Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1919-07-28
union LEADERS
PLAN FIGHT ON
TELEPHONE co.
Mass Decided to Remove Telephone
II Corporation Would Not
Grant Wage Demands.

solid support OF all union organ
tzations in the tri-cities was pledg-
ed striking telephone girls and
Iinemen at a labor mass meeting
at Industrial hall yesterday after
moon.
A plan of attack to force the Cen
trail Union Telephone company to
terms was outlined, as follows:
Immediate notice to the COM
pany that telephones will be
ordered from union mems
homes Saturday il wage de-
mands are not granted.
Disconnection and disman-
Ting of all telephones IL hours
after if company does not take
action; only union men to be
allowed to work at disman-
ting.
Benefit ball for girl operators
Wednesday night at Eagles
hall
Continuance of free meals
under direction of Woman's
Trade Union league
Adoption" by So organized
labor organizations of ESQ girls
for period of strike
A free offering, taken at the
gathering, brought in $101.60
for the girls benefit fund.
Financial Support of All.
Financial support was given the
strikers in Sunday afternoons
meeting, called by the Tri-City Fed
GRAFTON of Labor for the purpose of
combining the efforts of all labor
organizations for Waging a success
full wage fight. Representatives of
the carpenters suggested that union
men on this side of the river order
immediate discontinued of their
telephone service. They believed
that organized action to that end
by 1000 union members would so
humiliate the company's fight that
demands would necessarily be
granted.
The circulation of petitions ask
fng the company to agree to the
girls wage scale and recognize the
union was decided on, to be done
at once The petitions will carry
notice that unless the wage con-
tract is signed by Friday, tele-
phones will be disconnected i'm
mediately.. The complete discon-
nection of the lines will be made
in their homes within II hours If
assurance is not by then given by
the company that the contract will
be signed. II the company sends
nonunion men to collect disman
tied telephones. they will not be
given entrance to the mems homes.
E. L. Smith, business agent of
the local electrical workers union
declared that the increased reYeI.-
vrAaYIA facifu
provide for an increase of $40 per
month to the linemen and a wage
of SIS per week to the girl oper-
ators. He said:
within the last month the com
pany put into effect increased rates
on this side of the river which
viii net from 500 to $4,000 ad-
ditionaI revenue. The girls are
asking increase that will mean less
than $5,000-that's all they want.
The company can pocket that addi-
tional $1,000 as profit"
Committee for Support.
A strikers committee was ar
ranged to call upon all locals at
regular meetings during the next
few nights to ask support in inanc-
ing the strike. A general plan of
81 a week assessment against all
union members was accepted by the
body. The Woman's Trade Union
league pledged to continue daily
free meal service to the girls who
are short of funds.
p L. Carlson, carpenters bust
ness agent, suggested that 81 locals
in Rock Island and Moline could
adopt" $50 girls during the period
of the strike.
In the meantime the girls them
selves are planning to secure funds
by benefit dances The Eagles hall
has already been engaged for a
dance Wednesday night, the frater-
nifty having donated the use of the
hall.
A resolution was adopted by the
body, supporting the conductors
and motormen of the tri-cities in
their demand for a wage of II, 73
and rs cents per hour. A resolu-
ton was unanimously accepted OPP
posing the plan of the Davenport
city council to grant an increase in
fares before assurance is given by
the railway company that the wage |
Of the employees will be granted.
Some carmen at the meetin55 |
said:
Our fight concerns itself only |
with securing for our men their |
rightful wage. Let the company |
then get its money to pay US where
ever it can