New-York tribune., 1919-07-27
Poor Phone Service
Is Laid TO Shortage
Of Good Operators
F. I'll. Bethel Says Company
Is Trying to Fill Ranks by
Offering Higher Wages;
Training Adds to Problem

A shortage Of skilled operators is
the immediate cause Of the present un-
satisfactory telephone service, accord
ing to Frank II. Bethel, first vice
president Of the New York Telephone
Company. Mr.. Bethell made this
plain in letter to the Merchants As
sociation which that organization gave
cut yesterday.
Intensive recruiting methods were
remcdying the fault, Mr.. Bethel said,
but for some months it would be
necessary for the public to depend for
telephone service largely upon opera
tors who are novices at the switch
board. Mr.. Bothells letter was in re-
ply to specific inquiries made by the
Merchants Association.
900 Employees Are Needed
1--WE have on the payrolls in Man
haitian and The Bronx to-day" he
| wrote. approximately 500 employees.
offered at the present time, and MAX
ing suitable allowance for the alb
sence OF employees now on vacation,
we should have about $500 employees
/ Of average ability on the payrolls of
the offices in Manhattan and The
| Bronx The present force is not of
average ability, as it is very largely
diluted with new and therefore mex
perlerced employees"
The telephone company has made q
net gain OF LOO in the number of its
employees in Manhattan and The
Bronx since the first Of the year. Ac-
oordng to Mr.. Bethel, under normal
conditions it requires from nine
months to one year before a new en-
ploye can be said to handle traffic
with 4 reasonable degree of efficiency"
lie gives the impression that it al
ways has been the custom of the com
rany to train its operators with the
public as instructors, saying, at is,
of course, understood that experienced
and trained telephone operators can
not be obtained in tie open market
that IN this industry it is necessary to
take raw material and train it.
Getting New Operators
The company, he said, is making
every effort to catch up with the situa-
ton and expresses confidence that it
Wlli be successful. New operators are
beng hired at the rate Of 1875 week
Canvassers are sent through the city
10 call at tie homo of prospects" and
>StrlVc to interest them in the tele-
phcne business. An extra day of vaca
\
l pcrsuades any one to enter The emplo,
, CT the company.
ne company does not depend en-
trely upon the public for the cduca-
ton Of It's operators. 1t has a train
ing department, where new employees
o are first placed. There, however, they
$ learn only the method of handling .
= switchboard Dextcrity in connecting
Y calls the training which Mr.. Bethel
t1k h.
under normal conditions is acquire,
At the expense Of the public. 1t is tho
= only way 1t can be acquired he said
Girls "Traincd' Quickly
SO acute did the present cmergenc,
become. he confessed, that it wa.
necessary "to somewhat curtail tn,
length Of time spent in the operators
training department" thus throwing ar
additional burden upon the public il
the matter OF educating telephone
operators.
Mr.. Bethel did not say how many O.
The new operators obtained through
tfc personal canvassers. through III,
recruiting scrgeants" Of his Drcgon
staff Nld through the newspaper ad
vertiscfncnta which arc a striking feat
urc Of thc help wanted" columns, m,
rcmalnng IN the employ OF the com
pany long enough TO become trainct
operators.
He did set forth, however. both tn,
advantages and the disadvantages O.
employment as switchboard operators
New employees receive minimum
wage of SIP week. This rate is IN
creased by extra pay for evening, holi
day. Saturday Afternoon and Sunda,
work, 80 that thc :.vcrago pay for thl
first Ycar IS 5000. A. tho end Of til,
Hrs' yoal the minimum wage is $l4
week. and ut The end Of the fifth yeal
SIS, always with the certainty of an IN
crcasing percentage Of extra pay fo1
extra work and with the certainty o
"annl"crsary paymonts' or bonuses &C
cording 10 .enrth Of service and witl
tie possibility o' advancement. :,
AlGhcr positions at better pay.