The sun., 1916-09-07
GREEN CAR MEN END
ALL NEGOTIATIONS
Fitzgerald Tells Hedley Inter.
bOro Has Violated Pledges
Made to Mayor.
MORE LINES MAY STRIKE
Third and Second Avenue En-.
plOyees Ready to Join
1nterbOrO Men.

Labor leaders who on Tuesday sew
cred working relations with the Inter-
borough. at 3.o'clock yesterday after
noon broke OF all negotiations between
the Amalsamatsd Carmen's Union and
the New York Railways Company. BY
this stroke the arteries Of travel upon
which Manhattan and the Bronx have
total reliance were made subject to the
voted Will Of their employees, the
function Of operation In a sense being
taken out Of the hands Of the executives
who serve both companies.
After determinations on both sides this
final break came. The union men
charged they were forced to their action
by the ruthless d~ismissal-as they called
it-of about 200 Interborough men
prominent In the recent strike prepara-
TONS. Frank Hediey. vice-president and
general manager of both companies,
they said. was 80 bent on crushing out
unionism that ne chose as his victims
the men who had gone before him on
Tuesday with the demands on behalf Of
the PETERBOROUGH.
The company had its side, one in
which 1t proclaimed itself the victim OF
an injustice and u deliberate breach Of
faith. At an afternoon conference be-
tween Hedley. W. Il. Fitzgerald. national
organiser for the Amalgamated Louis
Fridiger, counsel for the union. and
other officials the men of the union
charged that Hedley and the Inter-
borough for weeks had been planning
n violation OF the agreement Of August
Z made between the New York RAY
Company and the employees. This
violation consisted in the contemplated
circularixation Of the New York Rail-
ways system with the working agree
ments that now bind $500 of the Inter-
borough workers to the company.
Each Side Bla Other.
The unions insisted that instead OF de-
"A strike they were marked for
a lockout by Hedley. The INTERIOR
ough's general operator insisted that
the labor leaders simply were seixing on
this vague construction of the August Z
as a pretext to strike.
Mr.. Hedley was the FIRST to act yes
morning when II was learned he
had dropped from the Interborough's
about 200 men. At strike head
quarters in the Hotel Continental. to
which this information was carried. Mr..
FITZGERALD proclaimed some Of the men
had been dropped simply for the eason
they had offended Hedley by appearing
a union committee the afternoon be-
fore. Others had been let out because
they wore union buttons. still others on
account OF their refusal to sign the
working contracts Of the 1nterborough.
In the railroad offices another explain
alton was given. IL was said the MEM
bers OF the union executive committee
had been dropped after warning. that
they had been told the day before that
the ompany required every man at his
work and could give them no further
leaves Of absence. These men put their
organization above their work and dis
obeyed the order OF Hedley.
For the dropping OF the others. It was
said .hey had been overzealous, per
suasive to the point OF intimidation IN
irving 10 get loyal company men 20 Join
The union. Their forcible coercion
earned their dismissal. No attention
was paid to the other charge.
Meet in Hedley's ONCE.
However. these discharges and the
mooted working contracts were pegs on
which each side hung its coat n few
hours afterward before actually engaging
In fight. Despite the plain talk. the
direct rebufrs and the acrimony that
passed between the union leaders and
Hedley OIL Tuesday. the c~ontending par
ties met again yesterday In 1875 Broad
way. the %company's Offices.
O~stensihly the purpose of the meeting
-.
vas a discussion OF adjusting conditions
OF work in accordance with the agree
ment entered into on August I. Actually
the reason on both sides WAS to have a
showdown.
To all intent only the New York Rail-
ways Company was to be the topic. but
the men had been together hardly more
than a minute in Hedley's office when
Pridigcr introduced the topic of the
marlborough dismissals.
The Amalgamated's local counsel made
inquiry about the discharged men. He'd
ley gave him the reasons cited above.
IIedley denied they were eliminated
from the service because of any union
activity. Point blank Hedley asked
II the railways men would
strike In sympathy with the INTERIOR
oush.
MY answer to that. Mr.. Hedley.' re-
sponded the labor organizer. rs going 10
be "A statement in answer to your adm!s-
s!ons to-day. When the men Of the New
York Railways adjusted the disputes be-
tween them and the company on August
7 we entered into that agreement with
all the good faith that any n could
enter into an agreement with, for the
purpose Of working out a mutual UNDER
standing with your company. I state
to you now, owing to the fact OF your
admissions. that We accuse the Of
hcials of the New York Railways Com
pany Of had faith from the very begin
ming OF that agreement.
VloY.tln. ~