The Detroit times., 1914-01-20
BY CENTRAL.


4 am so thoroughly exasperated at
the way the telephone company has
tried TO cover up its dishonesty and
tho incapabiilty of the system 10 take
care Of the calls by attributing the
poor service TO the girls unwilling
ness To work. that ! would like to
write reply 10 the statements made
through the press by this brutal com
pany; for surely company with as
much wealth as the A. T. & r. that
VIII take advantage of lot OF work.
Ing girls. is worse than brutal.
The officials OF such company are
TO be pitied.
They pay the girls no such scale
or wages AZ they have repeatedly said
through the press.
Just last March or April they raised
tho scale OF wages. IL was as fol
lows:
A girl In the operators school was
to be paid at the rate or $50 per
month. When she entered an ex-
change she Was to get $50 per month.
after two months, $33 per month. in
But they have not even attempted
10 fulfill the promise.
know girls who have worked epS
the A. t. & 7. for three years and are
getting 1913 per month, and they had
to say that they would leave II they
didn't get IL and have a lot OF un.
pleasantness and perhaps be sworn
at, as one OF the girls at a certain
exchange WAS by It's former manager.
70 get that much.
Some girls will fight for what be
longs to them in the way or wages
but others would starve first, and the
"a. T. d t. would. from all appear
Rnces. let them.
know OF one home in which there
q only one person able 10 work 20
support family OF nine.
She Is ~ years old, has worked
or the A. T. a 7. for Is months and
5 drawing $50 per month, whereas.
the company desired 70 be honest
with the girls and pay them accord
ing 10 the scale that Went into effect
AIT April. she would be getting a.
east s3S per month.
Every month she IS beaten out OF
light dollars. just because she is not
II the fighting mind
/ should like the public 10 know
he reason An operator goes in on
be line while TWO parties are talking.
md says | Will ring them again.
VI They do not answer" or Please
-epeat your number and | viii ring
hem again.
1t IL not because she wishes 10 hear
bit or the conversation. but because
he company does not hire enough
capable switchboard men TO keep the
ignals In order
When TWO parties are talking. both
ignals should be dark. but because
lbout half the signals and the other
apparatus with which the girls work
re out Of order. they are not dark.
IL then becomes the operators duty
O go in on the line TO find out what
he trouble is.
However, she can not ask the party
but must say one OF the three things
which have just mentioned
II she says the right thing, all is
veil and good. but if she says the
wrong thing, the party will curse her
md she finds out in that way that
many times there Ia nothing wrong
but the signals or cords are out of
order
II the apparatus were in good or.
er. she could be answering three or
our other calls, instead or doing this,
Ind the people would not have TO
walt 90 long for the operator 10 re-
pond, nor curse her when she does
respond.
SO instead OF swearing at the oper-
ktor, the party should rake the com
bauy over the Goals for allowing the
apparatus 10 get into such a condi-
lon
No workman can do satisfactory
work with poor tools.
When the operator does not answer
he party as soon AS he picks up his
-eceiyer or within three or four sec.
binds. he should know that the oper.
tor IL doing some such unnecessary
work OF else she has too many lines
10 take care OF.
The operators seldom fool at
heir positions, because they know
hoy would certainly be discharged.
The operators are not even allowed
30 talk at their positions.
N people think the operators are
sxy, they ought 20 visit an exchange,
which can I've done by obtaining q per.
MT az the main once,
Each operator has 700 many lines
O take care OF and Is Obliged 70 work
90 many hours
AT most work, girl can work
tight hours, but telephone work Is
[ery wearing on the brain as we'll as
bn the eyes.
II is impossible to work more than
hree hours without a relief and ex'
pect 70 keep your health.
DO you sec any senSe in asking q
kirl TO work such hours az these,
polling her whole day and evening
khe can not 70 out unless she is forttl.
bate enough to get some girl who Is
lready overburdened with work 20
work extra for her. Or runs a risk OF
osing her position, 49,
The hours are as follows: a. m.