Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1919-06-01
union AT ATLANTA
|. GIVES ULT|MATUM
TO COMPANY HEAD.
Girl Operators Must Be Re-
instated or Walkout
Will Follow.
CLAIM BURLESON ORDERS
DlSOBEYED BY EMPLOYERS
President ]. S. Konenkamp Issues
Approval Of Proposed Strike
Tomorrow
FEDERAL MEDIATION SOUGHT
Unionists Demand Discharged Mems
bers Be Taken Back Before
Probe Starts.
CLAIM BURLESON ORDERS
DlSOBEYED BY EMPLOYERS
FEDERAL MEDIATION SOUGHT
Unionists Demand Discharged Mems
bers Be Taken Back Before
Probe Starts.

WASHINGTON May al.-Rcports
from various centers OF the country
tonight indicate that nation wids
strike OF telegraph and electrical
workers will be called Monday. UNI
less members of the force at Atlanta.
Ga, are reinstated prior to that time
This announcement was made tonight
by S. j. konenkamp, president of the
Commercial photographers Union
"a vote in favor OF the strike was
the demands. IN addition TO the right
OF organization including the privilege
OF collective bargaining higher wages
atrk he added al pay the
ers had pledged themselves not TO
handle commercial messages.
Disobey Federal Orders.
"Postmaster-General Burleson issued
prohibiting the discharge OF workers
solely. on account OF their union menu
bership," stated Mr.. lKonenkamp.
have Mr.. Rurleson compel the Western
Union and the various Bell Telephope{
have not been successful so far in !, pre- ,m J.
i'ventinE the companies from disc1arE-S
Ing employees because !Mecy toned our.
given instructions to our general or
| sanizer. G. f. Mann. now In Atlnnta,
to- SANCTION ~; strike k unless these work =
y message received from Atlanta to-
night said that the dispute between
graph Company and certain of it's em-
pioyees, which the latter assert may
result in a nationwide strike of CONF
mercial telegraph operators, telephone
and electrical workers Monday, has
been referred to the government opcr-
trolls the telephone and te f
companies. J. Epps Brown. nfesidenti
Of the Southern Bell. said here late to-
UItimntum Is Delivered
Asserting that fourteen local teIe-J
phone girls were discharged Thurs
day for Joining the Commercial Te!e-
committee today presented the com 7
pany an ultimatum demanding REIN
statement for Tie employees With the
3 o'clock Monday afternoon.
In "a brief statement later Mr.. Brown
six out of the $50 telephone oper-
ators employed by us in Atlanta have
been discharged since May l, each one
for netticiency or nfraction of the
rules. without regard TO whether or
not they are members of the union
I'VE don't know who are or who are
not members of the union. We make
no distinction between union and nom
union employees"
Under government control Mr.
Brown said. the company had care
fully. observed orders of the Postmas-
.. y,
warning against any discrimination
against employees because they do
or do not belong 20 any particulars
union"
Reports Exaggerated.
Members of the committee which
next step was to make report at i.
union meeting tomorrow night They
reiterated that fourteen operators had
been discharged for union activities,
union circles in Washing ton.
Union leaders at Atlanta said late
today they had received Il telegram
from POSTMASTER General Burleson re-
questing that they take no decisive
position pending an investigation.
Their reply. they said. was that the
only way to avert the strike was for
the telephone company TO reinstata
me discnarsed operators by noon Mon
day and that an investigation could
oe made later.
Ida which is admittedly growing
more serious in spite OF some improve =,
ment at Winnipeg. will be the subject
Of spirited debate in the House OF
Commons Monday. 1t is understood (
that the government will be stronstf
attacked because OF ITS failure 10
recognize the right OF workers TO col :
lective bargaining.
Cabinet Discusses Strike.
An important conferences of Cabinet
ministers was held 1t Ottawa : dlv
The strike situation was discus sell ard
preparations made to meet the parlia-
mentary onslaught Monday
Warning from $4,000 Canadian rail-
way employees that they may cease
work unless the government recog-
nizes the principle of collective bar
gaining, was the most serious develop.
ment today. This threat, in conJunc-s
tion with reports of rioting in tho
mining districts around Lethbridge. Al 4
'berta. caused considerable alarm.
Rep.orts from Winnipeg said that
officiais there were hopeful for sue
cesstui outcome of negotiations look g;
ing to an ending Of the general strike.g
which was the forerunner OF the labor
troubles now sweeping Western Cam
ada. but the ranks OF the strikers in
Toronto have been steadily augmented
in the past twenty-four hours. a