The Washington times., 1918-08-07
BY BILL PRICE.


ington has been given a new and
rather serious turn by the action Of
Division $50 of the Amalgamated As
sociation of Street and Electric Rail
way Employees in requesting the street
railways of this city 10 grant an in
crease in wage scale so that the
maximum TO be paid will conform
somewhat cloSsIy 70 the recent find
inES oc tie War LzAo- Board as to
wages - he paid 4os0znsa and con-
ducs0rx II BazE large cities OF the
couuIrT
II Is 11eozze%5 ~ : H Cookman.
secretary OS ths heal union. that
there VII - II strike N the event
the request Is refused but that the
men viii carry Chs question OF better
wages TO the War Labor Board.
Former President William Howard
Taft and Frank P. Walsh. joint chair
men of the board are administrators
in street railway controversies, and
will have to settle local issues placed
before them
Anti-StrIke Pact Made.
A strike of the members OF the local
uion is out of the question, inasmuch
an it entered into a three-year agree
ment with the Capital Traction Co.
} under date of March 20. 1917. by
which questions Of wages may be
brought forward once a year and dis
posed Of. The company agreed to
recognize the union and to meet COM
mittees from the organization. Ac-
cording to the three-year agreement
expiring March 20. 1920, questions of
4. LII. - lAI k,-
derstanding were to be referred to the
District Commissioners, whose deci-
sion was to be binding.
The local division reopened the
question of wages in March last and
an agreement was reached between
the two signers Of the contract Since
that time the Capital Traction has
voluntarily increased the scale of pay,
which today stands at 81 cents per
hour for motormen and conductors
for the first year of service, reaching
3S cents per hour at the end of the
fourth year.
The Washington Railway and Elec-
tric Company does not recognize the
union, but pays its men the same raIe
of compensation as the Capital Trac-
tion.
War Board Increase.
The request of the local division is
the outcome of recent awards made
by Messrs. Taft and Walsh in twenty
two cases of street railway wage dis
putes before them. There were sub
stantial wage increases in every case,
but not uniform in every city, and
go 900 men were affected. There are
a number of other cases to be passed
upon.
In larger cities Of the country the
ductors is fixed at from As to 5OIa
cents per hour. with apprentices re-
ceIvinE 43 cents as a general rule
In cities next in size the maximum is
AZ cents, with Al cents for appren-
tices Apprenticeship is arbitrarily
fixed at one year, when the conduc-
tors and motormen receive the maxi
mum. They get an increase after the
frst three months.
Time and a half overtime is re.
ouired OF the street railway com.
panies when men are compelled to
work in excess OF their regular runs
deney to stop the splitting up OF the
DAYS work OF the men.
In all cases where the right to or
ranize was an issue the board up.
held the men in the exercise OF theiI
tights to Join unions without fear OF
nolestation from employers. Indi
yIduaI employment contracts were or
dered eliminated for the period oi
war as constituting an interference
With the free right OF men to organ.
iZe.
The Washington Railway and Elec-
tric Company during the strike OF
1917 exacted individual contracts
from its men. The local contracts
have not been considered by the
hoard. but wherever wage disputes
arose the board ordered them can
celed.
Bad Financial Conditions.
: The war board. in increasing
wages, pleaded with public service
commissions and city authorities gen.
orally to raise street car fares Sc
that the companies will be able to
meet their increased expenditures
and declared that IL this is not done
bankruptcy, receiveTships. and de-
rnoraIization, with failure of adequate
service. must be the result 1t was
declared that 'in Justice the public
should pay an adequate war compen-
sation for a service which can not b.
rendered except for war prices"
The board recommends to President
Wilson that special Congressional