New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-05-27
GRJEVANCES OF EMPLOYES.
A STRIKE OF CAR-DRIvERs TO BE MADE

A STRIKE OF CAR-DRIVERS TO BE MADE.
HIGHER WAGES AND FEWER HOURS To BE DE-
NASprp-wHAT THE MEN COMPLAIN or-fEEL
ING AMONG OTHER wORKMEN.
The mysterious mods and winks which pass BE-
tween car-dlivprs as cars pass another may DE
regarded rs signs of coming trOubl" among them
Succ the recent strike Oi number oi ullNtISoh ,ho
Third Avenue Line, which was thoTght 10 I've pr
mature and not well organized, thc company HdS
aunarently become alarmed at the Sulell uell'"il",
of the men, and has discharged several
drivers who were thought 10 he aglta1"Is y,
another strike for higher wages ana Fewer n"ui'
work The discharge OF these men anu 'il'
refusal of the company 10 listen TO the Complaints
of fine drivers have caused rcdOuhled Efforts on
the part of the men to enforce concessions from thr
company The grievances of which the drivers ana
conductors OH nearly all the roads complain are iu-
merous and aggravating They SAY thay their hours
of labor are entirely too long. and tnat th'if
wages are insufficient. They complain most OF
the length of time they are employed cacn
day which averages from fifteen 10 eighteen
hoirs On the Fourth Avenue line, which l. sald
10 BE the one most rclnuneratlve To It's owners,
the drivers and conductors are paid II go Tor "hai
is considered "a day : work that -. Tor SIX ana
half trips from the Post Office 10 Eighty -'iNth-st.
"a "trip meaning the distance both WAYS or ~ 20
for night trips To the Grand Central Depot he
men on this road, with few exceptions have
TO keep at their posts all day, 10 uIhe
being set apart for lunch or rest of any
kind. In other words, they have straight
until they have finished their days labor I'M, IT,
auires the men To ride from sixty To- seventy miles
their own expense.
On the Belt Line the men make many complaints.
The drivers receive only 81 30 "A day, and thcy
claim that the regulations OF the road are 50 ohnuN-
ions as to render employment on II almost uDocar-
able. The dissatisfaction on the Eight AVennc Line
has been growing since the company IN HuI SEA
mat on the Sixth Avenue Road the
conditions under which the men work are
LEGS rksoine than on any other line IN the city.
There are wclregulatcd Timetables, and thu labor
is better cquallzd than Oh the Other lines ne Dry
Dock Line, which runs IRON the Ilty nan 10 thc
Thirty fourth street Ferry, Is regarded as the worst
road In the city to work upon the men declare That
il is only when they can get lao other emlhoymch
that they will drive on tins line. Much complaint
il also made by the men OF the manner III winch
they are treated by the police. They say that the
companies allow policemen to ride free at all tn'S,
aid consideration of tins the officers are To use
the fullest extent of the law against the drivers ~
the time of strike but agents OF benevolent and
CHART lblc institutions, who, II - asserted are the
source of nsre good than the police, are charged iu
fare always.
Ii is now claimed by the drivers and conductors
that the men OH all the lines are well organized, and
in few days the plans Tor a general strike VIII De
perfected. Efforts are beng made To hold pass
meeting at Irving Hall and 10 engage Henry l"igh
and OF hers to address II IN order Ia excite the SYM
pathes of the public. and 10 rally any of the drivers
who NAV be inclined to faltcr III their resolution TO
strike. Members OF the committee when mas charge
of the str1kc say that the movement mas exon care
fully and thoroughly arranged, and that the men
are prepared TO make a successful stand Tor their
rights The experience OF former failures has
taught them that "a slrlke can only Dc SUCCESSFUL
when the drivers Oh all the lines unanimously JON
the movement and simultaneously "tic-up.' 1t Is
expected that the tie-up" will he ordered in day
or two.
The trouble at the Hermann Brewery among the
men who are unwilling ~ work with Hibbleinan,
the head fermenteT Oh account, ii Is claimed, Oh q
personal dislike of him winch they entertain. Is not
vet adjusted 1t is ruinOred among the brewers that
a general strike will be- made III all the brewcres III
the city for higher wages and fewer hours work.
1t Is generally thought that the bosses are Wiling
to grant in increase of wages, but Will object 10 a
reduction OF the number OF hours that constitute
days work.
The members of the LabOrers Union will strike
June Tor " 90 day. AT "A recent meeting held Ot
the Union resolutions were passed dcnounclng the
men whose alleged carelcssness caused the death of
the two men killed by the fall OF chimney at the
New-York Flour Mills.
The movement among the clgarmakcrs IN this
CITY to secure higher wages continues. Those IN the
employ Of Mendel Il Brother Ill the BOwcTy, yester-
day made "a demand for an advance OF 81 thousand
The firm agreed TO pay the advance demanded. AT
the same time demand for like advance was
made by the clgarmakers in the employ of Schwarz
& Spehrs No. - BOwery. which was also acceded to
by the employers.