Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1916-08-16
BIG STRIKE IMPENDS
ON ALL RAILROADS
-Four Brotherhoods Make Unprec.
edented Wage Demand.
ASK FOR 500, ooo,o 900 A YEAR

All Plans For Settlement Have Been
Rejected by Brotherhood Leaders
Who Ar 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 500. OOO, 900 a
year.
In many ways the situation thus Gre
ated Is absolutely unprecedented New.
er before has q demand for so large a
raise In pay been presented to q 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 q 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 hremen 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 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 a speed Of twelve
and one-half miles per hour.
The demands were formulated by a
committee Of the executive officers Of
the four brotherhoods tn Chicago last
December. and were first submitted to
a referendum vote Of the men. The
demands were formally served on the
roads on March 80. with request that
the railroads appoint a 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
4 continued in connection with the
higher basis Of pay. would lead to IN
fair results and In many cases would
multiply the ineQuities Of double COM
pensation for the same time or serv. |
ce. Arrangements were made for
to be held at New York BE-
ginning on June l for the purpose Of
discussing the demands. The roads
we're represented by the national con.
ference committee Of the railways and |
he employees by the executive Off.
.ers and general chairmen Of the four
The conference lasted
:wo weeks. The brotherhood leaders
efused to consider any modification Of
heir demands and the railroads were
to grant a further large in.
rease In wages to the highest paid
lass Of their employees without q
from some tribunal represent.
ng the public. On June Is the con-
'erence committee gave, the brother
foods formal reply declining to
rant the demands. but proposing, that
he entire controversy be settled. pref.
'rably by submission Of the entire
question to the Interstate commerce
or else by arbitration un.
Ter the Newlands law. Both plans for
| settlement were rejected by the
brotherhood leaders. who announced
heir intention Of taking a strike vote
md returning for another conference
arly In August. S
Write 20 Your Congressman.
Chicago.-In an editorial demanding
hat congress empower the interstate