Evening star., 1919-08-28
President W. F. Ham Tells
Trainmen's Committees
Demands Are Too Great.
REFUSES TO RECOGNIZE
ANAL LGAMATED PROPOSAL
Riding Public Must Necessarily
Stand Any Additional Ex-
pense Now"

President W. F. Ham of the Wash
ington Railway and Electric Company
today informed committees of the
Brotherhood of Electric Railway EN-
ployes and the Amalgamated Associa-
tion of Street and Electric Railway
Employees that, under existing cir
cumstances. the company could not
grant their demands for increased
pay.
Declaring that the granting of the
wage increases demanded would mean
an additional expenditure Of $780,
600 year in the case of the ANAL
gamated and $S50,O00 if the demands
of the brotherhood, filed separately. were
granted instead President Ham stated
that the Washington Railway and Elec-
trio Company lis not in position to pay
:ts trainmen more than is paid by the
contract with its men effective un-
til March, 1920
Amalgamation Is Refused.
The principal demand made by the
fused. They asked for recognition OF
the union and for an agreement with
the Amalgamated Association. Mr..
Ham told the committee that he would
abide by The War Labor Boards de-
cisions, and meet and treat with en-
ployes or their representatives, but
would not sign an agreement with the
association as such.
Immediately after the session with
President Ham the Amalgamated
committee, composed Of Messrs. Not
ire, Cannon and Diggs. went into con-
ference with officials of the union at
headquarters to consider plans.
To the request for recognition of the
union. which was put In stronger
light than any of the other requests,
including pay-although pay scales
would be included in such an agree
ment-Mr. Ham replied:
tric Company adhefes to the princi-
pies and policies of the National War
Labor Board governing relations be-
tween workers and employers, pre-.
viousiy adopted by this company ana
now in effect, which were restated to
you in January, 1919. and included In
the award of the National war LABOR
Board in March, 1919.
Mr.. Hams formal statement to the
committee also said that any increase
by the riding public" The 7-cent fare
requested to pay wages under the
present scale and other costs, he said,
regardless of the increased demands
recently submitted, would not be SUI
ffcient to cover the present demands
Any further increase in wages would
have to be added to the fares to be
paid by the riding public and re-
uuested "to meet present expenses.
Consider Employees Welfare.
He expressed the Willingness of the
company to CONSIDER the welfare OF
its employees" and declared the COM
pany will be glad to receive any tes-
timony or evidence as to the cost OF
living compared with last March.
Mr., Ham suggested to the commit
tee of employees an armisticeN in the
dispute until October l, when, he said,
that "as the present award extends
until the first of next October, there
does not appear to be any undue haste
necessary to arrive at any conclusion.
and further time should be taken to
consider the matter.
Mr.. Hams statement to the COM
mittee follows:
.oThe company has never received
sufficient revenues to meet the cost
of wages under advances mace last
September, at which time the wages
of conductors and motormen We're ad-
yanced to the scale of 43-4S cents per
hour, corresponding to the scale fixed
by the National War Labor Board in
some large cities.
1.-The wages of employees other than
trainmen have been also increased
from time to time to adjust them to
wage level in keeping with the wages
of trainmen and also corresponding
with wages of other men in similar
occupations.
by reason of the above increases IN
wages to trainmen and other en-
uloyes, the company was required to
make an application to the Public
ITtilities Commission for a scent fare.
which was granted, effective October
~. 1918. It was hoped that this would
be sufficient to meet the Increased
costs, but this unfortunately did not
prove correct. In April Of this year
the company again appealed to the
commission for increased revenues
and, effective June 1. 1919. was au-
thorized to make a charge of cents
for transfers. This likewise proved
entirely inadequate. and on July the
company filed petition with the
commission for a 7-cent fare which
is necessary to meet the costs under
the present wage scale. The company
has attempted to keep the public, the
commission and it's employees fully
informed as to it's financial condition.
Operating Expenses Increase.
"a comparison of actual figures for
the seven months ending July 81,
1919, with the average Of the years
1914, 1915 and 1915, shows that while
operating revenues have increased
70 per cent. operating expenses. taxes
and other expenses. not including in
terest, have increased 125 per cent
Making a similar comparison with
the increased rates Of fare allowed by
So per cent, while operating expenses.
taxes. ETC., have increased 81 per cent.
1t is manifest that the company. inde-
pendently Of any increased demand
for wages, must have additional rev.
enues to meet wages on the existing
scale, and it necessarily follows that
the company is in the position of be-
ing unable to advance wages unless it
the present cost of wages, plus what
ever may be involved in new wage de-
mands.
IAN approximate estimate Of the de-
mands by some of our employees, men,
bers of the Amalgamated, shows that
the total of their demands amounts to
81 SIS SOC. 900 annually, or an increase Of IS
per cent. The demands Of other en-
ployes members of the brotherhood are
much more moderate, but even these
call for an additional expenditure of
$3.50, 900 annually.
"Any increase in wages must neces-
sarily be paid by the riding public. We