The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-08-14
LABOR LEADERS ANGRY
Attorney for Amalgamated
Calls 10 Per Cent. Jump
Double Cross"
BIG BATTLE PREDICTED
Organizing Of Carmen Pushed
FOrward-Swann Studies
Hylan's Charges.

For the first time since the strike
clouds gathered and Brooklyn tempo
rsrily acquired the jitney habit the In
terborough and the New York Rail-
ways companies yesterday launched a
blow at their old enemies. the organ
izers Of the Amalgamated Association
of Street and Electric Railway EN-
ployees.
By announcing a 10 per cent. in
crease OF wages of all shopmen. mo-
tormen, guards and other transit en-
ployees yesterday Frank Hedley, gem
eral manager of the Interborough,
served notice to the world, and partic-
uiarly to that part of it which infests
the subway and elevated during rush
hours, that the company did not in
tend to permit the Amalgamated to
win over all its men to membership
and then make demands similar to
those in Brooklyn without a long and
hard battle. At the same time Job E.
Hedges. receiver for the New York
Railways Company. which operates
the green cars. recommended to Fed
eral Judge Mayer that a similar in
crease be granted.
The voluntary wage increase indi-
Gates that the two companies. which
have been playing possum lately while
the organizers Of the Amaiagamated
garnered members. may resist to the
end the efforts of the union, and that
means that a strike may come on the
Manhattan lines which will dwarf
Brooklyns troubles.
Union Action Planned.
1t is the intention Of the Affialaga-
mated union to make demands when
they have a united front, a membership
of from so to 80 per cent. of the Inter
borough and other companies. They now
claim to have rs per cent. Of the men
In their ranks. The predictions of the
union men that there would be no strike
were based upon the belief that the COM
panies would submit without a murmur
to unionization and later to the unions
wage and hours demands. The npve
Of the companies yesterday indicates
precisely the opposite.
e Louis Fridiger. general counsel Of the
Amalgamated. last night Characterised
the action Of the Interborough and New
York Railways companies as a double
cross" He said that the union had
given its word not TO do anything which
would alter the situation during the ef-
forts for arbitration between the union
and the Brooklyn companies being made
by Public Service Commissioner Lewis
Nixon and Judge Julius Mayer There
vas a sort of "gentleman's agreement"
10 this effect between union and com
panies.
of course we are mighty pleased that
the men will get this extra money"
Mr.. Fridiger said. "If the men are
satisfied with 1t. why of course we are"
You consider the wage increase a
maneuvre on the part OF the compa-
MES to weaken the position of the
union?" he was asked.
NO" he answered. 1T consider II
double cross. Had not the union
pledged itself. we could have ordered a
strike and tied up every wheel in Man
haitian and The Bronx. We agreed
not TO pending these negotiations, and
We will not It is a most significant
thing that although the companies have
been crying that they could not give
another cent to another man in their
employ, they now are able to make this
increase when an outside union is in
the city"
For publication other union officials
said yesterday with great indifference
that the increase meant absolutely moth
Ing to them; that they were merely
organizing the men OF the companies
who desired to organize, but In private
whole lot of thinking and planning
was going on. The union officlals realize
that they must. II they expect to win
IN New York, secure an overwhelming
proportion of car men. so that the re-
sistance OF the companies to their de-
mands will be futile. Just how many
men the 10 per cent increase will win
over to the companies and to the com
pany unions or brotherhoods, through
which the wage increases were granted
or recommended, Is problematical. The
union holds out alluring promises OF
much more money.
settlement for Increases.
At the present wage schedule on the
cars OF from 81 TO 49 cents the increa Sc
amounts to 4 or cents an hour. bring
Ing the wages up to 45 to 81 cents an
hour. In other cities which have been
unionized the wage scale is S or 10 cents
higher. In Brooklyn the union demanded
rs cents. but this will undoubtedly be
cut down in the arbitration meetings
The car men are confronted with the
question OF taking a sure small increase
or risking their Jobs by striking for a
hrger Increase
No formal announcement to the public
was made by Mr.. Hedley. but 1t became
-. a
made following a conference on Tues
DAY night between the general manager
and the general committee OF the In
terborough Brotherhood. headed by p
J. Connolly. president. and NJ. J. Man
gan, vice-president.
In explaining his action Job L.
s1aaffoasA ~ EIffh D..