The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-09-16
CTTY'S EMPLOYEES
FORM RIVAL UNIONS
Federation of Labor Busy, but
Civil Service Men Get
Ahead in Race.
MEETING IN PALM GARDEN
Police Strike Discredited by
Speakers-Hylan Said to
Favor Salary Raises.
MEETING IN PALM GARDEN

The American Federation Of Labor
"a actively at work organizing the civil
ssrvice employees of the city of New
YORK This fact became known last
night at a meeting in the Palm Garden.
lexington avenue and Fffty-clghth
street TO launch the Municipal Employees
Association, which aims to enroll every
ono on the city pay roll except the
d. bolders of political jobs, and to go be.
60 the Board of Estimate and demand
minimum wage of $500 year. The
Srst step. It is expected, will be to ask
for q 25 per cent. increase for all hands.
The fact that the A F, of l.. had
already commenced its work of organi-
cation was brought out by Samuel
praeger and George Stansheld OF the
recruitment of Charities, who have been
doing the preliminary work for the new
oesociation. Both men are clerks ana
! proeger explained that they went to
900 Hugh Frayne. general organizer OF
ne federation, after they had received
notices from their respective LANDLORDS
NJ a 60 per cent. increase In their rents.
Tbey asked Frayne to take action In be-
half of the municipal workers.
According to Praeger, Frayne told
Anon, ath work in this direction had
hsy1In and that the union OF technical
men and of the inspectors in the various
p dsns rtn,ents was the first step. lie
Iaid. so Praeger stated, that the con-
stItn,Ion of the A. f. of l.. prohibited
,nv attempt TO organize the city en-
nlovees in one big union, but that II
would be necessary to take each line or
work separately and to form different
unions of clerks, stenographers and the
other classes. 1t would take three
vears TO complete the task Frayne told
praeger. AS soon as Praeger ami
Stansfield heard this they abandoned
hone of immediate assistance in this
direction and started with the Munich
nal Employees Association. They have
been working for three weeks and have
enrolled 1900 men and women thus
far. according to their assertions last
night
Delegates TO Meet on Friday.
Although ambitious orators from
among the 1000 persons who were at
the meeting frequently interrupted c. e.
Weisenz of the Charities Department,
who was chairman, he and the other
speakers succeeded in making clear the
purpose of the new organization. which
is to obtain more money for the city's
workers Every one Is to be admitted
except those holding non-competitive
positions. Delegates are to be elected
from the various departments to attend
an organization meeting which will be
held at the Health Department at 5 80
o'clock Friday afternoon.
There has been some opposition to the
association from members of the New
York Civil Service Society, Inc, and
handbills bearing the name of the latter
were passed out at the door last night.
One paragraph read:
"A new organization has sprung up.
fostered by officials in the same man
ner as former Mayors Employees
Conference Committee of three years
ago In matters which are vital to
you, would you have confidence in an
organization similar to the INTERIOR
ough Brotherhood, financed and con-
trolled by PETERBOROUGH officials?"
Praeger denied from the platform
that city officials were backing the as
ISOLATION
The Interruptions reached their climax
in a storm Of Kisses which greeted Solo
mon Hecht, \editor of the Civil Forum
as he started to speak. Chairman
Weisenz said that continuation of the
disturbance would result in elections
from the hall
City employees earn hardly enough
to keep their bodies and souls together
which will interfere with this meeting
hecht said. The association has M
quarrel with any existing organization
II you get together you will have tbs
strongest union in the world and won
have TO go near organized labor"
Thinks Mayor Favors Increases.
Hecht declared his belief that Mayor
Hylan was honest" and said he hat
abandoned his former attitude tina
there would be no general increase II
wages this year, because he had learned
tho temper of the city employees.
IF you don't get more than a rails,
OF from $50 to 5000 it's going to be thu
biggest mistake the Administration ha.
made" Hecht went on. 1.-The Mayo
rae admitted q way has been found Z,
increase assessments so that the bulge
can now be Increased. II the city raiset
your pay from $500 to $500 each. in
creasing the budget from 10000, 900 I,
AiO,O00,000, II would be getting of
cheaply. If you present bold front
believe you can get 1t.
III you don't all get together and tn
Board Of Estimate does not act Their
VIII be serious trouble. l have beel
taking to employees. and they are in
cined to labor unions and to worse. The,
ere talking OF strikes, and some are in
elined to violence; but we can do it b.
peaceful means"
hugo Wittenberg Of the Finance De
partment said he had made 10 speeche
Tor Hylan and Comptroller Craig.
But so far,"Nhe shouted, "they hav
not given you and me a fair deal. II o.
Top Of this they want my job they ca,
nave II. Show them you are men an
women and 1 am sure you will not hav
70 resort to violence"
we are thoroughly in accord with tn
stand taken by President Wilson in tn
boston police strike" said Mr.. STAINS
mold, and believe with Gov. Coolidg
mat public officials who leave their wor
"thout notice in order to embarass tn
pubic and force concessions are desert
ers. We are not strikers, and do no
want any one with US who drops i'm
PorIant work at the tick of the clocl
We realize that in a great city like NeV
York the immediate desertion of thei
Tork by many would cause death an
starvation among the inmates of man
institutions maintained by the city.
we are organizing. not for the puT
pose OF threatening the Mayor or tn
commissioners or the Board of Alder
men. We 60 feel, however, that me
and women Of loyalty, ability and In
bgrity who have heretofore not bee
organized, should receive the same cor
slderation as those engaged in indus
rial work"
Should the proposed appeal 20 ~
Board OF Estimate fail to result in sal
airy Increases it is proposed to continu
ue night before the Legislature nea