The wageworker. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1904-????, 1909-03-06

the managers of the then Citizens
Railway Co. advertised in The Wage
worker that among other reasons why
the union men and women of the city
should patronize the white line" was
that the company was not averse to
ising. In various ways the manage
ment of the Citizens company let it
be known that it would welcome an
opportunity to do business with organ
izcd employees. But the motormen and
conductors could not be prevailed upon
10 organize. They were getting more
than the Traction company men, and
this tickled them almost to death.
What was the use of organizing when
they were already getting the money?
Why pay dues when they got all the
benefits without? Nothing to organ
ization, anyhow!
Now there is light breaking on
the minds of the aforesaid motormen
and conductors.
the Citizens Railway Co. and the Lin
coin Traction Co. was organized. AS
soon as the merger was completed the
wage scale was given attention.
Did the new corporation decide TO
grade up the pay of the Traction men
to the Citizens standard, or did it
decide to grade down the pay of the
Citizens men to the Traction COM
pany standard?
You are allowed one guess.
Correct: You guessed it the first
tme The standard was fixed at the
lower level maintained by the Traction
company, and now the Citizens motor
men and conductors who couldn't see
the benefits of organization and 9
contract wage schedule are going to
find their wage envelopes short from
$3.50 to So month.
1t might have cost them as much as
75 cents a month for dues-perhaps
only SO cents. And does anyone sup
pose for minute that if the Citizens
company men lad contract wage
scale that the new company would
have dared to abrogate that contract?
ii the Citizens company men had
listened to the advise of old-tme
union men who know the game from
Alpha to Omaha. they would not now
be bemoaning lowered wage scale.
1t is awfully hard for union men
to work up any sympathy for the
motormen and conductors who are
going to suffer reduction of pay
They are getting Just what they
framed up for themselves. But there
will be plenty of sympathy for the
wives and babies who are going tx
miss that little old two or three
dollars month.
We mention the motormen ant
conductors in the department of "Liv'
Ones" not because they are really il
that class, but merely to call thei
case to the attention of the real ltv'
cnes who now have ample opportur
ity to say, 81 told you So"
The Traction Co. schedule average
about 1 cent an hour lower than tn
cid Citizens schedule. This means
loss of about IL cents day to tn
Citizens Co. men. OF course tina
about $43.80 year. 1t would cos
the men about 80 a year dues to b.
long to the union, which would leave
ret profit to unionism of $34,S0 yea
speaking in terms Of dollars and cent
But in addition there would be tn
SICK benefit, the out-of-work benefit
the burial benefit, and all the othe
benefits of unionism.
Perhaps the motormen and CO.
ductors of Lincoln will sit up an
take notice now.
The men and boys who were gull
-s that race riot in South Omaha
couple of weeks ago should be pu
ished to the limit. They should
punished for two reasons. One rease
is that they foolishly went after II
effect instead of aiming at the caus
Another reason is that instead
Wanting their wrath on the innoce
victims living in the novels in Sou
Omaha, they should have marched
a body to the Hanscom Park al
West Farnam districts of Omaha al
made their protest to the parties
sponsible for conditions in Sou
Omaha.
lot of maudlin sympathy, by t
way. is being wasted on the po
persecuted Greeks" of South Omar