South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1917-04-26
CARMEN To MAKE
DEMANDS FRIDAY
New Wage Scale is to be
Drawn Up at Meeting
This Afternoon.

AT a meeting OF the newly or
ganized union Of car workers that
Is 70 be held after working hours
shortly after / o'clock Friday morn
ing wage scales will be approved
by the men and will then be pre-
scented by an elected committee TO
the authorities of the railway com
pany. who will be permitted a rea-
sonable time in which to consider
the demands of the men.
There are no new developments"
declared Mgr. K. I. Hardy We'd
nesday evening. IT can tell you of
nothing pertinent" declared Or
ganizer Harlem Shine of the union.
except that all will be decided at
the meeting which is to be held
early Friday morning.
Want No Trouble.
I'VE do not anticipate trouble"
Mr.. shine went on. I'm fact il is
our wish TO maintain the most
friendly relations with the company
but it is they who have taken the
first hostile step in employing a
number Of men to become familiar
with local runs preparative to be
coming employees of the local COM
pany." He told of the reports that
had come TO him of new men being
placed on the local cars 10 learn
routes and become familiar with To-
cal operating conditions.
He placed particular emphasis on
the fact that the union would want
to arbitrate in case the company
could not or would not grant the
demands Of the men. I'VE shall
be anxious to place our case in that
event with a board Of arbitration
and we will agree 10 accept their
decision. We know that the men
will be the greatest losers in case
the argument ever comes to a strike
and hence wish 10 avoid any con-
nict" He, however, declared that
since the union so recently formed
here is practically a 100 per cent
organization, the men had nothing
To fear in a strike.
Arrange Scale Today.
A committee OF the officers OF
the union and other members will
hold a special meeting on Thursday
afternoon and scales of wages and
hours Of work will be prepared for
presentation to the meeting that
will be held after working hours.
At this meeting one OF these scales
Will be approved by the working men
Of the union and a committee chOs-
en- by them TO present the claims
20 the officers of the company. The
meeting. too, will determine the
time limit that will be permitted
the company in which to present its
answer.
Mr.. shine pointed out that the
local car employees are among the
lowest paid men in similar trades in
the United states He said that in
the whole state of sachusetts,
where he is employed, the minimum
scale is as high as the maximum
scale in south Bend.
Within the last 90 days during
which there has been a shortage of
labor. 1t has been impossible for
any of the men 10 get day of and
most of them have been working
seven days a week and often as high
as 10 hours day. Total wages,
according 70 Mr. Shine have. of
course, mounted under long hours
and seven-day work, but working
conditions have steadily grown
worse.
Regarding the contract which
every employe of the company is
required 10 sign. Mr.. Shine. called
it a condition of employment and
not a real contract and averred that
il could not be supported legally.
He said that every man upon join
ing the ranks of the employees Of
the company is required TO sign
paper that he never reads and that
if he refuses he Is not employed.
This condition, he said, is as strict
as membership IN the mutual benefit
association among the members
which requires the payment OF reg
ular dues Of all OF the men.