Norwich bulletin., 1916-06-01

men, me Gntlre system IS ued up lhaS morning by the worst trolleymen's strike in the history of eastern Con- necticut The strike order became ef- fective at midnight Wednesday, but the trolley crews on the late runs took their cars to the barn in Greeneville, the last car having been run into the I barn a few minutes after 12.30 o'clock Wais morning.
 Practically 500 men have left their work and, according to one of the Nor wtch conductors. Not wheel will turn Thursday unless the company gives | in" No violence is expected in this | city, but a detail of police will be at | the barn this morning to prevent any i possible outbreak.
 May Operate Some Lines Today.
 In a statement issued Wednesday | night President R. W. Perkins of the Shore Line system said that an effort l would be made to operate cars today. l Just how many lines will be operated he was unable to say. President Per- kins said that he expected that a num- Der of the Norwich crews. who are not in favor of the strike, and who cannot afford to lose time, will report for duty this morning. He further stated that the trolley crews will be given another opportunity today to accept the offer made by the company before the com pany takes other measures to operate it's cars.
 Crews Demands Preposterous.
 The demands made by the trolley crews President Perkins characterizes as preposteroUs. With reference to the wages the demands are as follows: 26 cents an hour for the first six months; 28 cents an hour for the sec ond six monthS; 32 cents an hour for second year men, and 35 cents an hour thereafter. A nine hour day was de- manded, with time and a half for over time and a 50 cent meal ticket when the trolleymen are unable to reach their homes for meals. Another de- mand was that the company pay the conductors one hours pay for making l out their daily reports, and another that the employees wives be given passes for all trolley cars. A number | of other demands which President Per made.
 What the Company Offers.
 The Shore Line Electric company of fered to compromise by making the l following offer: 26 cents an hour for l the first year men; 27 cents an hour for l the second year men; 28 cents an hour | for the third year men; 29 cents an hour for the fourth year men; 30 for the fifth year men, and 32 cents there after. This offer the trolleymen have hatly refused, but President Perkins | said Wednesday night that he has not ! yet 1SCClNG0 cI1y aUIAOTIZ60 SIdISIQ6nI of the refusal from the trolleymen.
 Say Company Won't Arbitrate. ! The trolleymen made the following Estatement on Wednesday afternoon: 1 The employees of the Shore Line
 Electric company beg to state they are very sorry to cause citizens of the ter ritory which this company covers any inconvenience by the stopping of its cars. We have tried every legitimate , me
 offered arbitration, which the company } refused, stating that there is nothing } to arbitrate. In disputes between twC ! parties settlement is usually made by ! arbitration, either by courts or by pri. : vate boards. The constitution or cor. nerstone of our organization is arbi tration, and we stand ready to live uI
 to the laws of our organization. President Perkins Statement. President Perkins made the follow ing statement Wednesday night: We have never recognized the unio1 : in dealing with our men and do no l propose to do so now. The demand : which has been presented to us is no only preposterous, but entirely pro 3 hibitive. It would be impossible t, 3 meet it no matter what our wishes il
 the matter. Heretofore when labo g controversies have arisen among ou 3 men they have been adjusted by wha 8 term collective bargaining, that g conferences between committees. a Up to ten days ago such conference
 were held. At that time we made ou T men an offer which was the best " r could do for them. Since then W v have heard nothing until today whe e notice of the ultimatum was delivered . was willing to confer with the Ma r tionaI Union representative alone n and afterward with the committee c d fifteen employees. This apparentl e did not give satisfaction and arbitra
 tions were at an end.
 l, So far as am able to ascertain tn : scale of wages which we offered l e higher than many in the Unite y States east of the Rocky Mountain t We absolutely could not accept tn q conditions imposed by the uniol It While I realize that the lines will b e crippled for a time I believe that ul ]. umately we shall have no difficulty e finding men to take the places of thos e who leave. Tonight we have fairl y good working list on hand or names = those we expect to have on han ? shortly.
 1T The alternative proposition whic d we placed before the union was vii r. tually an increase of three cents a l- hour. The minimum wage was raise
 from 23 to 26 cents an hour and ti
 maximum from 29 to S2 cents a
 hour. That, as I say. is the highel
 | I
 any company is paying more tha d that repeat that we have nev, .r had any positive reply from the me ' in relation to the proposition whic s- we made them.
 n However, do not believe the was IS question is the main issue involve le While negotiations were in progre ss regarding the demand of our trolle. j. men we made a separate offer to u
 men in the powerhouses and car barr
 to increase their wages approximate
 ten per cent. from June and the m
 tice was posted in the barns and pov
 CT houses on Tuesday. When the tro Ia leymen learned of this they demant ar ed that should take down the sig ,p within forty eight hours under u penalty of tieup. We refused n take down the signs and the ultiml 5s tum followed. Evidently the actit rf we took in going direct to the men rr the power houses and car barns VI ra resented imagine that thr
 quarters of this class are not unii
 men.
 The offer of the Connecticut cor
 pany which was accepted by it's CT oh ployes is identical with that which h on been turned down by the employees