The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1919-10-07

fore the state public service
commission here Tuesday, u. u.
O'lirien, assistant superintsnd.
cnt of public utilities, aroused
the CONSERVATION OF telephone
officials when he declared the
company l. paying insufficient
wages Co "heiio girls" 10 insure
adequate service to the public.
0'Brien said he considered Sis6
month not too much TO pay
for efficient telephone operators.
Easing his testimony ON the re-
suits Of an investigation covering a
period OF several weeks. onricn
graphically pictured conditions In
telephone exchanges turnout the
city. declared the company. despite
poor service. in handling a less mum.
Der OF calls than In 1915 when scrv-
Ice was good. and blamed low wages
for the conditions as they now are.
The telephone hearing. the com
mission said. would be concluded by
Tuesday night Decisions In the gas
and telephone cases viii be handed
down late Tuesday or early wednes'
day. u was stated. before the com.
mission departs for Wenatehee 60
hear another case.
o'Bricn's declaration that the
wage paid telephone girls by tho
company ~ too small. came as n
surprise 20 the group OF company
officials grouped about the room In
the county-city building. where the
l.. ha4.x.s sa,n.i.tAaI
City Pays More
The city council" said o'Ilrien.
has adopted "A scale for telephone
operators In the clty's service. This
scale gives n chief operator 1880 n
year. or $3.50 a month. and six opor.
a,ors total OF ts.od5 a year. or siss
a month per girl. This includes fun
pay for 10 days vacation during the
summer"
But. Mr.. O'Brien." quixzed Attor.
ney otto u. Rupp. counsel for the
telephone company. would you say
the company should pay its opcr-
ators a similar wagc?''
The company retorted o.Bricn.
AS a public utility corporation.
owes duty to the public higher
than that owed by the city In this
regard. In view of this duty. the
company should pay as much 10 It's
employees as Is required 10 render
efficient service. IL the company
were 20 pay IN excess Of what tho
city pays. that wage would not be
too much.
Should Enjoy Life
1T Is my belief" he added. that
telephone operator. who at best
can last MT her occupation but 10
or Is years. and give satisfactory
service. should be paid enough 20 al
low her 10 live respectfully. enjoy
some OF the Injuries Of life and.
at the same time. lay aside during
that 10 or IS years enough money
to insure her proper care la the
years OF her Incfficlency.~
Third Add Girl Op~rators--50
tant superintendent OF public utiil.
ties7" o'Brien was asked.
Il get $500 MONTH" he replied.
eff telephone operators are paid
siss a month. don't you think you
etAF 4Ata'a AttA tA 1NfisAi-tA h10AAs
Strain Tells on Girls
Perhaps" he said. II am under.
paid. But II Is my contention that
the telephone girl. whose duties keep
her under the strain Of nervous ten.
sion. should be well paid My duties
are diversified and tho strain not 30
great"
Investigation In telephone ex.
changes. O'Brien said. allowed that
as compared with an investigation
made In October. 1916. there II n less
number OF calls at this time. despite
the fact that there are 1854 more
telephones.
Il found" he said. that there are
many vacancies on the switch
boards"
About one-third Of the girls en-.
ployed are 100 per cent efficient.
one-third are IS per cent efficient
and one-third 10 per cent efficient.
making an average switchboard ef
/ ficiency of about 81 per cent.
noted delay In answering calls and
delay In connecting and disconncct
ing.
Pay the Lowest
Girls employed on the night shift,
are higher paid than girls on the
day shift. altho the peak load. the
hardest work, occurs In tho day
time. IL is conspicuous that at a
time when mercantile establishments
and others competing for female
help, are offering highest wages. the
telephone company Is offering the
lowest"
A careful check on the time re
quired to complete n call. O'Brier
said, was made by employees In his
office.
This check was made" he said
by calling n party first and asking
the party to remain at the phone for
n second call. In that way delay on
the party answering was avoided. a
second call was then made. Our
test record shows that in 3ss calls
the party answered in from two sec
onds TO five minutes and ~ seconds
Despite the telephone company,
promised millions for additional IN
ciIlties." and the first automatic
system in the world" Assistant Cor
poration Counsel T. J. l.. Kennedy
conducting the probe for the city
was not satisfied Tuesday that prom
ises would remedy immediate condi
tons.
You talk about what you are go
ing TO do in 1920. or a year from now
or Mt some time in the future" dc
clared Kennedy. during the examina
ton OF company witnesses Monday
afternoon. You talk in generalitie,
Of facilities outside plant and in
side plant But what the people
who use telephones want TO know Is
how soon are we going TO get nor
NAL service, good service. and how
you are going to give IT,"