New-York tribune., 1899-07-21
STATEMENT on THE STRIKE.
THE SOCIAL REFORM CLUB DECLARES
CHARGES AGAINST THE ROAD WORTHY
OF INVESTIGATION.


The committee of the Social Reform Club ap-
pointed to investigate the causes OF complaint on
the part Of the employees of the Metropolitan
Street Railway Company while lacking time AT
present TO offer complete report desires to make
the following statement to the public concerning
the causes or of them, of the present strike
The main cause OF the trouble appears to lie IN
the alleged non-observance by the company OF tne
law constituting ten hours as esat 1"o 10 or
for street railway employees In cities OF lUvo OF
over This law forbids the exacing 6y
hour for dinner TO be performed go %dvdua %1t mo-
tormen recently interviewed by the coH%lintee, % 80 80
well as an article written by a former empoye OF
the company which appeared IN Inc me, oHioPR b OK 9s %
February lS last are to the eject thtI III ths IA IA" 70
habitually violated by the company. The men say
that FIVE trips constitute days work; ana nsI ina,
each trip. they either fail to accomplish their work
m ne nf to endemFer Cubic safety by the speed
at which they run the cars. Admitting that on a
few of the runs and under the most advantageous
circumstances (such as dry weather. open streets,
not too many passengers, etc). the work can 10
claim that this only holds good for the men regu-
larry employed. and that In the case Of the trip
stations all day day 'tS' to get chance at work, the
violation of the law IS habitual. Furthermore, no
$50 frequent in Broadway and in the downtown
stress nor for the delays caused on the electric
law. they say, was passed not in the interest
OF labor than in that OF the public safety. placed
tion OF men whose profession requires the utmost
alertness Of body and nerve.
In addition, the men complain that owing to
the method Of payment by the trip. they are very
often unable to earn fun week pay The nomi-
under the most favorable conditions that this
amount be earned The schedule time is ex
tremely close and difficult to maintain in the face
OF heavy traffic necessary delays 1t therefore
very frequently happens that men. with however
great desire work cannot make trips enough
within the day to earn the full nominal wage. At
an interview held with committee Of motormen
aQGh mar az q aHr
had been for several weeks. and in many cases
they fell far below the fun rate Of SIS 70 week or
the way TO deductions tending to reduce materially
caTs are sant for part OF run dark or without
passengers Cars are also. when not running full
car, for instance, into Asor Place. For the shorter
trip not only Is smaller amount paid, but the car
is also Obliged to wait on It's upward run at the
carhouse for its leader or preceding car with con-
siderable loss of earning time to the cars crew;
accountable for all damage done 10 the cars while
TO entertain evidence tending to show that the in
jury was unavoidable on the part OF the employees
Another grievance of the dissatisfied employees
lies in the reception; or more properly. non-recep,
their complaint before the president Of the com
pany Although fortified by a petition containing
ployes who were willing 10 run the risk Of dis
charge by asserting their grievances over their own
as representing anybody except themseves-and
this despite the fact that he had just received a
represent other employees, who had signed docu-
ment expressing complete satisfaction with the
terms OF their employment. This document was
signed by twenty-seven hundred names, some of
which are said to have appeared as well upon the
other petition II is well understood with what
signatures TO such n petition, Understood 10
be desired by the company. can be collected. and
the presidents discrimination between the two sets
petitioners does not seem 10 us to have been or
nature to impress the men with his impartiality In
dealing with his employees.
The above charges contain what seemed to us or
most serious consequence In the statements gath
cred from the men and therefore TO constitute the
principal causes OF the present strike. We regret
that lack Of time has prevented us from obtaining
independcnt VeriicatiOn OF the charges made. and
deeply regret that efforts to obtain from the
officers OF the company some statement In refer
ence to them has not been attended with success.
The charges they stand We consider OF suffi-
cient importance to merit investigation by the
State Board OF Arbitration. or some other body OF
equal competence. and in the absence OF such In
vestigation would invite the public at least TO
suspend its judgment 10 the responsibility for
the strike One thing cannot but regard az dis
appointing. namely. that the Metropolitan Street
Railway Company In dealing with this first seri-
disturbance among It's employees. should have
failed 10 avail Itself Of those methods Of settling
labor disputes which being more and more
adopted by fair minded men.
JAMES X. PAULDIN0.
w. FRANKLIN BRUSH.
CHARLES B. SPAHR.
r W. ORDwAY
ERNEET II