Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1919-06-02
OPERATORS PLAN
STRIKE A! NOON
Union Leaders Announce That
Notices Have Been Sent
Out.
BURlES0N PLANS INQUIRY
Charge That Reports of Dis
charge of Operators Prove
Conflicting.
Inv A.socla,ch rrc.sl


WASHiNGTON. June l-Inycs,jr,
ton Of differences between tho South
crn Bell Telephone Company and i,s
employees at Atlanta. Ca. which has
led to a threat Of nation wide strike
OF telegraph and telephone workers
Was ordered tonight by Postmaster
'eherai Burleson who said that infor-
nation reaching him on the subject
vas conflicting
II have asked Union y. Bethel. chair
man oi tae wire operating board at
New York. TO nnd out exactly VIVA, rho
h"thlnS mas been said to me by union
representatives.. understand their
Claim Is mat a number Of telephone
girls were discharged by the Southern
company because Of membership in
Unions.
Deny Discharge of Operators.
On the other hand the local com
pahE mas reported to me positively
that THIS Is untrue; that they nave
] no, a.seharsed any empioyees for that
reason. or Tor anything else than inet-
hciency. My order of October s. I3lS.
required all companies to refrain from
dscharSing employees for any such
reason ~ seems to me that discrep-
ancy as to the facts i the only dim
cult point in the SITUATION"
Union leaders continue however.
TO go forward with preparations
LOT wa!koui som. time after noon
tomorrow > j. konenkamp. president
OF the Commercial Tcicgraphers' I-ninn
-! America. failed TO reach Washing
ton IN time TO interview post orii ce
o'hcia!S on the strike su0ject but
"iicn mas meeting hcld bv trlc.ra-
piers and other electrical workers ma.
We are being forced into a nation
wide strIk. because OF the suffering
oi Ihe commercial operators for the
last ih!riy-SiN years
t.I,tr, <<.o..
The message asserted that w,res
paid IN all departments of tcIegrtnb
"hh telephone companies had failed To
Keep pace with Increased OUTPUT Sc
cured % newer mechanical and clcc-
.sicaI devices hui did not refer to
the atlanta situation. Resolutions
were passed At the meeting calling
Tor waikout at noon tomorrow or
al telegraph and telephone operators
90 she neiI system, American Telephone
ana Telegraph Company Western
Union and Postal systems in Wash.
nSton. unless Atlanta operators nj.
legged TO have been dismissed are re.
'"'"c" l" places before that time.
titimntum IL Hntincd.
~ 'elesram from Atlanta toni.h,
sald that local members OF the Com
ih-rcia! Photographers Union of Amer
'ca az meeting there tonirlr, raiifed
an uitimttum 10 The southern ds.lI
icirph"ne and Telegraph Company
crock tomorrow afternoon unless
certain telephone operators are rein
stated before that hour.
Inc workers assert the cmplovees
wer" DISCHARGED for joining the union.
"hiic inc company reiterates that only
SIN operators have been let out in !,
month ana all those for inefiicicncv or
Infraciion OF rules.
Many Joined Union.
ne situation followed the org iniz-
ins in Atlanta this spring of a mum
Der "i telephone girls and other en-
ptoNccS OF the telephone comDany who
hccame members Of the ,elcg-anh.rs'
union or Of the eiectrica! brotherhond
MOST OF them joined the jeiegraphers'
union. it was said
several o. these employees told the
meet 'nS tonight they had been dis
charSed for having joined the union.
Union leaders said a check showed
seven young women and two men had
necn !et out by the telephone company
1or union activities. Union leaders
said they expected all union operators
OF the telegraph and telephone com
panles throughout the United States
10 GO out, but that operators OF press
associations and other operators nor
connected with the telegraph or ,ele
phone companies would not he affected