The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1919-07-26

WISE msooi Iosiie, tHtornauona' "
There win be no more telephone
strikes In Seattle II the adjustment
board granted the girls in the re-
cent strike works properly. But l
don't think It will. IL viii take
some time yet, / believe. before
the company has been educated to
the fact that its employees are hu-
man and as such must be provided
with decent working conditions"
That's the way Miss Mabel Les
lie. international organizer for the
phone girls. has the Seattle situa-
ton sized UP. Miss Leslie left for
Portland Friday night 20 meet Miss
Nellie Johnson. second international
vice president. who represented the
girls at the San Francisco wage
conference. She viii return here
next week and later tour the coun-
try making the phone operators
union organization more complete.
Greatest Victory
But the granting OF an adjust
ment board has In itself been the
greatest victory the girls on the
Pacific Coast have ever succeeded
In gaining. Some people have
criticized us for returning to work
without winning our full wage de-
mands. But with an adjustment
board In proper running order
higher wages ought to come as a
matter OF course"
Miss Leslie came 20 the Pacific
Coast early In June. when threats
Of n phone strike first began to
fill the air. when the walk-out
was finally ordered she went to
Portland to take charge OF the
state OF Oregon division of the
coast-wide strike.
An adjustment board means ev-
erything to u.s. Miss Leslie assert
ed. Knowing what a public neces-
sity the phone system is. we are
opposed TO strikes. II Is my sin
cere hope that In few years the
adjustment board plan will be so
well developed not only In the telc-
phone exchanges. but in all indus
tries, that strikes and lockouts will
never occur.
Conditions in Seattle and other
cities on the Pacific Coast are
similar today to the conditions that
existed in the New England states
prior TO the successful strike there
early last winter. At that time.
after steady sailing for five years.
during which time the unions were
strengthened and the adjustment
board plan developed. Postmaster
General Burleson refused to allow
the board to settle various griev-
ance cases.
This topped an the causes which
resulted In our finally calling n
strike. OF course, we were vastly
better organized there than here
and very few strikebreakers were
secured, so we won a comparative
ly better settlement.
Good Showing Here
TT took the union in Boston and
other cities eight years to get to
the commanding position 1t now
holds. When you consider that the
Seattle telephone girls have been
organized hardly two years, the
progress already made is excellent.
"The international Brotherhood
OF Electrical Workers is growing
steadily stronger. with the girls
department making the biggest
gains. Next Wednesday night
go to Bellingham to present the
girls there with a charter, Number
161-A.
In August. 1917, the local union
was formed, the 42nd organization
of phone operators in the country
In less than two years 119 new To-
Gals have been organized. The In
ternational Brotherhood of Elec-
trical Workers. now the fourth
largest organization affiliated with
the American Federation OF Labor,
was 10Th in size two years ago"
Altho the kind of adjustment
boards granted the girls will not be
known officially until after the new
agreement is signed, early in August.
Miss Leslie outlined what she was
informed would be the probable steps
taken by the phone girl with griev-
ance.
THE girl will first make her com.
plain to the wire chief in charge of
the office" Miss Leslie explained "If
the grievance cannot be settled there,
the girl will lay her case before the
general traffic manager in charge of
the district.
AT the same time she win present
the workers division of the adjust.
ment board with a copy OF her com.
plant. Should the general traffic
manager make a satisfactory settle
ment, the decision will be recorded
by the union to establish a prece.
dent.
To Set Precedent
IF the girl is still unsatisfied with
the ruling of the traffic manager,
the adjustment board takes the case
under consideration, and it's decision
will be final and will establish a prec-
edent for future similar cases.
THE board will be composed of