The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1916-08-11
BIG STRIKE IMPENDS
ON ALL RAILROADS
Four BrotherhoOds Make Unprec-
edented Wage Demand.
ASK FOR S1OO,oo0,oOO A YEAR

All Plans For Settlement Have Beer
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 in the
history of labor disputes is now being
taken by the more than 100000 engi-
neers, conductors, firemen 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 $10O,0O0,0OO a
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.
If 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 a strike on all the
railroads of the country even been
seriously threatened. The "big four"
brotherhoOds Of train employees have
heretofore confined their concerted
wage movements to one section of the
country at time and while the engi-
neers and firemen or the conductors
and brakemen have frequently joined
In such movements this is the first case
In which all four organizations have
combined to enforce an increase In
wages.
While the demands apply only to
freight and switching service, except
ing the passenger service, all OF the
employees who are members Of the or
CARNATIONS, as well as all nOnuniOn
train employees, are being called upon
to vote for a 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-eighth Of
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 rate Of pay
so 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 speed OF twelve
and one-half miles per hour.
The demands were formulated by
committee of the executive officers OF
the four brotherhoods In Chicago last
December, and were first submitted TO
q referendum vote Of the men. The
demands were formally served on the
roads on March 80, with request that
the railroads appoint conference COM
mittee representing all the roads to ne
gotiate with a committee representing
the organizations.
The railroads promptly replied with
q notice that In connection with the
proposals Of the employees they de-
sired to have considered certain provi-
sions in the present schedules, which
higher basis OF pay, would lead to I'M
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 be held at New York be-
ginning ON June l 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
mandate from some tribunal represent
ing the public. On June 10 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 I'M
der the Newlands law. Both plans for
a settlement were rejected by the
brotherhood leaders, who announced
their intention Of taking a strike vote
and returning for another conference
parlv I'm AupuSt