Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-04-12
5000 STREET CARMEN
URGED TO JOIN UNION;
SURPRISE FOR PR. 7.
Railway Association Represent
atives Try to Reopen Cues
tion of Wages and Condi-
tions of Employees
MITTEN OUT OF THE CITY

Amalgamated Association of street an
Electric Railway Employees Of Anerica
the organization which engineered tn
big strike Of motormen and conductors I
1910, attempted today TO reopen the en-
tire question Of wages and working con
ditions Of the Philadelphia carmen.
In accordance with this plan, thes
this afternoon mailed t
every one of the 5000 or moro conductor
and motormen employed by the Philadel
phia Rapid Transit Company a clrcula
letter calling upon them 90 organize, &C
cusing Thomas E. Mitten president o
the company, with not keeping faith wit
carmen Of philadelphia were among th
poorest paid in the country.
LETTER TO THE MEN.
The circular letter was sent to the car
men at their homes II follows:
To motormen and conductors of the
p. r. T. Company:
Statement made July 1, 1919, Bull
letln No. 10, by Mr.. Thomas Mitten,
manager Of the p r. 7. Company:
That the motormen and conductors
working for the p. r. T. Company
would be the best-paid motormen and
the year 1915" Did he keep that
promise? No.
Witness wage scales per hour In
other cities as follows Hubbard.
Ohio, IL cents Worcester, Mass,
81 cents Ypsilante, Mich, 80 cents;
Sharon, Pa. 31Is cents: Cleveland,
Ohio, 32 cents; birmingham, Mass.
30 cents; Seattle, Wash, 90 cents;
New Castle, Pa, 80 cents Mt
Clemens, Mich, 30 cents Vancouver
B. c., 80 cents: Sacramento, Cal, 32
cents; Boston, Mass, 80 cents Salt
Lake City, 33 cents Edmonton, Alta
"a cents Winnipeg, Man, % cents;
Sheridan, Wy, SO cents Chicago, Ill,
86 cents; Missoula, Mont. 35 cents
Wheaton, ILL.,, 36 cents; Regina,
Wash, 37k cents Saskatoon, Sask.,
37Is cents San Francisco, Cal, 71a
cents; Helena, Mont, 80 cents; Oak
land, Cal, 40 cents; Great Falls,
Mont, 43Ia cents Butte, Mont. 45
cents; Gary. Ind, 35 cents; Schenec-
tady, n. Y, 80 cents; Utica, N. Y,
33h cents; Detroit. Mich. S5 cents;
Calgary, 35 cents. There are 40
other cities getting as much as YOU
and their working conditions are much
different You are the poorest paid
motorrnen and conductors working In
any large city in the United States or
Canada
We ask a comparison of the present
schedules with the ones in existence In
1911 when we had a large organiza-
tion and were working under an agree
ment with the company.
The men then had a say in making
the schedules, while Mr.. Mitten now
alone decides that matter which
means so much to every worker.
We ask you to compare the way
grievances were adjusted by your
Grievance Committee of Division AT
in 1911 and the way the Cooperative
Committee are adjusting grievances
at the present time.
MITrEN'S SALARY.
Speaking of wages. Mr.. Mitten re-
ceives only 100000 per year, $4,000
per month, nearly $4,000 per week, 50
weeks in a year, $320.50 per day, $40
per hour. And remember, Mr.. Mitten
has no lost days.
Just now there is a wave of senti-
ment favorable TO organization in
every trade and calling in Philadel-
phia.
It is a deliberate and just move for
the workers to get better working
conditions and more wages to meet
the enormous increase in the cost of
living.
You. carmen, can be assured that
organized labor will give you every
assistance possible in support of any
Just demand you may make.
This appeal for you TO join or
ganiZed labor forces is authorized
by the Central Labor Union. whose
representatives herewith subscribe
their names: Joseph NJ. Richie, or
g.. ,R T NENNrsa aN-H
Keenan,, president of the Central
Labor Union; John Thomas, presi-
dent of the Textile Council; Alex
ander Mcguire, business agent taxi
cabs; Harry c. Parker, manager of
United Trades Association; Joseph
Allison, business agent plumbers;
John A. Phillips. recording secretary
Central Labor Union; Edward Green,
president brewery engineers; John
]. McDevitt, business agent bartend.
ers; Michael MeDermott, business
agent carpenters; Harry E. Vein
stock, business agent walters.
HARRY r. FLYNN,
President Division ATT.
p. S.-If you want to preserve
even what you now have and receive
the conditions that locals in other
large organized cities of the A. A. of
this application with the committee
man at your depot or at the office
of Division ATT, 282 North 9Th street.
APPLICATION BLANKS.
Attached TO the circular letter was ar
application blank for membership in ths
A small card also accom-
,anied each letter on which was printed:
The organization committee Of the
Central Labor Union is making an
effort 20 organize the carmen Of Phila-
dslphia. You received a circular.
Have you filled out the same as re-
qussted. II not, why not? You owe
II 10 yourself 10 do 50,
Mr. Mitten was out OF the city today
,ut the circular letter was read by F. S
sairchild, his secretary. Mr.. FaiTehilc
oppressed surprise and said that IL wal
he first he had heard OF any activity OF
he part OF the officials OF the association
ToO LATE FOR CLASSIFICATION