The San Francisco call., 1896-07-24
It Will Increase Salaries but
Save Money for the Rail-
road Company.
BUT THE MEN ARE ANXIOUS.
Although the Rules Be 0beyed, the
Old Emyloyes May All Be
Let Out.
OAKLAND OFFICE, SAN FRANCISCO CALL, |
9OS Broadway, July %. (

OAKLAND OFFICE, SAN FRANCISCO CALL,
908 Broadway, July %.
A new system of conducting the Hay
wards electric road was inaugurated to-
day. 1t was reported that the men were
intending to strike, but such is not the
case. The situation is of great interest to
all carmen and will be carefully watched.
There was one clause which the men
did not see,' said A. L. Stone, secretary OF
the road, to-day. 1T says that the new
schedule shall not affect any Of the present
employees of the road.
"Our new plan is q distinct benefit to the
men whom we shall henceforth employ
and does not affect the men who work for
Us at present. From this time on we shall
pay 19 cents per hour for the first two
years service, 20 cents for the third year,
21 cents the fourth year and y cents for
all who work for FIVE years or upward.
The only effect it will have on the men at
present employed is that FIVE years from
now their salary will be increased l per
cent per year. at present all men receive
21 cents an hour.
Snow here is where the men will receive
benefit. At present we have motormen
and conductors. but in the future we shall
break men in from both ends. That is,
they will be fitted for either motorman
or conductor, and this will give them
more hours of work. At present two men
are broken in where one will do in the
future, and this will be retrenchment for
the company, as there will not be so many
men on its payroll, but those that are kept
on will receive more salary. As matter
of fact, the change is really benefit TO
the men,"
The employees of the road are discussing
the matter, and while they admit the
truth of all that the secretary says they
feel somewhat uneasy, as they are not
sure how soon it may affect them.
"This is our position" said one of the
men this evening. ''If the company likes
it can soon bring about big reduction in
salary, even while it is faithfully obeying
its new rules. Suppose it should drop all
of-its old men, one or two at a time, and
take on new ones. Then the new men
would receive 10 cents for two years. II
the company should decide not to retain
any one in its employ for more than two
years it would never pay more than Is
cents, although it could be obeying the
letter of the new rule, out ignoring its
spirit.
1--WE do not suppose that the company
intends to make any suchradical changes,
but the loophole is there if they wish to
take advantage of it, and that is what
makes US feel uneasy"
| Regarding a strike, very interesting
condition of affairs prevails on the Hay
wards road. Each car is marked 'U. s.
Mail, and the company has a contract
to carry mails daily. Under the decision
of the Federal courts employees cannot re-
fuse to move the mails, so that if the
postmaster placed mail bag aboard each
car the employees would either have to
work or go to Jail; that is, if former deci-
sions should be allowed to stand Should
any disagreement arise the point would
take on very interesting phase.