The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1910-01-27
NEW ENGLAND JOINT CONFER. ENCE BOARD SOON TO AU-
 THORIZE DEMAND.
THIS BOARD REPRESENTS 4,OOO EMPLOYEs OF NEW HAVEN
 RAILROAD COMPANY.
Thirty Cents An Hour is Minimum Upon Which Negotiations Will Be Urged-Increased Cost of Living Makes More Pay Necessary, Men Say.
Special to the Farmer.o

Hartford, Jan. 27.-A demand upon the New York, New Haven and Hart ford railroad company for a maximum wage of 30 cents an hour for the 4,00C trolleymen employed by the company in Connecticut and Massachusetts is looked for next week after the session of the New England Joint Conference Board of the Amalgamated Association of Street Railway Employes which will be held here on Monday.
 All of the local divisions of the as- sociation have been polled. Bridgeport being the last division to be boiled on last Tuesday night, and all have voted to instruct the members of the con- ference board to enter into negotia- tions with the company for more pay. In Connecticut every city where the Connecticut Co.,, operates cars the trolleymen are organized with the ex- ception of Waterbury where the men have not had a union since the last strike there. .,.s.-.
 The demand of the united employees of all the organized divisions will be the largest aggregate wage increase demand ever made upon the company at one time.
 Last Fall the company expected a demand for a wage increase as the committee from the union that wait ed upon the company for better work ing conditions mentioned a wage in- crease. At that time Vice President Townley and General Manager Pun derford informed the men that they would oppose any attempt to secure more money at that time.
 The lowest maximum wage paid by the company is in Middletown where 23 cents an hour is paid during the fifth year of employment. In New Ha- ven and Hartford the men are paid the best as they receive 25 cents an hour during their fifth year. They start at 20c an hour and are advanced each year until they reach the maximum. In Bridgeport the men start at 20 cents and the maximum wage is A cents an hour.
 The high cost of living is one of the reasons to be advanced for the demand of more money. The employees do not look for a strike but expect they will be able to arbitrate successfully in se- curing the wages.
 The officers of the New England Joint Conference Board are Charles w. Minnix, of New Haven, chairman; J. H. Reardon of Worcester, vice chair man; M. J. Hennessey, of Springfield, treasurer; and c. w. Lane of Spring field, secretary. Each of the divisions as the uIl1OilS dIc Cdl1So dI0 TSpIC- scented upon the board.
 The cities and towns through which the organized trolleymen operate in- clude, Hartford, New Haven, Worces- ter, Derby, New London, Springfield, Plainville, Bristol, New Britain, Nor wich, Middletown, Norwalk Bristol, Port Chester, Stamford, Meriden and many small towns.
 AS the men work about 10 hours each day the increase asked for will mean an addition to the payroll of the com pany of about $2,000 per day Or about $730,O0O per annum.
 A member of the organization said today, '"The demand will not be any surprise to the company as it's off cials undoubtedly know what is going on in our organizations as we'll as we do.
 There is no reason why the wages of trolley employees should not be in- creased to compare faVorably with those of other railroad employees. The result would be good for the company and instead of having many men us- ing the service as a makeshift to earn a living until they could get something g better they would have a waiting list of good class of men desired to work out of dOOrS.
 "A man with a fair sized family to support has got to ma'-e about $3 a day if he is going to feed growing children and educate them in the pub lie schools.
 '"The union may ask that it be made possible for the men to get the maximum wage in less than four years. If a green man runs down a team or a man on the streets after 9. few weeks service the company goes into courts and offers testimony to show that the employe is competent man. But despite the competence of the short time men they cannot get the money of the old time men.
 Another change the union men would like is an increase in over time money. At present they are paid at the rate of the regular pay plus five cents for each hour overtime. In other lines of work men get pay for time and a half or double time for extra work.
 ''The action of the organization in preparing for the demand of the company has been conducted along the most modern lines and in keep ing with the best ethics of organized labor. The plan of polling all of the men such as in vogue among the or ganized steam railroad men has been followed. The result of the poll is not known except that the majority gre in favor of 30 cents an hour Whether the judgment of the mem hers of the conference board will cause medium figure between 25 and 50 cents an hour rests with the