New Britain herald., 1916-05-16
BARDO APPEALS TO
 NEW HAVEN CLERKS
Fears Effect on Business if They
 Strike Tomorrow


 railroad has addressed a letter to the clerks of the company, who threaten to go on strike any hour after a. m. 1 Wednesday unless a settlement of their l demands is reached by that time, urg ing them to accept the offer of the | company.
 The company originally offered a five per cent. increase, but this offer was rejected, and the company sub- mitted another proposal, which rep resented an increase in their payroll of GA per cent.
 This proposal was likewise reject | ed. The federal department of labor i then took up the case and on Friday last R. B. Mahany acting as con- ciliator, arrived in New Haven. Con- | ferences were held with both sides on 1 Saturday.
 On Sunday morning General Man ager Bardo received a letter from President Forester of the clerks or ganization stating that unless a set clement is reached at the time men toned a strike will be called. Anxious, in the interest of New England business men and all con- cerned, to avoid a strike, the company has addressed the following letter to K, situation and the settlement already reached with the clerks of the me- chanical department, and the settle ment upon neighboring lines-all upon a five per cent basis-and renewing individually the proposal made to the clerks committee:
 Referring to the request of com mittee representing you for an 1n- crease in rates of pay and some changes in conditions, under date of December 29:
 "Upon receipt of the outcome of the vote on the ballot which indicated that substantially ninety per cent. of the clerks were in favor of rejecting the original five per cent. increase of- fered, the following proposal was sub- mitted to Mr. Forester and your com- mittee:
 G Twenty cents per day to clerks getting $2.0O per day or less;
 "'Six per cent. with a minimum of fifteen cents to men getting $2.O1 to s2.50 per day; and
 "'Five per cent. with minimum of fifteen cents to men getting $25O per day or more
 These figures represent an increase of GA per cent of the payroll and are in excess of any settlement heretofore made with your committee.
 At conference with the committee on Friday last this proposal was re- jected by them. At that time the good offices of the Conciliators at tached to the Federal Departm ent of Labor were invoked and the Honor able R. B. Mahany, acting as Con- ciliator, was detailed to take up the NT h ! ven Saturday D. m. and has had con- ferences with both sides.
 1T am in receipt of letter from Grand President Forester this morn- ing stating that unless a settlement of this controversy is reached 8 strike of the clerks will be called at any hour after 6:00 a. m. on Wednesday, May 17th.
 T beg to call attention of clerks to the fact that settlement has been ef- fected with the Mechanical Depart ment forces, nearly 5000 in number, the signal maintainers, clerks on the Central New England and a large number of other employees upon the basis of five per cent. increase set- clement with Mechanical Departm ent forces having been brought about through the good offices of the Fed eraI Department of Labor Settle ment upon neighboring lines, the New York Central and Boston & Albany. with their clerks has been upon the basis of five per cent.
 '"The average rates paid clerks upon the New Haven is higher than the average rates paid clerks upon any of our neighboring New England lines.
 ''The management because of the unusual conditions is most anxious to avoid a strike or anything which might tend to interfere with the free and normal handling of it's traffic and therefore we submit direct to the en- ployes this proposal in order that you may be informed concerning the sit uation and to give you an opportun- ity to make known your wishes to the committee before it is too late.
 ''The company is anxious to treat all of it's employees with equal con- sid eration but because of the extra ordinary costs of operation brought about by congested conditions the revenue of the company does not jas tify further increase in rates of pay The company hereby renews for in- dividua1 consideration of it's clerks the offer as contained in the preceding part of this letter and you are there fore urged to give serious and prompt consideration and take such action as will protect your individual and fam fly interests, with full understanding that if you leave the service in re- sponse to strike order that the company must and will fill your place and that the door of opportunity in outside industries which is now so promising may be closed when the ur- gency of the existing industrial situa- ton is relieved.
 "C. l.. BARDO