The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1916-07-29
RAIL EMPL0Y!ES
COMPLETING BALLOT
Four Great Brotherhoods Are
Casting Vote On Strike for
Eight Hour Day.
UNION MEN BELIEVE
STRIKE VOTE CARRIED
Attempt Will Be Made to Get
Early Action From Railway
Managers.

Inc TOUR great rallrOaQ DrOLner
hoods are completing their general
ago when. the national conference
committee of the railroads of the
United States refused to grant the
unions demand for an eight-hour
day and time and a half pay for
overtime work. BY the end Of the
week most of the 900 general adjust
ment committee chairmen of the
brotherhoods will be on their way to
New York. with the ballots which
ton of the officers.
The general strike ballots have
been voted by nearly all the members
of the Brotherhood of Locomotive
Engineers, Order of Railway Conduc-
tors, Brotherhood of Locomotive Fire
men and Enginemen, and Brother
hood of Railway Trainmen. Accord
from many parts of the country,
from 80 to IS per cent of the mem
bers have voted.
That the general strike vote has
carried by large majority is pre-
dicted by New York members of the
union. The railroad managers and
other officials Of the roads have been
SO violent in their attacks on the
brotherhood and their officers that
changed their position on the ques-
ton of a strike and are standing with
the more radical members for strike.
Officials of the railroad firemen's
brotherhood announced that strike
vote taken on the Hudson river divi-
sion of the New York Central railroad
stood 800 for a strike and only one
against strike unless the demands
are met. Only nine Of the firemen
are not union members. The freight
locomotive engine drivers approved
the strike measure, it is stated, by
a vote of 199 to 8. There are five
non-union engine drivers on this divi-
sion.
The vote, on the Long Island rail-
road division of the Pennsylvania
system shows. union leaders assert,
that 80 to ssh per cent Of the freight
foremen, conductors
and -bfaakernen have Registered: In fa-
vor Of q strike in case the demands
are not met.
Recruit Strikebreakers.
The railroad managers appear to
have inside information about the
strike vote, for they have begun re-
cruiting strikebreakers from the
ranks OF the unorganized workers.
Such attempts to recruit strikebreak-
ers have been ridfculed by Austin B.
Garretson, president of the conduc-
tors union, and Warren S. Stone,
president of the te1egraphers' union.
Both declare there are not enough
experienced men in the nation to
ia Ike the places of the 100000 BROTH
erhood members if they walk out.
Garretson, Stone, President Lee of
the Brotherhood of Railway Train
men and President Carter Of the
Brotherhood Of Locomotive Firemen
and Enginemen will have their head
quarters at the Broadway Central ho-
tel. 673 Broadway. The ballot count
probably will take place in some large
hall Or at the Broadway Central hotel.
The general chairman will hold their
first meeting on Aug. 1.
The report of the brotherhood vote
will be sent to Elisha Lee, assistant
general manager Of the Pennsylvania
lines, who is chairman of the confer
ence committee Of the railroad man
ayers. Lee will call the 19 managers
together and arrange for a conference
between the committee and the union
officers similar to that which be-
gan June 1 and ended in failure to
get together.
Strike Vote as Club.
This time the conference will pro-
ceed along different lines. The broth
erhood officers will have the general
strike vote club to hasten the mana
gers to come to some decision. The
managers will try to delay matters
Continued On Page 2.