The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-09-26
City's Workers Ask Increase
for All, Regardless of
Classified Ratings.
SOME IN FEAR OF "JOKER,
Hylan and Other Officials to
Consult Civil Service Boards
on Awarding Raises.

stand against the organization of the
city's civil forces in. expressions Of opin-
ion heard last night at meeting Of
enty-five delegates Of the Municipal
Employees Association In the Municipal
building. BY a majority OF seven this
resolution, offered by Alexander Cooper,
chief clerk of the Department of Public
Works, Manhattan Borough, was
adopted:
Resolved, That the Municipal EN-
ployees Association of the City of New
York approve the scale of salary in
creases adopted by the finance and
budget committee of the Board of Esti-
mate, but would recommend that the
dead line of $4,000 be deleted so that
all employees in the classified and I'M
classified service, irrespective of the
amount Of their salaries. shall be given
an increase.
Resolved, That copy of this resolu-
ton be Transmitted to his Honor the
Mayor, and to the other members of
the Board of Estimate and Apportion-
ment with our sincere thanks"
The associations temporary chairman,
hugo V. Wittenberg, a clerk In the
Finance Department, was applauded for
this speech:
MIR. Hylan may have made a good
Mayor. He has wonderful sterling quail
hies. But why should he stand in the
way Of city employees who are ambi-
GUS to get together to discuss their
welfare? He realizes that all admins
trations are transitory. and even IL his
own Is perfect success everybody
knows the vicissitudes OF politicians and
office seekers.
; why should he stand In the way and
scare our members away by telling en-
ployees that he can brook no Interior
.,e? In the first place we are not In
terfering; our purpose is to prevent in
reference in the future with the wei
fare of city employees II all the ri
employees will only get together they
need never go on st-ike or get tbs
: American Federation of Labor to helI
them. What chance would you or
have individuality Such an organiza
: ton would take the employees out o.
politics and not compel men and won Ell
= to stultify themselves In order to max
a diving.
: Makes Plea for Justice.
Q IT appeal to Mayor Hylan TO talk,
i back his mandate decapltating every
body who joins an association. / ap
n peal to his sense of Justice to let tn
: members come back and let us form
: great organization which viii be as Jus
r. believe Mayor Hylan is doing the hes
a he can for the city. The members o
= the Board of Estimate are between tw,
= fires-the taxpayers and the employees
= They cannot grant US the maximum W
:. ask. but we endeavored to get as mucl
l. as we could to ameliorate the conditio,
q OF all OF US.
o I'VE are willing to get together wit
any other body, even the Civil Servic
haW aaF.NN
body"
Mr.. wittenberg said that everybod
, remembered the days, which had nc
y wholly departed. when a city employe
had to go to his political district leade
in order TO get better pay from the city
: why should city employees have t
resort to undetermined means to &c
their salaries increased?" he asked.
There was some opposition to Nj
IL Cooper's resolution, but he defended
r on the ground of his belief that tn
,s Board of Estimate had done about a
that could be expected, and that tn
N resolution will show that we are nc
calary grabbers, but reasonable huma
81 beings"
II believe" he said. that there ism
CT Il ghost of a chance of getting one penn
N more than the finance committee Above
m % yesterday. Therefore why waste tim
D. chasing the moon?"
" The association has asked $3.50 In
g. crease for employees getting less tina
lie 5000, and s420 for everybody gettin
n. more than $500.
;" 1t was evident yesterday that most c
n the employees on a salary OF less tina
e. $4,000 a year, beyond Which no increas
i. ID generally provided. were pleased wit
ID the Finance Committees action. Man!
lie however, were disturbed by the quail
ID cation noted in Comptroller Craig
le statement:
,r ut was clearly understood that DE-
ct partment heads are not expected to Civ
to increases to employees whose services
he their Judgment do not merit It."
IN Some of the sceptics, particularly thos
10 who have not seen eye to eye with II
st present Administration, regarded this q
as warning. and even as a Joker" TheI
m was question as to what services migf
r win the approval of departmental SUPP
n- riors and what might not. The poss
bility of the failure Of capable worker
IN to receive the Increase because of PEE
~ sonal friction with heads Of department
40 or of differences of political opinion
40 certain to be discussed in the publ
40 hearing on Wednesday on Alderman
"a President Moran's salary resolution.
W Wants Campaign Continued.
h. in a statement addressed last night I
te all city employees Frank ]. Prial, pres
RS dent of the Civil Service Forum. DIRE
in attention particularly to Comptrollt
a Craig's statement Mr.. Prial 10 a Deput
Comptroller. but his statement was II
sued in his capacity as head OF tn
forum. 1t began with an appreciatio
OF what the city was attempting to d
~ for its employees, and then said:
1.-THE fight must be continued becaus
while the figures agreed upon espresso
- the views OF the members OF the Boar
Of Estimate. still the budget they al
preparing now is only the tentative on
At the public hearings which are to
held on tn Q tentative and propose
=, budgets opposition may develop from II
u. enemies of the employees and of the az
~ ministration.
1h PLANTATIONS in the civil service foru
u realize the tremendous work requir,
10 to bring about this result Early In Il
80 year a general salary increase look
y very doubtful. In, fact II was only whS
~ Comptroller Craig threw the sixteen inN
shell in reference to the patrolmen
OF and firemen's salaries. which, he state
re he would recommend be increased
gu 800. that the success OF the movema
-, seemed assured"
~ Mayor Hylan and several OF his
ne partment heads met yesterday In u
IN, Office OF Comptroller Craig to determil
~ how the PROPOSED increases might
ne applied. Some uncertainty regarding Il
effect of the application Of a horizont
We increase upon the grade and status
ne employees with respect to their ratin
= with the State and Municipal Civil Sc