New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-10-21
PLAN ONE BIG UNION
SUPPORT OF TRAINHEN.
EleUated MotormeH Determined to
Strike-Nanagement Firm.

To the fact that the mOtormen OF the elevated
road while they have already voted in favor OF
striking unless the management Of the road
withdraws its order regarding physical exam
nations. have not struck. although the road has
stood by its order as final. may be ascribed a
plan which is being gradually put into opera
ton OF joining the mOtormen and trainrnen IN
one organization. which viii take up the pres
ent fight Of the rotormen once it IS on firm
footing The new organization scheme goes
even further and in the near future cOnten-
plates the formation Of body composed Of all
employees OF the elevated and surface roads.
which. the organizers think viii be able 70 dc
tate terms to the mana cement Of the elevated
and subway lines and the surface lines as ven
A member Of the traInmen's local organization.
which Is affiliated with the Amalgamated AS
ISOLATION Of Street Railway Employees, said last
night that the absorption OF the moJorHen INTO
the trainrnen's organization was gradually going
on and that by another week they would al De
members OF the Amalgamated local In view OF
the fact that Grand chief Stone Of the LOcouo-
tive Engineers and Grand Chief Hanahan Of tho
Locomotive Ffremen are expected here within
few DAYS this is significant. There are distrto-
uted over the road in various capacities over
two hundred men who were hremen In the days
OF locomotives on the elevated roads. and they
still belong 70 the fremen's organization They
have unanimously voted in favor Of strike
The working out Of this plan is due principally
TO a change in the attitude Of the trainmen tow
ard the uotormen- When the trairmen threat
ened to strike some months ago the local body
OF the Locomotive Engineers to which the
r1otor1nen give their allegiance took no part n
backing Up the demands Of the mOtOrnen- They
were satisfied. they said, and had no grievances
against the manag cement Wherefore should
they complain? The trainmen went ahead and
won their fight for fewer trips and higher wages
singIehanded But the attitude OF the motor
men had engendered bad feeling. and when
few days ago the motormen began TO talk OF
striking rather than obey the examination order.
and limited that they would like the support OF
the trainmen the latter held aIoof
SuJ to-day the feeling among the trainmen Is
that the examination order is to be made a
means whereby one by one the mOtOrmsn viii
be dropped and their places filed by men who
will work for lower daily wage. and this has
aroused in them a spirit OF sympathy with the
notornen heretofore lacking They fear for
the strength Of their own organization. should
one so powerful as the Locomotive Engineers be
forced n recede from its position With this in
mind. the idea of an organization composed OF
rnoJornen and trainmen suggested itself and
met with favor among majority of the men
As announced exclusively in The Tribune re-
Gently. the trainnen have been instructed in
the motormens duties and could take their
places should they go out OF be discharged ON
this account the rnotorrnen have recognized the
advantage in having the trainmen on their side.
and have more than met the trainnen half way
in agreeing to the plan for one organization The
motormen. a branch Of the Locomotive Fire
men. could not go or be received into the local
branch of the Amalgamated Association OF
Street Railway Employees. but as individuals
there is no reason why they cannot Join be
accepted BY the trainmen's organization, and it
is as such that they will become members Of IT.
Motorrnen and trainmen alike are looking be-
yond the present fight TO the time when the
subway viii be run by the elevated road man
agement and believe that If they stand together
now and win. conditions as good or better for
their respective branches Of employment viii
prevail there.
The surface car employees have no orsaniza-
ton save one Of small membership affiliated
with the Knights Of Labor and hitherto attempts
TO organize them have proved futile. The Lead
in the scheme on foot think they could
be prevailed on 70 join body formed by train
men OF all purely local traffic lines. and already
they being sounded BY organizers
President Pepper Of the trailmen's union said
last night that there no plan foot for
joining the forces Of the mOtOrmen and train
men, but this was 20 be expected. since the or
GAMERS at work among employees are making
their moves quietly possible. with the hope
OF springing a surprise on the manag cement OF
the road President Pepper did say. however.
that many Of the mOtOrmen would be willing
under present conditions TO join his Orgauiza-
tiOu- although by doing 50 they would lose the
life insurance benefit attached 70 membership in
the Locomotive Engineers.
No further concessions are 20 be made to the
mOtOrmen. and II they strike their positions
viii be filed at This the announce
ment made yesterday By General Superiltend-
ent Frank Hedley. OF the IntsrbOrcugh Rapid
Transit Company. He said the places OF the
strikers could be filed in half hour so.
with little inconvenience 10 the public. and
also that the trainmen were willing take
their places II necessary.
No further attempt was made by the motor
mems grievance committee 20 see the officers
OF the company yesterday. but President Pep
per and a committee Of the union had con-
ference with Superintendent Hedey- What
then transpired could not be learned Mr. He'd
ley said that the company had conceded abso-
lEtely all that il could 70 the nnOtoFnnen. with
due regard 10 the safety Of the travelling public.
Mr.. Hedley was then asked II IL We're true that
the intention Of the company was 20 pay the
nnotOrnen on the subway 50 3 a day and after
Nothing could be further from the truth" Ia
said We will pay the UOtOruen much more
That know. The wages Of new motormeus he
said. some OF whom were the old fremen. who
were supposed to be first in line. We're 50 day
for the first six months and So p for the second
were paid the fun wages OF $50 a day. There
We're about 6.4lO men employed the Il"
roads 40 Of whom were rnOtorgue1 and so--e
substitutes Tnis LETT a large force TO draw
from II the mOtO-men went on strike
II was learned that at the beginning Of the
conferences Mr.. Hedley suggested sending for
Grand Chief Stone and Grand Master Hanahan
The mOtOrmen for some reason waited day alter
day until a deadlock was reached