White Pine news. [volume] (East Ely, Nev.) 1920-1923, 1921-07-31
NEVADA NORTHERN AND
EMPLOYEES ARE At OUTS

CONTINUED Fkoa FACE oNEp
day morning. and acting upon the
| advice of one of the committee the
men decided to make no reply what
ever to the document, and there be
.ng no further developments the men
returned to work at l o'clock for the
afternoon shift. Previously. it Is
said. the shopmen had received YER
bal instructions from the master me
! chanic. r.. +. Jarrett. that 1t would
be necessary 10 sign an agreement In
order to be retained on the payroll
Tuesday afternoon the master me
chanic, finding the men at work,
asked them what they purposed to
do, and he was informed. as is told
to the News, that they did not IN
tend TO sign the agreement but did
intend to remain at work unless dis
charged. Forthwith each shopmap
wa informed BY the master mechan-
ie that he was discharged and 10
draw his time up 10 1 O'Clock Tues.
day afternoon.
The shopmen claim that the agree
ment they we're asked TO sign was
made up from and Incorporated in
the letter from the general manager
as printed above and as understood
BY the shopmen they would be sign
ing away all right 10 the back pay
which is the principal subject of the
controversy.
Supplemental with the foregoing
there is a further interesting deyel-
opment This is n letter addressed
to +. r.. Jarrett and signed by Gen
eral Manager G.. l.. Hickey. and In
connection with other correspondence
bearing on the subject vas given to
the press Thursday. This letter Is
as follows.
Confirming my verbal request. In
calling in the shop employees indiyid-
uaily, as instructed in my letter even
date. please be sure TO explain to
them that while we have no present
intention of changing the decision
that has been rendered. should We
do so, the back time be paid or cur-
rem wage increased. in accordance
with the Interpretation of the labor
board, the employees who have indi.
Gated their Willingness to abide By
the decision now rendered will re-
eeiye the same consideration as any
one else and will not sacrifice any
rights TO payment under the in.
crease"
Shopmen say that this letter puts a
an entirely different complexion on
the agreement they were asked to
sign. and had they known about II
or had its intent and premises been
Incorporated in the agreement they
would have signed ii without pro-
test. A member OF the shopmen's
committee said that no such senti.
ments ere rendered 10 them as are
expressed in the foregoing letter. and
that the first he knew about IL was
when he read IL an Ely paper two
days after being discharged.
The entire incident Is creating
wide comment and interest. as the
shopmen who have been discharged
by the railway company are all well.
known citizens, skilled workmen and
several Of them are veterans in the
employ of the local railway company
AS family men they have come to be
looked upon as more or less perma.
nent units In a community where
permanent citizenship is getting tie
be recognized as a civic asset. There
Is general regret thai the unfortunate
condition of things may necessitate
the removal OF these citizens TO other
localities.
II is said the men brought in TO
take the places of the men discharg.
ed are not union workmen and do
not carry cards. II Is also said on
the lest of authority that the men
On arrival here. when questioned by
members OF the shop committee, de.
clined to have anything to do with
the local men, beyond saying that
they were familiar with the situation
and intended to go to work.