The Washington herald., 1909-08-12
CAPITAL CAR MEN
TO BE ORGANIZED
Traction Employees Will En-
ter the Union Ranks.
MASS MEETING IS THE PLAN
Conductors and MOtOrmen to Be Af.
fHnted with the Central Labor
Union and the American Fedora
tiOn-NearIy 800 Men VIII Join as
Soon as Organizers Arrive.

Preliminary plans have been made for
the organization OF the employees Of the
Washington Railway and Electric Com
pany and the Capital Traction Company
into compact body Of organized labor.
to be affiliated with the Central Labor
Union and the American Federation OF
Labor
John J. Purcell, business agent Of Local
No. 26. Brotherhood Of Electrical Work
ers Of America. has in the last three
weeks. at the solicitation of a number OF
conductors and motormen OF the two
traction lines. been conducting move
ment FOR such ar organization under
charter Of the Amalgamated Association
OF Street and Electric Railway Employees
Of America.
Mr. Purcell said last night his work
had advanced to that stage where he was
assured Of between 800 and 800 conductors
and motormen, who have expressed their
desire 10 join such a labor organization.
From this number Of men. Mr Purcell
said he could easily form the nucleus Of
a local OF the Amalgamated association
that would easily bring all. or nearly all.
of the street car workers in the District
into its list of members.
w. ID. MRhOn Expected.
It is the intention OF Mr.. Purcell. and
others who are behind the movement. to
ask w. D. Mahon. international presi-
dent Of the Amalganated association, with
headquarters in Detroit. Mich, to send
one or more first-class expert organizers to
this city. Mr.. Purcell is an organizer
OF ability. having met with much success
in the past. His associates are aggressive
organizers. with a wide experience in
Washington's organized labor movement.
as Well as in other cities. when the
official organizers OF the Amalgamated
association arrive they will receive every
assistance in the power OF the affiliated
bodies OF Central Labor Union. and Off
cIal recognition OF that body as well as
that of the American Federation Of La
bor
cat the proper time" said Mr.. Purcell
last night, after the Amalgamated as
sociation's organizers have taken up the
work in Washington, a mass meeting Of
the street car employees of the District
will be called and the new labor body
will be formally organized and officers
elected. 1t viii he backed by every in
fuence that the Central Labor Union and
the American Federation OF Labor can
give il.
Will Seek New Laws.
THE organization Of the street car en-
ployes IS not TO make any demand for
unreasonable wages. II will have for it's
object the amalgamation Of the street car
men Of the District in all matters Of a
common interest The organization will
be a factor in an effort to obtain through
national legislation better street car serv-
ice. more cars, and a general improve
ment of the lines.
The parent organization. with strong
bodies in all of the large cities and in
terurban centers. has a membership Of
something like 100000 skilled men. and it
is reasonable to suppose that they have
friends among the members OF Congress.
Through this channel Of influence the
new organization will use It's best en-
deavors to better the car service of
Washington and IT'S suburbs and have
the systems extended.
The success which the organized street
car employees In Pittsburg, Philadelphia,
and other cities have recently met with.
while not the prime factor that led UP
TO the movement 10 organize the street
car men in this city. had something 10
do with IT, This plan was attempted in
an unbusinesslike way in Washington
some years ago, but as soon as the fact
became gossip the management Of the
electric roads frowned upon the PROPOSE
tion, and the few men who had secretly
| Joined quickly stampeded and withdrew
! from the movement. These men were
afraid they would lose their positions.
Hopes for Large Body.
In the present movement there will
be no stampede Of the men TO withdraw
from the plan TO organize. That seems
assured. whether the street car managers
disapprove Of it OF not. feel sure the
men will become a factor in the local or
ganized labor movement Of Washington
! In fact. even a larger and stronger body
| than the printers. who now lead the
movement in this city numerically"
c. o. Pratt, chairman Of the general
|
sociation of Street and Electric Railway
1 Employees Of America, an organizer for
this district. will probably be sent here
at an early date 10 confer with the Wash
| ington men.
There are employed in the District by
! the two operating electric lines something
1 like 1000 men. The carmen draw a fair
wage. but IL is not as liberal as the scale
OF wages paid in cities where the men
J are organized. Pittsburg and Philadel-
: phia men receive between $3.50 and s.
, for a ten and twelve hour day. The Chi
/ cago men are demanding 30 cents an hour
as maximum. Among the cities paying
a larger scale than Chicago and Wash
; ington are: Oakland. Cal, 30 to AZ cents
: per hour Sacramento. Cal, q TO 30 cents
/ San Jose, Cal. 24 to 30 cents; Vancouver
/ 3. c., 20 to 311A cents; Butte. Mont. IS
/ to A cents; Helena. Mont. so cents; Salt
Lake City. Utah. 25 to 30 cents. and
! Spokane. Wash, 25 to 80 cents. The
! average pay Of the Washington street
/ COR man io cOmpthfnu TiEn 81 a dav nr q