Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1919-06-14
URGES MEN DO
NOT BREAK OFF
NEGOTIATIONS
Tri-Cfty Railway Officials Ready
For Arbitration Board and
Name One Member.

In an open letter to employees Of
the Tri-City Railway company, the
company today expressed its sor-
row that the men have intimated
breaking negotiations and declares
that if there is no other course, ii
will appoint Richard Shaddalee
vice president, member of board
of arbitration as provided in the
Rock Island city ordinance, with
, the men appointing a member, the
two selecting the third on the body
The letter follows:
CAS- you know, we have been ne
gotiating for some time past with
your representatives with the OBJ
1ect of coming to a mutual agree
ment in regard to working condt-
tfous and wage scale to govern
our mutual relations for the future
our last agreement in regard
thereto having expired on May 81,
1919.
1T now appears that it is not
feasible to arrive at an agreement
satisfactory to both parties, and
this morning your representatives
told US that they would not argue
or negotiate any further. We had
arrived at a mutual agreement on
all of the fundamental provisions
of the proposed contract with one
exception
"At the inception of the negotla-
tioDs We told you that we could
not agree to pay, because we
would not be able to pay, higher
wage scale than the one In eHect
now (Which has a maximum OF Az
cents per hour unless we received
the right to charge increased street
car fares. After extensive negotla-
lions we finally agreed to pay you
As cents per hour maximum scale
in case we are permitted 70 charge
a 6 cent straight car fare, and a 90
cents per hour maximum scale IN
case we are permitted to charge a
7 cent fare, with four tickets for a
quarter. That, pending our mutual
efforts to obtain increased street
car fares and to show our entire
good faith to you and the public,
we were willing to pay on the
maximum scale of SO cents per
hour from June 1, 1913, to July 81,
1913, with the stipulation that. in
case we secured within that time
the right to charge a cent fare,
we would put into effect on Aug /,
1913. 46 cents per hour maximum
wage scale, while in case we Sc
cured the right to charge a cent
fare, with four tickets for quar-
ter. we would continue until June
1, 1920, on the so cents per hour
maximum scale, on or after which
date either party would have the
right to demand a revision or ar
filtration of the wage scale.
In case no fare increases are
obtained by Aug. I, 1919, then the
present wage scale would go into
effect again, giving you the right
to demand arbitration of said wage
scale on or after that date.
The above were the conditions
we finally agreed to, but in addi-
ton you insisted that we must also
agree that in case the z cent fare is
obtained by Aug. 1, 1919, you
should then have the right to i'm
mediately again demand arbitra-
ton of the wage scale of so cents
maximum per hour, which would
then have been in effect for two
months.
ITO this We cannot agree. We
are willing to agree to a revision
or arbitration on Aug 1, 1920, but
not before, nor is it fair or just, in
our opinion, for you to insist on
this
Even if we obtain a 7 cent fare,
with. four tickets for a quarter, by
Aug. /, 1919, it will be impossible
to determine at that time what the
effect of the increased fare will be
in regard to our revenue.
1.-The increase in wages will be
fixed and actual, but the effect of
the increased fare on our revenue
will be problematical, and can only
be estimated.
Even under a cent fare, with
four tickets for a quarter, we are
satisfied that the revenues of the
company will not permit a higher
wage scale than so cents per hour
maximum. This is our honest opin-
ion, based on estimates made to
the best of our ability. 1t stands
to reason that if we obtain the in
creased fare the result of same as
TO our gross earnings cannot be
known by Aug. 1. 1919, and from
10 months to a year is the very
shortest period during which
fairly reliable demonstration of the
effect of the increased fare can be
made.
For that reason we are willing
TO agree to a revision or arbitration
of the proposed new wage scale of
80 cents per hour maximum on or
after June I, 1920, but not before
1T is very we'll possible, and, in
our opinion even probable, that in
a years time the results of the 7
cent fare, with four tickets for a
quarter, will demonstrate that the
company cannot earn even a very
modest return on its actual invest
ment in connection with a so cents
per hour wage scale. For these
reasons it is eminently fair and
Just to both parties, that if we OBJ
tain cent fare and agree to
so cents per hour maximum wage
scale, the wage question should not
be opened again until June l, 1920,
when we will have reliable figures
on which to Judge the fairness or
unfairness of the so cents per hour
wage scale in relation to the rev.
enues produced by z cent fare,
with four tickets for a quarter.
You men, as well as the public,
know the very serious condition
this company is in financially and
from an earnings standpoint, due
to the tremendous increases in our
ranSod hv tho