Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1918-04-17
FIREMEN STATE
THEY WILL NOT
STRIKE IN BODY
Do Not Intend to Leave City To-
tally Without Protection
Against Flames.
TO RESIGN IN SMALL GROUPS
Thus Plan to Give Commission q
Chance to Fill in Vacancies
as They Occur.

Rock Island firemen who have is
sued the ultimatum to the city
commission that they will quit il
the increase in wages asked is not
authorized by next Monday do not
plan to walk out in a body and
leave the city without fire protec-
ton.
This information was given out
today by Henry Herman, mem
Der of the committee of the fire.
mems union, which has presented
the demand for the increase to the
commission.
"A wrong impression was gained
of our contemplated move as out
lined before the municipal commits
sion Monday" Mr. Herman said to
an Argus reporter today.
eve do not plan to strike as
the story has gone forth from the
meeting. We merely intend to re-
sign. We will leave in small
groups so that the city will have d
chance to replace us as we leave.
The mayor told us he could get
enough men in three days to man
the department so l suppose he
will be able to fill in as rapidly as
designations are offered
1T places US in a bad light be-
fore the public to let the idea go
forth that we are going to strike
and leave the city without fire pro-
lection. We never Contemplated
such a move. While we desire to
get the wage increase asked, we
would not care to impress the city
with the need of experienced fire
men at the possible sacrifice 10
some person of the loss of his
property through flames. We will
give the city what we think is am
pie time to replace us as we re-
sign. We want to be fair in the
matter. If the city commission de-
sires to refuse US what we ask we
will withdraw from the service,
but not with the show of revolt
that a strike would involve.
Demands Made.
Eve are now getting $S5 month.
That is. for the first year a fire.
man is paid SIS and for the second
year and thereafter $85 month.
We ask for a fiat raise Of $40 a
month under present working con-
ditions or SIS more a month with
every fourth day off.
AT the present time we get ev-
cry sixth day off. This leaves the
stations operating with three men
four days and with four men for
the next two days. We argue that
| if they can get along with three
men for four days they can get
along all the time with that num-
! Der and give us every fourth day
off instead of every sixth. We
now work straight through 120
hours without a layoff except for
meals and of course even then we
are expected to run to a fire should
one occur in the midst of our
meal
Wages are advancing in all
lines and all articles Of food and
clothing have assembled. Living
| costs much more than it did even
a year ago and much mere than
several years back. We feel that
we are entitled to a raise. We are
available "a hours a day. The
work is extra hazardous. Men
work eight or nine hours in some
places in common labor and earn
more than We do"
- Endorsements Given.
| Twenty-six local unions have en-
dOrsed the firemen in their request
| for more wages The unions are
as follows: Tri-City Federation OF
Labor, transfers, chauffeurs and
! stablemen, cooks, walters and wait
re9ses, cigarmakers, street railway
men, carpenters, brewery and soft
drink workers, theatrical stage en-
plOyes, electricians, sheet metal
workers, Sylvan lodge, Typograph-
| ical union, machinists, iron mold
ers, arsenal lodge of machinists
switchmen, plumbers, bookbinders
building trades council, leather
workers, roofers, motion picture
machine operators, and the letter
carriers.
The petitions from these locals
are directed to the municipal com
mission and urge the granting OF
| the increases asked.