint
ment to the girls here. They had ev
pected that the company would maxi
an effort to fill their places with ne
employees, but they had not antici
pated the coming of trained opera tor,
from other Offices
The telephone operators are organ
lied in only a few cities in this state.
Recently there has been a movemen
to organize the girls in New York and
the union members here had hope
for much from the spread of unionism
This hope was blasted when a special
train from New York arrived, this af
ternoon. bringing 600 women from tn
exchanges of New York, Brooklyn
Jersey City and Philadelphia. Thes
girls are quartered at a prominent
hotel in the Back Bay and are read.
to work ii strike. is declared.
The local girls, however, are not alone
in their fight They have the promise
of the various unions of telephone en-
ployes to declare sympathetic strikes if
the operators go out and they also have
assurance of support from the Boston
Central Labor Union. Practically every
union in this city connected with the
American Federation of Labor is af-
Continued on Page Ten.)