Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1919-06-11
OPERATORS READY
TO BEGIN STRIKE
AT 6 A. NJ. TODAY
President Konenkamp De-
clares That 10000 Will
Be Involved.
PROPOSE PICKET LINE
IN NEW YORK CITY
Claim Is Made That Western
Union Failed to Keep Its
Agreement.
BACK PAY CLAIM is MADE
Ofcial Says That Wire Control Bill
In Congress Fails to Change
Situation.
BACK PAY CLAIM is MADE
ohcial Says That Wire Control Bill
In Congress Fails to Change
Situation.

NEW YORK. June lo.-Final prep
arat!ons were made tonight for the
telegraph strike which begins at s
o'clock tomorrow morning, Eastern
time. and calls out every member of
the Commercial Telcgraphers"Union In
the employ of the big commercial com
panies.
Operators employed by press or other
concerns having contracts with the
union will not be affected by the strike
order.
President Carlton. OF the Western IN
Union. we know that dissatisfaction is
compano rt,9 am0Hs the 500 employees Of the
dhomas: international yice-president
81 the union. tonight. We will give
small percentage OF the Western Union
are affiliated with the union. BY the
way; among the l35 men discharged
BY the company in this city few days
ago there were many who were not
members OF the union. but the first
thing they did after being discharged
vas 20 JON. and they are going 20 be
pickets for us tomorrow"
Demand Recognition of Union.
Recognition of the union and the
risnt OF collective bargaining are
operators. Ii is claimed that the tele- M
graph companies have not been living
up TO all the promises of Improvement
they have made. Wage increases and
Iacat!ons were promised. but advances
nave not been uniform and vacation
schedules have not been observed. OBJ
rates Is another grievance. The op-
orators want an extra allowance for
overtime and Sunday work
MI. Thomas intimated that 4 test
may be made I'm connection with the
Western Unions announcement that
back pay will he distributed only 10
enlDlONsNy 2 IN IN ~
company's service.
,.-I,ns Ths eae5 back pay. pay allowance was for
and the men who rendered the service
are Justly entitled 10 their pro rata
konenknmp Issues Report.
In Chicago tonight S. J. Konenkamp.
international president. estimated that
$4,000 or more telegraph and telephone
workers would be affected, and eX-
pressed himself satisfied with the OUT
look
In announcing that there was no
change chang, in the ST situation and tha, no
konenkamp said there were more lock
outs BY the Western Union Telegraph
company today. bringing the total for
me last three days up TO 2,915 union
workers already idle. He said that as
a, resul, o: the strike and iockouts in in
Try. the western Union has resertsd sse e9pno 10
the suit ease route" for delivery OF
rnnra;e messaFes sub,ect ,,;c TO indefinite delay,
ington.
Wire Bill Fails to Change Matters.
Action by the Senate or the lower
House would not affect the strike. he
logg wire bill in the Senate today.
There were no additions OF companies
except the Montgomery Telephone and
T,elesraph Company Iof Hiiisboro. ill.,.
Telegraph Company. operatins on aea the
Pacifc Coast. signed last night. he said
The executive council o. the union
met tonight 10 go over final details for
putting tle strike into effect tomorrow.
Mr. Konenkamp's statement tonight
I'm satisfied with the outlook for
lomorrow. % There is no reason 10 ex-
Pees pes, shlHse VIII WITH the the srss ns
workers il is question OF Whether
they shall enjoy the same rights other
icy of Newcomb Carlton shall become ONE
supreme. In the fundamental issues
risHt to BARGAIN snI to i1ffIanze the
stop the victimization of union telc-
graph workers. Wages and working
only be taken up when the telegraph
resentatives."
May Can out Others.
President Ionenkamp declared TODAY
that the strike would be won If it were
necessary TO call out broker and leased
wire operators, including press associa-
tion operators. Some press associations
have contacts with their operators en-
piring July l.
f. a. Davis. district head of the
Western broker division of the union,
sent a notice TO the brokers today ad-
vising them 10 have the American Tel
ephone and Telegraph Company sign
UP with the union unless they wanted
their wires parayzed.
Plans were being made by the union
today for pcketing the principal Of
s-@s of the telegraph and telephone
:,upanies. Today representatives Of
- union were already on hand talking
.'*h employees as they left the huild-
rig and handing out cards 10 girls and
messenger boys urging them to Join
the union and support the strike.