Perth Amboy evening news. [volume] (Perth Amboy, N.J.) 1903-1959, 1910-12-19
P. S. G. WILL
GIVE TROLLEY
MEN INCREASE
New Scale of Wages for
Conductors and motormen
on January l.
RAISE ABOUT NINE PER
CENT FOR employees

tormen and conductors In the en-
ploy Of Public Service railway will
go into effect January /, 1911. With
most of the men it will mean a raise
of about nine per cent. and 1t is es-
timated that 1t will cost the COM
pany close to $125,000 per year in
the shape of higher pay rolls.
There are about $500 motormen
and conductors in the employ of the
company and the new scale of wages
will go into effect ON all the divis-
ions, including the Bergen division,
which until recently was the New
Jersey and Hudson River Railway
and Ferry Company property. Not
only are the present employees to be
benefited but the rate of pay for
newcomers will also be placed On q
higher level.
At present the wage scale of the
company for platform men is 21
cents per hour for first year men;
22 cents for second year men; 23
cents for third to tenth year and "a
cents for those who have been in
the company's employ more than ten
years. Under the new schedule first
year men will receive % cents an
hour; second year men 23 cents;
third to tenth year men, "a cents,
and those who have served ten or
more years, "a Il cents. While this
increases the rate paid for the first
three mentioned classes, one cent an
hour, very large percentage of the
men are in the present first and sec
ond year classes so that these men
will profit by the raise In wages and
change in classification at the same
time giving them an increase of two
cents an hour over their present
wages. For instance, the man who
began work as a first year man in
1910 at 81 cents an hour, becomes
a second year man in 1911 and will
be paid 23 cents an hour. The sec
ono year man of 1910 will be the
third year man of 1911, and his pay
will be "a cents instead of~22 cents
an. hour.
Notice of the increases will be
posted in the car barns under or
ders of General Manager Danforth
and Superintendent of Transporta-
ton Bolen and the remainder will
come as sort of Christmas gift from
the company. The order to raise the
pay of the men is part of the action
taken by the company year ago,
when an increase in wages was put
into effect with the promise that a
further increase would be made jan
uary /, 1911, with still further
raise on January /, 1912.
Public Service Railway now pays
it's platform men higher wages than
most similar properties pay and its
schedule will compare favorably with
other street railways anywhere
else n the country. Compared with
municipality operated street railways
abroad, the Public Service rates Of
wages for motormen and conductors
are from sixty to one hundred per
cent. higher than those paid in Eng
land. In recent consular report
from United States Consul Albert
Halstead, England, 1t was pointed
out that on the municipal railways
OF Birmingham conductors start at
11A cents an hour and work up to
1891 cents per hour, while motor
mans wages range from 1887 cents
per hour to 1929 cents per hour.
The average weekly wage of the
Birmingham street railway men was
STA for the year 1909.
In addition to raising the scale of
wages the Public Service railway put
into effect a minimum weekly wage
of $1,000, so that the men on the
extra list would get something for
their time IL compelled to wait
around the car barns. Naturally ef-
forts are made to keep the men en-
ployed as nearly full time as possible
but during the past eleven months
the minimum wage rate cost the
company something like $500 for
waiting time.
at is gratifying to be able to re-
mind the motormen and conductors
that they are to receive higher
wages" said Thomas N. McCarter,
president of the company, today.
Public Service has always treated
its employees fairly and wants tNHrn
to share in its prosperity whenever
possible. The company appreciates
the spirit of loyalty shown by the
men in the past and expects con-
tinuation of that loyalty and good
will to the end that the efficiency of
the service shall be enhanced and
cordial relations between the com
pany and its patrons maintained.
Bjunstrem-R Raines race tonight at
- OI-10 u