The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1917-08-31
Explains Strike
DITOR THE TIMES.

much unrest. The employees OF the
Pacific Tel. e. Tel. Co. feel that
they are between two fires, 1. e.,
the duty to their families, and
their duty to the company and
government. They want to be pat |
riotic in the this time of stress,
but they cannot see the standard
of living of their families lowered
as the cost of living keeps going
up.
SO the electrical workers, or, as
they are officially called, 81. B. e.
W." have presented new wage
scale to the Pacific Tel. & Tel. Co.,
asking for an increase In their
wages of 81 per day. The COM
pany replies: That they know
that living has gone up, but they
have not raised their rates, and
so are not to be blamed, and ought
not be forced to pay for It,"
Our answer is that we do not
blame any particular person or
persons for the conditions, but in
order to live anywhere near our
standard we must have more
wages; that the Pacific Tel. & Tel.
Co. have raised their rates in
Washington in the last year. 1t
now takes $3.50 to install a tele-
| phone whore last year 1t was in
stalled free; the same to move a
telephone from one house to an
other, where formerly one move
per year was free.
1t now costs $500 to move a
/ telephone from one room to an
other in the same house. 1t used
! to be free. It also costs 800 to
move a telephone in the same
room, which also used to be free.
AS to the justice of above rates
we say nothing, but it is fact that
the income of the Telephone Co.
has increased wonderfully in the
/ last year.
The installation of pay tele-
phones in drug stores, soft drink
parlors, etc., is another raise in
rates. So, taken all in all, the
company HAS raised its rates the
past year, and we feel that this in
itself is one of the causes leading
to the increased cost of living, an
increase they insist that they are
not to be blamed for.
This answers the argument so
far as the company is concerned,
but now few words for the en-
ployes:
| The girl who answers your tele-
phone is one of your own girls.
She must be quick, courteous,
pleasant, must dress neat and be
of very best of character. The
men who install your telephone
and who keep 1t in order, must be
above reproach, for they must en-
ter and work in your house at all
times of the day Cor perhaps in
some cases night and so they
must be men who can be trusted.
The construction men are Of the
same high order, for there is no
telling when a construction man
may become an installer or al
trouble man. SO you can see that
We employees well know the trust
and confidence the company and
public places in us and think they
can see that we should have more
wages.
"A lineman's life Is upon his
finger tips" No truer thing was
ever said. And yet they are paid
less than common laborers. A
man who risks his life or limb
every day should surely be paid
more than one who doesn't.
This is written to warn our
friends. the public, that If we are
forced to strike in October, It is
not our fault. We must live. Wei
know that the company has a pub
licity man, who may try to make
the public see us In the light of
traitors to our country, and al
bunch of non-patriots, but WE
MUST LIVE.
We believe that our duty Is to
our families first, so they will be
fit to serve the country when the
time comes. Labor Is the only one
who is asked to be so patriotic"
as to ask for no increase. The
telephone men have had no in-j
crease in pay for four years. and
cost of living has Just doubled.
Yours respectfully,
w l. PPADCJAur