The daily banner., 1919-04-07
WIRE OPERATORS
T0v0TE ON STRIKE
Declare Postmaster General
Deceived Them
Resolution Declares Wages Were Re-
duced, Not Increased, as He Alleges.
Leader Issues Statement.

Washington, April 1.--ResolutionS
condemning Postmaster BurleSon'S : ad-
ministration of the telegraph and trle-
phone systems of the country were
adopted by the Western Inion tele-
graph operators, and steps were taken
looking to a strike against present
conditions.
The vote will be cast by unions all
over the country. The hallOt:ng will
be secret and the result VII not b.
known until the returns are Ianyasscd
ny a board in Chicago. 1t will prob
ably be the first of May before any
announcement will he made upon the
result Of the voting.
In the resolution adopted, PoStmaSt'
er General BurlesOn is accused OF de-
ceivin@ the public in his statement
that the recent increase in telephone
rates was necessary to make up in
creases in wages given the employees
of the several corporations which the
government has taken over. 1t is
maintained that instead of increasing
the wages. the new wage scales put
into effect by the postmaster general.
at the instance of the telegraph COM
panies. has reduced the earnings OF
the emplOye.
s. T. Small, q prominent member OF
the union, explained the situation as
follows:
'The strike vote being taken now is
a result of a demand made by the
membership throughout the country
that differences existing prior to ana
since government control be taken up
and adjusted Immediately.
"It has required constant viligance
on the part of the officers of the union
to prevent local strikes and recur-
renee of the 1907 countrywide walk
out. The provocation has been trying,
indeed The war labor board made a
favorable award. Postmaster General
Rurleson vetoed it. The Western IN
ion tried to give its operators D to
Is per cent increase. Burleson made
it a straight 5 per cent increase with
a saving clause that meant reduction
he allowed q million and quarter
increase on regular ratings and took
away three-mllllon-doitar war DO
nus"
The reduction in wages to operators
was brought about through the abo-
lition of extra pay for overtime. Con-
cerning this. Mr. Small said:
"Figures showing how this latest
@11 tn1. nyNl1 1npS n =
on pay vouchers of 100 employees for
the period of March l. TO 81. inclusive,
show that % per cent received 10 per
cent increase, an average of Sl2.3o per
month per person, or a total OF $40.
These twenty-five employees and all
others average considerably more than
f3fty hours per month overtime. The
decreased earnings of the twenty-five
who received the increase because OF
the loss of time and half for over
time. amounts to S16.50 each, or a to-
tai of 1868 per month, saving og SSs
per month on twenty-five employees.
.sFigurIng the loss on time and 4
half to the remaining seventy-e!ght OF
the 100 employees who received no in
crease at all, at $40 per month, which
is below the actual loss to each indi-
yidual, and the total saving to the
company on one hundred employees ia
increased to S36S. Apply the same
reckoning to $4,000 telegraphers
throughout the country and we have a
figure approximating s114o24 per
month saved by the employer, or 81
aSS. .4OS.6 60 per year"