The sun., 1919-09-24
UNREST AFFECTS
CLERKS IN BANKS
Meeting in Cause Of Proposed
Union Held and Demands
Are Formulated.
WALL ST. SEEMS IMMUNE
Workers Of East Side, Smaller
State and Savings Banks
Lead Movement.

Chief CLERKS of all the banking insti-
tutions in this city were called yester-
day into consultation by cashiers and
assistant cashiers following publication
by one Of the news agencies of reports
that bank clerks, forming a union, met
last week secretly in the Washington
Irving High School building. adopted
by laws and formulated demands. There
was more or less CONSERVATION in the
financial district, particularly among
banking, and brokerage houses and cor
porations with large clerical forces,
among which more or less unrest had
been visible.
| The fact that the meeting was held
was confirmed. That Ii was attended
by 5000 bona fide bank clerks appeared
to be an overestimate. but there was no
doubt that the meeting was attended by
la large and enthusiastic audience. The
quiet Investigation OF the progress Of
clerical forces in Organising union In
| dicated that the greatest unrest pre-
vailed among clerks Of small private
East Side banking institutions, smaller
State institutions and larger ones hav-
ing numerous branches and savings
banks.
The large institutions in the Wall
Street district appear to be particularly
free from the unrest. It was said, largely
on account OF the regular annual bonuses
and in some cases the frequent bonuses
granted to Offset the high cost Of living.
| A searching inquiry among downtown
banks failed to reveal any large degree
of uheasiness because of the possibility
of formation of a successful bank clerks
union. The officials, however, are watch
ing the situation closely and have in
structed department heads to keep a
sharp lookout.
At the initial meeting last week, to be
followed by other meetings next month,
clerks present adopted bylaws. said to
be in the possession of officials of some
of the largest banks. but no officer OF
any large bank was willing yesterday to
admit that he had such copies in his
possession. The demands Of the clerks
are reported to be for a six hour day
and time and a half extra for working
between 4 P. NJ, IL they come on at Q
A. M. and p NJ and double time for
every hour after Z P. NJ. Although II Is
said that the men are not planning Il
ask for fiat salary increases at present
they figure that overtime payments, te
be demanded would in the long run, net
J a substantial pay increase.
officials OF institutions which have
attempted to offset the cost of living fol-
their employees by granting special
l
! gratifled to find that they had only q
small amount Of unrest to deal with ir
their Institutions and declared that
liberality had justified itself even from
dollar ana cents point of view II
some cases good results had been OBJ
tanned from maintenance by banks OF
grocery stores in which employees could
get materials at or near cost.
The president of one bank, which ha:
numerous branches In this city, wa;
asked what progress the bank clerks
union had made In his institution. He
replied that he had not heard that any
employee OF his bank had Joined sucf
union and that he knew of no unrest
among its clerical forces. 1t did no
: appear from the remarks made in al
of the sources that were consulted that
any clerks had presented demands to the
officers of any institution. It is con
sidered probable that the means of con.
certed action on the part OF the clerk.
that have been unionized will be dis
cussed at another bank clerks meeting