Norwich bulletin., 1916-06-05

men. attended the mass meeting held at the Town Hall on Saturday even ing under the auspices of the Norwich Central Labor Union. The speakers included P. J. OsBrien, International Union representative, John Reardon of Worcester a member of the general executive board of Amalgamated Street Railway Employees of America, William B. Fitzgerald, of Troy, N. +. also a member Of the board, and Rob- ert McNeely of this city business. agent of the Norwich Central Labor Union. The meeting was called for the purpose of giving the public a clear-cut statement of the cause of the system. Although it poured rain throughout the greater part of the evening the town hall was filled to ca pacity and overflowing when the meeting was called to order.
 On behalf of the Norwich Central Labor Union. I want to thank you one and all for turning out in such large numbers, said President Fitzgerald, in calling the meeting to order. This meeting has been called for two req show you that organized labor in the city of Norwich is behind the street railway employees in their demand for a living and just wage. The second reason is that we want you to hear the reasons for which this strike has been called.
 The first speaker is a man who has taken charge of the strike situation in Norwich. Mir. Fitzgerald then intfo- duced P. J. O'Brien, fifth vice presi- dent of the international union.
 How the Difficulty Began.
 To begin with we intend to go in- to this situation from the beginning up to the present time, said MT. O'Brien. I think after we have pre- .A.ZI Lr-.. honest facts, the entire public of this community will rise up as one man and demand of this company that they will settle this controversy.
 About month or six weeks ago a committee comprising three men from each local on the Shore Line met for the purpose of drafting up working conditions and a wage proposition that would cover every employe in the transportation end of the business, l and also employees of miscellantous departments. including the car barn, shop and power houses.
 They finally drafted together an agreement which on May 1st they placed in the hands of the Shore Line Electric company. After 19 days they received a communication from this 1 company that the company was ready to meet with the committee. The first l request made by the committee was 1 that they could meet with an officer of the union. The company said this was impossible. They then asked l adjournment for a half hour and came out to me. advised them to 20 back and see how far they could pro- ceed. A few minutes later the com l pany handed them a typewritten copy of Q wage scale covering only the blue uniformed men. The company l offered the wage scale with the un l derstanding that it must carry with it the conditions that had existed for two years previous. Under the laws I of the union the committees of the ] locals are only mouthpieces of the men. They are duty bound to repori to the men. They did report and the l proposition was turned down. Under the laws of the union there were only 1 swo things to do; to accept the com pany's offer or to take a referendum vote. They took the vote
 came to this city last Wednes- 1 day. I went with the committee in. to the hotel. They called up the company, and said. We are here and ready to meet you, providing you are willing to meet us with an interna- tional representative. The manager replied that was beyond his power and that we would have to go higher Then the president was called up. asked him if he could meet the com mittee to try and iron out the difa. l culty. He said he was willing tc 1 meet as an individual. told hin he could not meet me except with the committee.
 Refuse to Arbitrate.
 then asked him if he would arbi. trate. He then said, There is noth. ing to arbitrate. won't arbitrate. We have done everything that is legi. mate to settle this troubles con. ttnued MT. O'Brien. Now let us set what the other side has done.
 They have brought into your city and dare say some of them are hert now (laughter) and if they are thel are welcome, a. hundred so-called de tectives to protect lives and property community has been without propel
 police protection. They have a1st brought in men, and housed them II the car barns and in a few empt! houses.
 T The chief of these so-caIled. detec . lives arrived in town Wednesday ant
 in an interview with the newspaper stated that 4ae majority of the e1n ployes on the Shore Line were satis fed, but that they have a bad, ba, actor as leader. I challenge him t
 come up and prove that assertion
 The first statement made by tn , president was that the employees wer earning from $25 to $28 a week. Ina
 was base fabrication and was mad to mislead the public. He said tn demands of the employees were pre-
 posterous and outrageous. I am go
 Ing to read the document containinl
 those.
 s Sections of Agreement. Mfr. O'Brfen then read the principa sections of the agreement as fol } lows:
 Section d-The company agrees t meet and treat with the properly ac credited officers and the committees Q the association on all grievances tha may arise. If any such grievance af
 fecting the employment of member
 of the association cannot be anlicabI
 adjusted, they shall be submitted
 board of arbitration, matters affect ;. ing the organization of the compan
 or the general policy to which it ma;
 be obligated to be excepted when the do not affect the employment of mem bers of the association. The boar
 of arbitration is to be selected in tn
 following manner: The company t
 select one and the association to SC
 sect one and the tv-o thus chosen [
 select third. A decision Of a ma iority of said board to be final an
 binding on both parties to this agree
 ment.
 Section 2-A day's4worlS for all con M Ma-m