The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1907-07-12
IR0LLEYMEN confer
With PUNDERFORD
Ask for an Increase in Wage
to " liz Cents an
! Hour.
NEITHER SIDE TALKS
Matter Will Later be Taken
10 to President
Mellen.

Fourteen members Of the conference
board Of union employees of the Con-
necticut company, representing the
twelve divisions of lines in this state
and Massachusetts. met with General
Manager John X. Punderford yesterday.
1t had been reported that the men
would take their demand UP directly
with President c. s. Mellen, but it was
stated to-day the matter would not
reach the president Of the trolley COM
pany for some time to come. That it
will eventually so to him there is lit
| tie doubt.
The movement of the trolleymen for
better pay and improved working rules
has been under way the last few
months. 1t eliminated Monday in an
| agreement by delegates from practical-
tly all of the various local trolley UNI
ions composed Of New Haven road en-
ployes, that ~ liz cents an hour should
be requested for regular time and
| that 35 cents an hour was a reasonable
demand to make for overtime work
According to the statement of a mem
| Der Of the committee these figures were
not to be submitted to the officials UNI
til the meeting yesterday, and then on
lily in a preliminary discussion of the
general affairs to be taken up before
this conference comes to close
This movement not only covers all Of
the larger cities in this state, where
the trolleymen are organized, but takes
in Springfield, Worcester and other
Massachusetts towns. The men in this
city are among the best paid employees
in the trolley service on the road. On
entering the service they get twenty
one cents an hour and for each year Of
service they are advanced half cent
an hour until the maximum rate of
rs cents an hour is reached. The same
rate is in effect on the lines in other
cities in this state.
A few months ago delegates from all
the trolley unions got together at Hart
| ford and formed what they called a
general executive board in which ev-
cry local union is represented by at
| least one delegate AT the time of the
organization Of this board 1t was free
ly admitted that its purpose was to get
all the employees under the committee,
and then present a general claim for
better pay to the company. Charles
MINK, a conductor on the Branford
line, who lives in Chapel street, was
elected chairman Of the general com
mittee.
Members of the committee who rep
resent the union in this city are not
inclined to talk great deal of their
plans, but they make 1t plain that there
is little danger of serious difficulty
between the company and its men. They
take q conci1iatory attitude, in talking
for publication at least, and deny the
rumors that they will strike unless they
get Just what they have asked for The
outcome Of the conference which began
this morning will be awaited with
much interested all over the New Ha-
ven's extensive trolley system, not only
by the several thousand employees but
by the public as well. for should the
affair assume a serious aspect and a
strike follow, every trolley employee in
Connecticut would undoubtedly throw
up his job The result would be an
absolute tie-up of the electric lines
throughout Connecticut and in western
Massachusetts.