The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1903-02-16
THEIR
WAGES
RAISED
Electric Car Employees All Over
tho Eastern Part Of MaSSaChu.
sets Taken by Surprise.

and motermen who operate over the 500
miles OF track controlled by the Mass
achusetts Electric companies were given
genuine surprise last evening by the
posting of a cipular at the various ter
minals. giving notification that on and
after March next wages would be in
creased from to 25 per cent. the vary
ing additions being based on the length
OF time the men have been In service
The systems operated by the Massach-
usetts Electric companies are divided in
to two divisions. and comprise substan-
TALLY all OF the trolley lines I'm eastern
Massachusetts,. from Nashua, " H., 10
Newport. r. l.. with the exception OF the
Boston Elevated. Those north OF Bos-
ton are classified under the head OF the
Boston & Northern street railway COM
pany. and those 10 the south are known
as the Old Colony street railway com
pany.
The question OF an increase In wages
has been under discussion by the direc-
tors for some time. and after carefully
weighing all the conditions It was finally
decided TO adopt graduated scale OF
compensation as il was believed IL would
stimulate ambition and strengthen incen-
tive 10 exercise the highest form OF duty,
two vital principles in the running OF
public conveyances.
The Sien themselves were also factor
in bringing about the proposed change,
as they have been agitating the matter
for "A number OF weeks,
The circulars issued to the two divis-
ions are exactly the same, so that In
giving the following, addressed to the en-
ployes OF the Boston d Northern, the
reading of both will be learned:
ITO the Conductors and Motormen or
the Boston & Northern Street Railway
company: On and from March l, 19o3.t the
following classification OF service and
schedule of wages will be In effect In all
the divisions OF this company
Glasses No. 1.-the men who have been
in the service OF the company less than
one year; No. q men who have been in
the service OF the company one year and
less than two years; No. 3, men who have
been in the service OF the company two
years and less than four years; No. a,
men who have been in the service of the
company four years and less than seven
years: No. 5, men who have been in the
service of the company seven years and
less than 10 years: No. s, men who have
been in the service OF the company seven
years and less than 10 years; No. 6, men
VINO nave Detn III tic stlslCc Oh ZIG Noih-
pany 10 years and over. Date OF service
will begin from the 1st day OF the month
following date OF employment.
Schedule of wages-Class No. !, 20
cents per hour; class No. 2, q cents: class
No. 3, % cents; class 4, % cents; class No.
3, "A cents; class No. 6. % cents. Details
which logically follow the above changes
will be worked out TO the mutual salts
faction of all interests.
IF the situation were studied solely
from the view point of whether the COM
pany can afford the above stat
sible at the present time, but
we hope that with your earnest CO.
operation accident expenses will be re-
duced and by greater attention TO the
travelling public patronage will be In
creased We expect this cooperation
from you, for II is only by such action
on your part. and the beneficial results
which we hope to obtain therefrom, that
those who have taken all the financial
risks involved may expect security and
fair return for their risk and investment.
Each and every man can see that the
increase Is substantial and generous
amounting TO an average increase of 1918
| per cent OF the wages paid for the same
| classes OF work for the last fiscal year. II
| will prove still greater when compared
| with increases made by employees other
| than street railway companies.
| Per order, III. Q. PAGE,
| General Superintendent.
| Approved: f. c. FOSTER.
"Vice President and General Manager.
FEB. IA. 1903"
| Mr. T.. G. Foster. vice president ana
| general manager of the companies states
| that the Boston & Northern and the old
| Colony street railway companies are
| treated exactly alike in the classifica-
| ton and Increases. and that they are
| made as a result OF long and careful
L 1, man
| les at least In the East II is the most
! scientific and most substantial advance
| I'm the history of street railways. The TO-
| tai increase, based upon pay rolls or con
| ductors and motormen for the last hsoal
| year, amounts to S154,60S, or RS per
| cent. The actual increase Tor the prese"'
| fiscal year. however. will he greater
The basic principle is recognition i OF
| faithful service and placing before each
and every man an ,r opp0Fsuni,S ynar ,o wear e9
| The classification and increase anect
| os22 conductors and motormen, as fol-
lows: 26.s5 per cent IN e, 1,aSs nc, cent. a..
| l542 per cent In class no. :. an increase
from nominal 70 8 per cont; iS,"' per per
| nominal to 10 per cent: ls.52 per cent IN
| class No. {. an increase from nominal TO
Is per cent lilo per cent N 81 SIaSs sr Nc Cont p
g75 per cent in class No. s. an increase
| from nominal to y per cent.
Men I'm class no. at pIscSenl .eSeINs
| rates varying from y 70 p cents per
1 hour Twenty-three per cent OF tho total
| number OF tnis class receive an increa 50
| varying from IL to IL per cent. ard %
| ner cent of them will within two months.
| be advanced TO class No. 2. This class
| contains the new mon. who cause most
| anxiety TO street railway managers. Cost
| OF accidents increase I'm cost Of repairs
\ nv new motormen and inattention 90 pas
| seneers and missing Of fares by new con-
| ductors are greater than oy the older
! and more experienced men,
| The announcement was received with
! equal favor I'm all places. In Brockton
! ,he men are I'm doubt about accepting %
in lieu OF the concessions asked bv the
union At Lynn the older men are well
pleased, but the younger men show con
aidera bie discomfort. as the union is IN
no way recognized. The men az Chelsea
Taunton New Bedford and Fall River
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