The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1917-11-01
TO THE PUBLIC:

| W L III u " biflSs
An explanation OF the reason for
the Pacific Telephone n Tele-
graph company's strike.
Our previous working schedule
having expired January 1, 1917,
negotiations were entered into
with the telephone company ask
ing an increase of wages made
necessary by the fact that no In
crease had been given since jan
uary /, 1912. and living had in
creased In an alarming manner.
We expected no difficulty in OBJ
tanning the 25 cents per day asked
for at this time, but the demand
was turned down flat by the tele-
phone company. Later another
agreement was submitted and
again turned down. THIS course
being followed for several months
until in July the cost OF living
having risen to such height 1t
was deemed necessary that a flat
raise of 81 per day be demanded
of the company, and upon their
refusal a strike vote was taken
and 90 days notice given to the
telephone company to cancel all
existing agreements having
hangover clause In them. In the
meantime operators unions were
organized in Washington and
Oregon, some difficulties being
had in many cities. notably Aber-
deem, where the company finally
granted the operators the right to
Organize and a sight increase in
heir wages.
The organization of all operat-
ors on the Coast was then taken
up by the international officers
and a strike call was issued for
October 81, which was carried by
a majority of IA to /.
On October Is the international
Officers and the officers of the
Pacific district council of the |.
b. Il. w. met in conference in San
Francisco with ID. p. Fullerton.
general superintendent of the tel
ephone company. This conference
began on October Is and ended
on October 20. The net result was
an offer by the telephone company
for an increase to the men of
12R per cent. This, in face of
the fact, that all expenses of liv-
ing were acknowledged by Mr..
Fullerton as having risen 80 per
cent.
This offer was submitted to the
different unions and turned down
by a majority vote of 16 to 1, and
returned with the statement that
the unions could not accept less
than was originally demanded. At
this time the Pacific District
Council convention, which had
been held in San Francisco, Co
incident with the conference with
the company, was asked to receive
a communication from Mr.. M.
Fleischacker, who is president OF
the Federal Reserve bank Of Cal
ifornia and chairman of the
Liberty Loan campaign and a
member of the California state
council of defense, representing
the federal government in asking
postponement of any strike action
| for one week on account of the
Liberty loan bond campaign.
Delegates to the p. d. G. con-
vention Informed Mr.. Fleischacker
that altho representing the differ
ent unions, they had no power to
investigate agreements or hold off
the strike which was called at
this time, but would meet with
him and endeavor to postpone
during Liberty loan week any
strike action provided he could
give them some definite promise
of action to be taken. Mr..
Fleischacker then called Mr.. Full
lerton of the telephone company
to his office and Mr.. Fullerton
stated verbally that as a patriotic
motive he would grant all the de-
mands OF the union. Fleischacker
asked him to put this in writing.
and after writing two full pages
all his statement contained was q
promise to reopen negotiations
and give consideration to the de-
mands of the union. AS he had
been doing this for the past ten
months, this meant absolutely
nothing to the union delegates.
Mr.. Fleischacker, after reading
the letter, called Mr.. Fullerton's
attention to this fact. Mr.. Fuller
ton then stated that he had no
authority to go further, upon
which Fleischacker called him "a
D. traitor to his country for
trying to place him tFleischacker)
in the position of double-crossing
the unions upon this, his first at
tempt, at mediation" This being
emphasized by the fact that thru
out the entire negotiations Mr..