National news. (Chicago, Ill.) 1915-19??, 1916-03-22
.AbASHSTR|KE
EXPLAINED BY
TRA|NMEN

SW1(chmen DyB. R.1.
Committee
(The Following Praseated for Psb-
heation BY John ). Ley. Legiala.
tive Committeeman u the
Bsotherhoed of Railroad
Traianen.)
To All MeMbers u brsiheshssd q
Railroad Trsinne0 and Al OtAer
uniea Mon Eapieyed in Train Or
Yard Service:
Chicago, ILL.,. February 3. 1916.
Dear Sirs and brothers:
During the latter part Of the year
1915 our general committee. repre-
senting the B. X. T. employees on the
Wabash System. with the manage
ment Of the Wabash Company. neso-
tiated revision Of their yard sched-
ule for the entire system. but said re
vision did not become effective until
January LIST, 1915. The agreement car
ried with il the Standardization Of oil
yards on the system, nine Of which,
prior to January ist. 1915, paid the
second and third class rates Of pay;
also seventy-six working rules which
guarantee yardmen a. much protec-
tion as like employees are guaranteed
under any working agreement on the
American continent.
On January 18th. 1916. President
Heberlinx. Vice-President Burt. and .
committee representing the Switch
mems Union of North America called
upon General Manager Cotter at St.
Louis. No., and entered = protest be-
cause the company had negotiated .
system yard agreement with the B.
X. T. claiming that the Switchmen's
Union represented a majority Of all
yardmen employed on the system. and
demanded that the said agreement be
cancelled and that the company nego-
tiate like agreement with the S. U.
of n. A. General Manager Cotter re-
fused to abrogate the agreement
which he had made with the b. r. T..
assigning for his reason the fact that
the agreement was merely a revision
of an old agreement with the Il. r..
r. which had been in effect on the
property for a number of years. He
further stated that the company en-
tered into the contract with the b. X.
r. general committee in good faith,
and that the Wabash r. r. would not
turn its back upon It's contractural OBJ
legation with our Brotherhood, and
that he expected the Il. X. T. to deal
likewise.
On January lith. 1916. President
Heberling. Vice President Burt and
their general committee again called
upon General Manager Cotter and
urged him to ecede from his position
Of the previous day Mr.. Cotter de
clined to do so. and. as result. the
officials Of the ). L. Of y. A. and the
committee waited upon President
kearney and made similar request
of Mr.. kcarney. but Mr.. kearney also
refused Ia cancel the Trainmen's
agreement and made known to the
President of the Swtchmen's Union
and his committee, IN no uncertain
terms. that the Il. X. 7. represented a
wholesome majority Of all yardmen
employed upon the system. and that
being the case, he could not see his
way clear to negotiate contract with
the Switchmen's Union.
Nothing further was heard OF the
efforts of the Switchmen's Union 10
wrest the contract from the B. X. +
until February 9TH. 1915. on which date
the Switchmen's Union Of North Am.
erica declared strike OF its members
in the yards of the Wabash Railway
Company over its entire system
There are about five hundred men EN-.
ployed as switchmen on this property
and about l5s :. L. men went or
strike. The cause assigned for the
strike, as contained in the officia
strike ballot. is pretended lockout
Of the s. U. members on the system
because of the following rules in tn,
revised agreement between the com