The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-05-24

Il recommend that tho Employees Confer
once Committee work out the details OF train
plan for submission to you and the board OF
estimate and apportionment Representatives
OF the public schools, the local colleges ana
univcrsities, and of the technical forces OF the
city will. know. be glad to cooperate"
A great many condition exist In the city de-
partments. as in every large institution. which
operate disadrantageousy to particular
employees. These conditions may frequently
be remidied by conference and adjustment
Grievances which not aired or settled lead
to discomfort and consequently inetnciency.
Many employees are wrongly located Through
one means or another. they have found them.
selves in a particular kind of work which Ia
not especially interesting to them or for which
they are not particularly suited.
These facts may be effectively brought out
by the conference committee and submitted to
the proper authorities for consideration and
action. Nothing. OF course, that this committee
would do should tend to interfere with depart.
mental discipline. but 1t should serve to focus
conditions which may easily be remidied nv
administrative action
In several departments thrift societies and
Sick funds have been established There is
however. no general savings plan nor any sys
tenn Tor health provision. BY cooperation among
CITY employees. says Mr.. Bruere great deal
OF good should be accomplished through bro
vision for loan fund, sick relief attention to
the physical condition under which work is
performed the health OF employees and like
matters.
In the department OF health all EMPLOYEES
now receive physical examination and medical
advice. thus making II possible for the depart
ment to correct unfavorable working condi.
lions, and for the employees to take stems to
prevent development of serious physical dif
ncutles Matters OF this kind will be dealt
with through the Employees Conference Com.
mittee.
inc problems OF office MANAGEMENT record
Keeping. fling treatment OF correspondence
purshasing and bookkeeping. are problems
IN which every department is interested and
IN which improvement can be obtained through
lions.
At present various technical societies exist
among city employees as. for example, the
municipal Engineers, Medical Inspectors AS.
sociat!on, etc. These will be continued and
strengthened. 1t Is to extend the benefits OF
organizations OF this kind that 1t is proposed to
estaDish systematic conferences other
common administrative subjects.
:, MT. Bruere concludes his statement to the
Mayor with this strong appeal for co-opera.
uon between executives and employees:
The whole purpose OF the foregoing sug.
gestlons Is to give the employees q vital part
IN the management OF the city government,
and 10 place upon them at the same time re-
sponsibility for developing improved methods
and enecting economies. In short. the object
IS to bring actively to bear upon the problems
of the city the minds and interest Of the thou.
sands OF the city employees, well as those
or the hundreds Of executives and officials.
In this way the working forces of the city
government Will feel responsibility as whole
Tor the successful management OF municipal
business and the artificial barriers now ex.
listing between department and department
on the one hand. and employees and officials
on the other hand, taken down to the advan.
tage Of employees and taxpayers. and the city
generally"