The St. Joseph observer. [volume] (St. Joseph, Mo.) 1906-1932, 1916-08-12
BIG STRIKE IMPENDS
ON ALL RAILROADS
Four BrotherhcudS Make Unprec-
edented Wage Demand.
ASK FOR S1O0,0OO,OOO A YEAR

Rejected by Brotherhood Leaders,
Who Are Now Engaged In Taking
Strike Vote and Will Return For An
other Conference Early In August.
The most important strike vote I'm the
history OF labor disputes Is now being
taken by the more than 100000 engi-
neers. conductors, flremcn and brake
men employed on the railroads of the
United States to enforce their demand
for an increase In wages estimated by
the railroad managers at Sl0O,O00,OOO
year.
In many ways the situation thus Gre
ated is absolutely unprecedented. New
er before has a demand for so large a
raise In pay been presented to a single
group OF employers at one time.
IL the employees vote to leave the
service the leaders of the four train
service brotherhoods will have the
power to declare the biggest strike ever
experienced.
Never before has strike on all the
railroads of the country even been
seriously threatened. The "blg four"
brotherhoods of train employees have
heretofore confined their concerted
wage movements to one section of the
country at a time. and while the engi-
neers and firemen or the conductors
and brakemen have frequently Joined
In such movements this is the first ease
in which all four organizations have
combined to enforce an increase In
wages.
While the demands apply only 10
freight and switching service, except
ing the passenger service, all Of the
employees who are members of the or
ganzations. as well as all nonunion
train employees. are being called upon
to vote for n strike
The train employees are demanding
an eight hour "basic" day-in other
words. that they shall be paid the same
wage for eight hours or 100 miles or
less that they now receive for ten
hours or 100 miles or less. This would
make the hourly rate one e-eighth Of a
days pay or the equivalent Of twelve
and one-half miles instead Of one-tenth
Of days pay or the equivalent Of ten
miles They also demand time and
one-half for overtime" or a rate of pay
~ per cent higher than the regular
rate. for all time over eight hours or
over the time which would be required
to complete trip at n speed Of twelve
and onc-half miles per hour.
mi 1 -. q,
committee of the executive officers OF
the four brotherhoodS in Chicago last
December. and were first submitted -
referendum vote Of the men. The
demands were formally served on the
roads on March 80. with a request that
the railroads appoint conference com
mittCe representing all the roads to ne
gotatp with Il committee representing
the organizations.
The railroads promptly replied with
a notice that in connection with the
proposals OF the employees they de-
sired To have considered certain provi-
slons in the present schedules, which
If continued in connection with the
higher basis of pay. would lead to un-
fair results and in many cases would
multiply the inequities Of double com
pensation for the same time or serv-
ice. Arrangements were made for q
conference to he held at New York be
ginning on June for the purpose Of
discussing the demands. The roads
were represented by the national con
ference committee of the railways and
the employees by the executive OFF,
GERS and general chairmen OF the four
brotherhoods. The conference lasted
two weeks. The brotherhood leaders
refused to consider any modification of
their demands and the railroads were
unwilling TO grant a further large in
crease IN wages to the highest paid
class of their employees without a
| mandate from some tribunal represent
ing the public. On June II the con-
! ference committee gave the brother
hoods formal reply declining to
grant the demands, but proposing that
! the entire controversy be settled. pref
| erably by submission of the entire
| question to the interstate commerce
| commission or else by arbitration un-
der the Newlands law Both plans for
II settlement were rejected by the
brotherhood leaders. who announced
their intention of taking a strike vote
| and returning for another conference
early In August.