New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-03-28
PLANS PENSION SYSTEM.
INTERBOROUGH'S SCHEME
To Be Referred to Employees Soon
lSome1Chat Like PeRnSyIUania's.


The Interborough Rapid Transit Company IS
planning 10 pension IT'S employees. motormen
guards. switcnmen. agents ticket choppers. yard
workers. shop workers and trackmen-in fact
all the men that are employed in various capaci-
ties on the elevated roads. According TO the
employees. one Of the chief drawbacks TO the
plan is that the employees themselves furnish
all the money which is 70 be paid out IN sick
and death benefits and pensions. Another, they
say is that no matter how much money an
employe has paid IN II ha gives M his place
Is discharged he loses whatever money he
has paid into the pension fund
The plan in detail has not been explained 20
the employees At present there is general hos
tility to the idea among them but de-
tailed explanation Of IT, soon 20 be made. may
put a different complexion on what many OF the
men ut present consider is a scheme to weaken
the organization. branch Of the Amalsamated
Street Railway Employees Association, to which
they belong.
The plan. as generally outlined. provides Tor
q sick and death benefit and pension TO De
paid after the retirement Of an employe who has
been on any one Of the elevated road lines for
certain number Of years. The sum 70 be paid in
sick or death benefits and in pensions after re-
tirement is to depend on the amount paid in by
the member who is 70 benefit by the pension.
road have heard Of the plan, it IS proposed to
divide the pension fund into five grades-one to
pav 10 cents a month a second 10 pay 81.
third to pay 81 20 a fourth to pay 81 and
fifth to pay s. ~. Those who pay 81 80 a
month are 20 receive 81 day a benefit
for afty-two DAYS in case Of sickness or an aCCi-
dent which prevents them from working. In
case OF death. their heirs will receive $1,000
Those who pay s. a month are to receive a
sick or accident benefit of 50 a week and a death
benefit Of $500. Those who pay 81 80 a month are
to receive a sick or accident benefit Of S4
week and a death benefit of $500. Those who
pay 81 month will receive no sick or accident
benefit. but a death benefit Of $500. Those who
pay 20 cents a month will receive death hem
eft Of S1OC
It may be- when the men come to hear the
exact official plan. that its provisions will be
found to be different and more beneficial than
those already mentioned E 2. Bryan. gem
eraI manager OF the InterborOugh system. was
not at his home. at Bound Brook, y. j.,
last evening. and Frank Hedley. the superin-
tendent. declined to tell what the plan was.
ferring seekers after information to Mr.. Bryan.
Mr.. Bryans secretary said that he understood
that the pension plan was modelled practically
after that recently put in operation on the
Pennsylvania Railroad system. The elevated
employees as yet are IN the dark as 70 the age
and length Of service on which an employe Is to
be retired and the amount OF pension he is 20
receive.
The majority of the men are inimical to the
plan at present There are nearly four thousand
employees on the elevated Ines. II these should
accept the plan and pay in 81 ~ month 70 the
company il would mean $1,000 month
$4,000 a year, of large part OF which sum
the company would have the use without paying
interest The employees for the most part de-
clare that they can see no merit in a pension
system in which they pay all the money and the
company none. The Brotherhood Of Locomotive
Engineers and the Brotherhood OF Locomotive
Firemeu 10 the first Of which all the elevated
rrotornen belong and Of the second OF which
many OF the guards. formerly firemen on the
locomotives are members pay sick benefits and
death BENEFITS OF 81 500 The employees also
have n relief association which pays a death
benefit OF 500. the members paying dues Of 90
cents month.
The plan has been laid before committee Of
the AmaIgamated Association, which numbers
in it's membership practically all Of the men
employed in the various departments OF the ele-
waited roads. They are to lay II before a meet
ing OF the association with their recOmmenda-
tion. and vote will be taken on il.