The Chattanooga news. [volume] (Chattanooga, Tenn.) 1891-1939, 1918-01-18
BREAK in RANKS
OF UNlONC
After Voting Not to Accept
Terms-Some Members say
Will Return to Their JobSs

|
There has been a serious brenkT Hi
the ranks of the local street carnaensS
union which is known as Division No.
715 Of the Amalgamated Association az
Street and Electric Railway Employees
of America. Efforts to induce them to
return to work as body have failed,
largely due, II lis said to failure tO
allow the old men the same priority
status as formerly.
The result is that several of the
striking carmen have returned to the
employ of the Chattanooga Railway
and Light company. while other mer1~
bers of the organization are DETER
mined to stay in the fight for recoS0lfs
tion to the finish and maintain thar
charter at any cost. a n
1t was realized several days ago. ac-
| cording to union officials, that dis
! ruption was coming. and efforts were
made to avert it as long as possible.
! Charles Ref, well known business
| man. on the request of prominent
unionists, endeavored to act as a me-
diator and bring about settlement Of
the differences between the company
and the strikers. He had several con-
| ferences with +. w. Hoover, vice.
president of the railway companytThaf
official stood firm in his position the
the old men would not be given thu
seniority rights III taken. back IN.
Hoover lis understood to have also
i Ii be known that the man. who
I put back to work would go on tfit
! ira board and that only those he
! fit to employ would be returned "
| places on the cars, after signing in6f
vidual contracts.
The railway official. however, Offered
to give the men their same rating In
pay.
At meeting of the carmen In Gem
tral Labor hall Thursday the matter
was laid before them and the majority
of the $50 members in attendance
voted to hold out for seniority rights.
The meeting is said to have been
harmonious, with no demonstration on
the part of the minority faction.
The meeting Friday morning was not
as largely attended as that of Thurs
day, and no definite action was taken
on account of adjournment.
Statement by Officials.
After the meeting M. G.. Ensinger.
recording secretary, and c. p. Colbert,
vice president of the carmen's union, y
stated to a reporter that the break was
no surprise and that the organization
was going to maintain its charter In
the hope that the organization at some
future time would again be built up.
went back to the company'S empsoy
did so of their own free will.
In regard to the efforts of Mr.. Reif
to bring about a settlement, the two
officials of the union explained that
ID. Estill Bridges. well-known unionist
and q member of the Labor World
STAFF, merely acted as mediator IN
that he accompanied Mr.. Colbert TO see
Charles Ref, before whom the matter
urn 10 tEhn ~ ha
use his efforts to close the breach that
existed. The developments after that
time, it was stated, were brought TO
the attention of the executive board OF
the organization and then placed be-
fore the men in the meetings that have
been held daily.
1t is charged that the negotiations
were progressing nicely when, on ac-
count of a slip in the cogwheels. mat
ters failed to progress any further
1t was declal ed that only ten men
went back to the companys employ
but it was not known how
many returned Friday morning. 1t was
estimated by Vice President Colbert
and Secretary Ensinger that 200 mem
bers of the carmen's union are now
engaged in other employment and win
IT return to their old Jobs on the
street cars until working conditions
Sutn as lilCy utSlIt are titttts
The two officials explained that
Vice President Hoover. of the railway
company, they were informed, would
not conceded to the men he was willing
TO take back their seniority right, as
he would not go back on his present
employees. The union men are said to
have been willing to that. but they did
want their seniority rights. Then. too.
according to Colbert a~d FnsingeT, the
non were informed through the source
IF mediation that the old employees who
we're taken back would be placed on
he extra board.
On Thursday a committee went to
Mr.. Hoover not from the union but
rom the men as a body. and endeax-
)rcd TO bring about an adjustment. but
he is said to have positively informed
hem that he would not concede the
rights of the men.
According TO Mr.. Ensinger, the old i
,ificers of the union and most of the
iew officers are in favor of maintain-
ng the organization.
1t is declared that all of the union
men. with the exception of about fcr'H-
i've. have been drawing weekly beHc-
Its from the international union. It Is
charged that certain of the men who
l1ve been receiving weekly benefits
ire responsible for the break.
A committee composed of =.
Thweatt ard G. Harrison and repre-
icnting the carmen. went TO Mayor
Jesse VI. Iittleton. aud nc Is said 10
,ave informed them that the matter
Il the men returning to work on the
plan was favorable so Tar IS
lie could see and he could see no OBJ
eCtiOn To it