Jasper County Democrat, Volume 22, Number 38, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 9 August 1919 — MONON SHOPMEN ON STRIKE [ARTICLE]

MONON SHOPMEN ON STRIKE

All Trains Were Running as Usual Yesterday, However. Lafayette, August 8. —The allied crafts representing . the Monon shops held a rousing meeting last night in Trainmen’s hall in the Emsing building, corner Sixth and Main “streets, and by a unanimous vote the <men decided to strike this morning at 7:30 o’clock. The action taken last night will affect the entire Monon system and over 1,200 men will quit work this morning. Representatives were present from every craft at McDoel, Hammond, Bloomington, Monon, Lafayette, Indianapolis and every point on the Monon system. The hall was* crowded to its capacity, many standing and others sitting on the floor, and the adjacent street was filled with those who could not gain admission. The meeting was an open one and the men made no effort to conceal any action that might be taken. The crafts affected py the walkout today include the machinists, boilermakers, pipe fitters, blacksmiths, electricians, stationary firemen and car shops men. The maintenance of way of railroad employes at a meeting on Tuesday night decided to sustain the shop men in any action they might take and it is presumed these men, several hundred in number, will go out with the shop men. President Thompson of the car builders’ union presided at the meeting last night. Wilbur Cahill, a member of the local machinists and representative of the wage committee, returned from Washington, D. C., and met with the men last night. Mr. Cahill explained the work the committee had been doing and told of their endeavor to get some action by Federal Director Hines, President Wilson and congress. Mr. Thompson of the Big Four Beech Grove shops of Indianapolis, was present and maje an appeal to the Monon -men to stand by the employes of other roads wh"o~ were out at present. He stated that the Monon system was the only one in the state where men were still at work and asked them to take action to go out. There were other talks by local railroad men of' the various crafts. A viva voce vote was taken and it was unanimously in favor of a walkout. At 10 o’clock yesterday morning 25 machinists and four helpers eranployed in the back shop In the Monon shops In this city quit work and paved the way for the action that was taken last night.. Their action was sustained by a unanimous vote at last night’s meeting. The men have been directed to report for work in the various departments'as “usual this morning at 7 o’clock and then register out in order. The strike affects fully 900 men employed at the Monon shops In this city and several hundred others In various localities. The support given the shopmen by the maintenance of way organization, which includes yard workmen and other branches of labor, will considerably swell the list. The latter local organization has a membership here of 300 members. The walkout this morning will practically tie up the entire Monon system, with the possible exception of passenger traffic. All repair work on cars and locomotives over the entire system will- cease today until the men return to work. With the walkout of the Monon employes today all roads in the state will be affected by strikes.

All trains were running on the Monon yesterday as usual, Agent

Beam Informed The Democrat at noon, but in the course-of two or three days, he stated, the effect of the strike would be felt, as trains cannot be run very long without shopmen.