The sun., 1919-04-17
US. JUDGE AYERTS
WALK0UT ON B. R. T.
Mayer Assures Employees That
Receiver Garrison Will Hear
Complaints
SUGGESTS A JOINT BODY
Offers Aid in Selecting Com
mittee to Represent Men
Signalmen Near Agreement.

Possibility of strike on the ,inss
OF the Brooklyn Rapid Transit Com.
pany grew less last night. Cooler heads
among the men are counseliing that
the advice of United States Judge
Mayer be. compiled with and that both
union and non-union employees unite
IN the selection Of a committee or COM
mittees 10 submit grievances to Lindlev
NJ harrison, receiver of the road. Such
a step, 1t was intimated, NAV he taLen
ny opening to all employees the meet
inss 70 be held tonight in Arcadia Hail
Brooklyn. Ai"'i
It is pointed out that IT, as the
union leaders contend, they renresent
the majority Of the employees nn,o,
sentiment will control these committees
AZ the same time both union and non
union workers will have had a choice
IN their selection and the requirement
OF poth Mr.. Garrison and Judge NIayer
mat the committees represent all en-
ployees will be met.
James NJ. Valley. general counsel for
mo AmalEamated Association of Street
ana Electric Railway EMPLOYEES.
opened the door for this proced,Ee when
ne said In Judge Mayors presence YES
terday afternoon:
There Is no attempt on the part of
the Ama1gamated to force the companv
10 deal with 1t. We are not asking Vol,
10 recognize the union. We only ask
tut no discrimination against the union"
Men Recite Their Grievances.
Judge Mayer received the members os
the committee in his chambers. shook
hands with them and then, in the open
court room invited them to tell him
Just what 1t was they wanted and why
II was they couldn't get It. He said that
as citizens of the United States they
We're entitled to come into court and re-
cite their grievances against a property
or which, he said, the court was now
the owner. After a dozen of the en-
pIoyees had recited the failure of their
committees to meet with Mr. Garrison
the demands for better pay and working
conditions which they wanted to submit
and numerous instances of what they
considered gross discrimination on the
part OF the management against men
who had Joined or been active in the
union organization Judge Mayer an
nounced the following disposition of
their appeal:
First. There is no question OF the
right OF any man to join the Amalga-
mated or any other union. and there
will be no penalties or discrimination
against any man for either belonging
TO the union or for seeking by lawful
means to have others join.
Second. With regard TO the individual
cases OF complaint which have been
mentioned I viii confer with the re-
ceiver i will Say now. however that
there win be no discrimination against
any member of this committee or
against any OF those who have come
here and told their troubles
ri
application affecting employees and
company or both i agree with the re-
ceiver that the representation must he
at the instance of the employees at
iarge, or such proper subdivisions as
the employees in that subdivision, all
OF the employees, may deem proper"
Offers Further Aid.
II the men cannot agree among them
selves FOR a proper method OF selecting
these committees Judge Mayer said that
he would he glad to appoint a commits
sion of citizens OF whose character there
could be no doubt to supervise the seec-
ton of the committees
While these proceedings were goin.
on In the Federal court Receiver Car
rison was making good his contention
mat ne Is willing to treat with commit.
tees representing the entirety of any
not, by reaching a practical settlement
OF the dispute with the signal and tower
men. A committee of these men, all
union members, held two conferences
with Mr.. Garrison through the day.
When they had finished they had settled
all matters in dispute save only the new
wage scale for the signal men. This
was not settled only because the head
of the company's signal department was
i'll and unable TO he present.
The officials of the local union were in
extended conference last night with T. J.
OBrien. the national vice-president Of
the Amalgamated, and with Mr. Valley,
the general counsel. While certain of
those who had recited their grievances
to Judge Mayer left the room in the
afternoon. asserting that there was no
other alternative now but TO strike the
rational leaders have continued their
counsel of Cancellation II possible and
If the men agree to act in concert with
the non-uniou employees II Is believed
that they will be following the advice OF
the national leaders.
Employees charged last night that the
company had dismissed many men for
their union activities and cited numer-
Gus instances They also asserted that
after the meeting in Arcadia Hall last
night 'strong arm men" met employees
on the platform of the Halsey street sta
ton. beat up three of them, and forced
others at the point of pistol to show
their company badges. though the men
asserted that they had paid their fares
and were not compelled TO show the
badges which might identify them as
having participated in the meeting
Specific Complaints Made.
Before Judge Mayer they protested
most vigorously against these methods
Of discrimination, more vigorously in
fact than they put forward their de-
mands for IS per cent increase in pay,
basic forty-eight hour week and bet
ter working conditions generally
Hugh Slattery. motorman, asserted
that when he was hauled UP on minor
charges his superintendent refused to
accept his testimony in eXtenuation or
even to consider the testimony of other
motormen. James Sheridan charged
that though he had had a clean record
for many years after he Joined the union
spoilers piled up violations on him and
he had been given more than thirty de-
merits.
Raymond J, Dhuy, a Thirty-sixth
street shopnan, asserted that when the