The times., 1901-05-15
STREET CAR MEN ANGRY.
New Uniforms May Cause Trouble
with the Syndicate.

| There are reports of serious trouble be
| tween the Washington Traction and Ejec-
! trio Comoany and its employees. The
men alleged many causes for complaint
against the syndicate, but the matter
which has caused the strained existing
relations and which may develop a grav-
| er aspect, is in regard to uniforms. which
the syndicate says must be purchased at
| the price Of SI4, and for which the men
assert they viii not pay more than S12.
/ a grand rally and mass meeting of the
/ m0tormen and conductors of the syndi-
| cate system is to be held tonight at 609
! 9 Street, beginning at $50 o'clock. when
! the question viii be discussed The meet
! ing is to be open. and the presence of the
! officers Of the road has been Indirectly
! invited. The mass meeting is held under
! the auspices of the An algamated Asso-
! ciation of Street Railway Employees of
America, Division l61. of this city. Its
| officers claim that 80 per cent of the en-
! ployes of the syndicate system are mem
| hers. The following order was recently
adopted by the division and will be sub
mittcd to the mass-meeting tonight for
its endorsement and cooperation:
AN street railway men are notified that
the union intends to secure $I2 uniforms.
and no omploye, union or non-union, who
has his own interests and those of his
fellows at heart viii purchase uniforms
rom the New York Clothing House until
further notice from the union.
The members of the union say that in
former years the uniforms cost So each.
and that this year those unprovided with
uniforms viii be required to pay SIl for
a new suit When bids were called for
some time ago by the syndicate officials,
several local dealers submitted estimates.
Hsa
prominently in the tale of woe, offered to
supply suits. similar in texture and quail
ity to those in use for the same price
81. This firm was afterwards approached
by one Of the officials of the railroad and
asked to quote a price on uniforms to be
made of material identicai with that used
in the making of the police uniforms
which is Of superior quality. This the
local firm proposed to furnish at Sl4
The New York Clothing Company, OF Bal
timore. was awarded the contract, how
ever, and for the suits which they furnish
the men have been asked to pay S14 each
The chief OF the clothing department of
the local firm whose bid was rejected has
seen d sample of the uniform furnished
at the advanced price. and asserts that
the material is unshrunk, unsponged, and
in no way Of sup rior quality.
make an affidavit 70 this effect
If the endorsement Of the employees of
the syndicate lines is given tonight TO
the order prOmu' gated by the union and
all Of the men refuse TO pay the advanced
price defensive attitude will be as
sumed. If in consequence of such refusal
the men are discharged, something is ex-
pected to drop.
The men affected by the order of the
syndicate are few in number and are
mostly the newer employees of the roads
The union asserts, however, that these
men are heartily in accord with its pur-
poses to fight their battles. Their own
interest in the matter is found in the fact
that the order may affect them at some
subsequent time, when they will be re-
quired to purchase new uniforms to re-
place those worn out IN service
The union has the assurance that the
Central Labor Union, controlling I5,0e9 To-
cal mechanics, will give their entire sup
port. Many Of the labor leaders will be
present at the meeting tonight, The Cen
tral Labor Union asserts that the union
must be established in power on the cleo
tric rnads OF the city.
EnoIher question which may be aEi-
tated 1t tonight.s meeting l. the question
Of hours and wages. This matter, how
ever. win probably be postponed as an
issue until some subsequent time. when
the union VIII have demonstrated its abil-
ity to cope with conditions