Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-06-11
PHONE STRIKERS WILL
APPEAL TO A. F. OF |.
Delegation of Keystone Opera
tors Starts for Atlantic City to
Go Before Convention
NO SETTLEMENT IN SIGHT

Representatives of the striking opera =
tors of the Keystone Telephone Com
pany have left Philadelphia for Atlantic
City, where they will put their case be
fore the American Federation Of Labor
in session there. The representatives
are headed by X. NJ. Written, second
international vice president OF the Com T.
mercial Telegraphers' Union Of America
Samuel Gompers, head of the A. +.
L.. will be asked to come to this city
aud address the strikers.
Conferences between officials of the
company and striking workers have
ended without settlement.
Edward NJ. Cooke. vice president and
general manager of the Keystone Com
pany, has issued statement that seven
employees discharged by the company
will not be reinstated. This is the de-
mand of the strikers. who make np
about 10 per cent of the working force,
according to the official statement.
Both the strikers and the company
explain their cases in statements.
Workers Statement
The following handbill is being circu
lated by the strikers doing picket duty
in front of the company's exchanges
"To the general public
eve. the striking employees OF the
keystone Telephone Company are com
PEELED to adopt this method to get ouI
case before you. We are asking the
right to bargain collectively lns accord
ance with President Wilson's proclama
a.. hn rrinpinlps of tDn m :
tional war labor board.
"Our wages are frightfully low. Girls
receive as low as sixteen cents pei
hour, and men as low as twenty siN
ccnts ppr hour. Few men receive more
than thirty nine cents per hour.
"Are we not entitled to living
wage: cameo oe Cal,
plav for consideration and support.
1.-THE STRIKING EMPLOY ES OF
THE KEYSTONE TELEPHONE
COMPANY"
Statement for Company
Mr.. Cookies statement to employees
says:
About 10 per cent of our people sud
denly have left their posts OF duty
without notice to us of their intention
of so doing. They have done this gen
orally without any regard for the SatctS
of the valuable property they left be-
hind-faithless alike in their momen
tous duty to the public and their 10y
atty to their employers and co workers
1--WE are now advised that these de
sertng employees will not offer to return
to their work until seven employees who
were dismissed or otherwise disciplined
for violations OF our rules are rein
stated. A most painstaking investiga
ton of the cases of these seven EN-,
ployes has been made by Mr.. Stockwel
and myself and we are entirely satisfied
of the Justice of the discipline in eacl
case. None of these. seven former en-
ployes will be reinstated.
"Wc have had many conferences will
committee and others representing every
shade of interest in this important mat
ter. but no suggestion even looking to {
compromise has been made by the de
scrtcrs. But this sort of a fight vii
never win against manly men and cour
ageous liberty loving women.
II wish to assure all our faithful
people that every effort will be made {,
| protect them in every possible wa,
! during this contest for right and t,
stand by them to the limit of our power
for their future happiness, progress ant
/ welfare