New-York tribune., 1910-12-02
BETTER FOR EXPRESS MEN
Working Agreement Considered
a Favorable Compromise.
WAGES UP 5 TO 8 PER CENT
Only Hitch Is with Adams Com
pany, but a Speedy Adjust
ment Is Expected.

ment Is Expected.
The working agreement which went into
effect Yesterday between the express com
panies and their employees as a result or
the recent strike OF the drivers and their
helpers can be read only in the light of
considerable betterment OF the condition OF
the employees in comparison with what
tiev enjoyed prior 10 the strike.
While the agreement does not include the
coveted fun recognition OF the union, the
main point on which the strikers took
issue with the companies. il contains
clause pfeclGding any discrimination
against union men. which is interpreted by
the employees as q favorable compromise
on the part OF the employers
Where the question OF wages and hours
was previously left entirely open at the
discretion o. the companies. q condition
generally unsatisfactory 10 the men. the
present agreement provides for a raise OF
wages Of 8 q month IN most instances. al
established eleven-hoUr workday, with one
hour off for meals; Sunday and holiday
work eliminated as much as possible. and
pay for overtime work at the prevailing
rate OF wages
The increase means an advance OF from
> TO per cent for the drivers and helpers
Of ali the companies. with the exception Of
the Adams Express Company.
When the men returned 20 work on No
vember Il II was agreed that the com
panies would submit offers dealing with
wages and hours by December / These
offers were accepted al the meetings of all
5he expressrnen's unions on Wednesday
right in this city and Jersey City
Ef%pb ONer
There was some reluctance in accepting
the proposal of the Adams company. as
complicated graduating scale of wages was
offered, with the minimum wage in some
Instances slightly under that proposed by
the other companies. and overtime pay
rated from Is 10 50 cents an hour accord
insly. The overtime pay was placed on
fat basis of - cents an hour for drivers
anG ~ cents an hour for helpers in the
Uniform agreement with the other com
VanlcS- The maximum wage paid ny the
Adams company 10 some Of the men Is
SAID. however. to ne higher than in any
other company. Some OF the drivers get
s. = r month.
Much dissatisfaction Was expressed by
Tho Adams employees yesterday az the
agreement offered ny that company. ana
effort was maze through Presiderr
Towne Of the Merchants Association ana
others VINO acted as mediators at the time
-HC strike was settled 10 reopen the clause
pertaining 10 wages and overtime ard fur
ther arbitrate the matter, with a view a.
obtaining the scale adopted in The uniform
agreement with the other companies. The
employees IL general feel that the companies
have acted fairly and IN good faith IN arIi-
FratinE The question Of wages and hours aC-
oorlin- 10 the agreement made when the
men returned 10 work. and II is expected
that the Adams company matter viii be
speedily adjusted.
A. ali the conferences since the men re-
turned 10 work and pending the final pro-
posals offered ny the companies Wednes-
day. the employers showed 4 disposition 10
meet tie committees from the employees
cordially and thoroughly afk matters over
according TO The men 4 certain spirit OF
renaoteness which is said 10 have existed
before between the company officials and
the employees was entirely dispeIled il was
said This change OF front as :. result OF
the strike Is expected to work a future
benefit 10 both the employers and the en-
rloyes and make II easier for both sides 10
arhitrate any future difference.
Old Conditions OF Labor.
The men returned to work OF November
Il. on The same schedule OF hours and
wages that prevailed before the strike. L
had been tie custom then 70 work from
twelve to fifteen hours = day. with Sun
day work once month and work on holi-
dHys, on demand. without pay.
No pay was allowed for overtime. and. as
the men put il, there was a regular hour
for starting work-usually at $50 q m
-7-a.-
lec1ed packages from seven IN the morn
inc TO six at night, when the load was de-
livered II Z railroad station. unloaded by
the driver. helper and platform man. and
the wagon reloaded with bulk load.
waiting the platform This was carted
20 another railroad station. sometimes all
The way from the Grand Central 10 Jersey
City. uulosded again and the wagon taken
10 tie stable Not till then was the ex-
l,ressnan : long day over.
Many OF the drivers and helpers on the
wagons are mere boys, from eighteen 10
iwenty years old, and they were expected
20 handle trunks and large cases and do
the heavy work OF men. Some of the
helpers got as low as 81 a month and the
helpers wages ranged from that minimum
70 80 g month. Route drivers and chauf-
feurs so; SO q month Transfer and sched-
uIe men received So and single wagon
drivers $50
The original demands Of the strikers
were for q general increase OF I'VE dollars
4 month. an establishment Of q minimum
wage OF $50 month and provision for pro-
motion based on seniority of service. An
eIeven-hour day was demanded. with pay
for all overtime beyond the first half hour
and time and half pay for Sundays and
holidays.
the delivering o. trunks was z fruitful
source Of tips for the men. but the
employees contend that very little Is real
ized from thai source. They say that #
3 man gers one tip OF ten Or fifteen cents
on several trunks delivered during the day
ne is lucky When that is split I'D be-
tween the driver and the helper il doesn't
amount 10 much for the week.
The express company employees maintain
that they DO not come in for ups 10 he
compared with the private expressman or
the employees OF some OF the baggage
transfer companies This Is because The
express companies have a fixed charge for
trunks between points, and no local
charge. il is said. which is not productive
OF disposition on the part Of the con-
sIgnee TO pay anything extra upon the de-
Iiyers Of the trunk
Some t-ornpanies have been in ,,,l-.b