New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-07-03
Garments Demand
To Be Presented
Within a Week
Third Avenue Employees
Hold Meeting to Draw
Up Grievances

William B. Fitzgerald, general or
ganizer Of the Amalgamated Associa-
ton Of Street and Electric Railway
Employees, last night authorized the
statement that better wages and work
ing conditions will be demanded OF the
Third Avenue Railway Company within
the week.
Does that mean striker" he was
asked.
THAT is up to the company he re-
piled. Personally, / hope there will
be no strike that the company will
see the wisdom OF dealing with the men
in friendly spirit
Demands Are Sweeping
The demands will include a raise
from the present basic rate OF p cents
an hour for new motormen and con-
ductors, time and one-half for all over
time, and the limiting Of the period in
which men are given to earn days
pay.
Some of the men," he said, working
on what they call swings-that IS, runs
intended to cover the rush traffic
have TO begin their day at O'Clock in
the morning. They put in few hours
here and there, and it is l o'clock the
next morning before they have full
day in. That is inhuman and has got
to be stopped.
at is, of course, impossible to do
without the swing system in a city like
this. All men cannot have a straight
workday, but the time in which man
must put in should be limited, as 1t is
in other cities"
Fitzgerald attended an all-night ses-
sion of Third Avenue employees, held
in Hibernian Hall, 2ll East Forty-hfth
Street. The men came to the hall as
they quit work. At the first meeting
called for s o'clock there were four
hundred present. In all, more than
one thousand men attended the three
meetings.
Urge Stronger Organization
They were addressed by Fitzgerald,
Frank 0'Shea, of Buffalo, who, like
Mr.. Fitzgerald, is a member of the ex-
eeutive committee of the Amalgamated
Association; William Collins, general
organizer Of the American Federation
of Labor, and Louis Fridiger, local
counsel for the Amalgamated Associa-
ton.
The burden Of TIE speeches was the
need of strengthening the organization.
which has been kept intact since the
strike of nearly a year ago, with some
discussion of the wages and conditions
obtaining in other cities.
Fitzgerald said that committee IS
now engaged in drawing up the demands
of the men.
"The names of the members of this
committee" he said, will not be di-
vulged until the company gives them
out. 1t is made up almost completely
of old employees. SO far the company
has only discharged three of them
men who have worked for 1T nine,
eleven and twelve years each. ! sup
pose that when it learns the names or
the others it will fire them. too"
Other Lines Come Later
Glow about the companies other than
the Third Avenue-are you doing any
thing with them"
yes" he replied, "but the business
before the house just now is the Third
Avenue. We will take up the others IN
due time"
Alfred A. Cook counsel for the Third
Avenue, said yesterday that there was
10 real reason for dissatisfaction on
the part of the compsny's employees.
THE company is paying all it pos
sibly can" he said. THE recent IN
crease was entirely voluntary and in
recognition of the needs Of the men.
do not believe our men really want
to strike. It is the work Of alien agi-
tatOrs.'
Hedley Not Interested
Frank Hedley, general manager of
the New York Railways and the In
terborough system, said he was not
particularly interested.
I'VE have plenty of men," ne said,
"and have no reason for thinking we
cannot meet any contingency that may
arise"