Evening star., 1920-02-04
CARMEN Of BOTH
STREET LINES TO
DEMAND|NCREASE
AmaIgamated and Brother
hood Members to Seek go
Cents an Hour.

Employees of both street railway
companies are preparing to ask for
an increase in wages and changes
]. H. Goodman of the Amalgamated
Railway Employees stated today.
The Brotherhood of Electric Rail-
way Employees, comprising employees
not in the Amalgamated, presented
a demand for an increase in wages
to 60 cents per hour for trainmen
to President W. F. Ham of the Wash
ington Railway and Electric Com
pany this afternoon.
The demand was as follows:
I'VE, the Brotherhood of Electric
Railway Employees, make the follow
ing demand:
Owing to the continued high cost
of living We find that the increase
in pay that you granted US last Octo-
Der is inadequate. and we cannot
meet our obligations and provide our
families with the necessary comforts
of life.
Therefore circumstances over which
we have no control force us to ask for
another increase in pay. We need i'm
mediate relief. it is imperative that we
get relief by March 1. 1920.
'We ask that trainmen be graded
up to go cents per hour and all other
employees of the Washington Railway
and Electric Company and it's sub
salaries be granted corresponding
increase.
1.-THE general working conditions are
satisfactory. We have no grievance.
but our pay must be equal to our
necessary expenses"
1t was signed by George Herbert. H
L. Lynn, A. E. Denis, c. L. Fones and
F. L. German, representing the
brotherhood.
No Decision as to Demands.
Mr.. Goodman. for the Amalgamated
increase to be asked for has not been
decided on. Mr.. Goodman is business
agent of Local No. $50, composed of
the Capital Traction men. and is act
ing as representative of the inter
national organization for Local SIS
trio Company men.
Mr. Goodman said that while the men
appreciate the increase of three cents
an hour granted by both companies a
few months ago. they still find it i'm
possible properly to support their famil-
les on the present wage scale. They
contend that their wages have not kept
pace with the cost of living.
The present scale is forty-six cents an
hour for the first three months. forty
nine cents for the next nine months and
ffty-one cents thereafter.
The agreement which Local $50 has
with the Capital Traction Company is
subject to reopening for changes on
March 80. Under the agreement the
men must give the company a month
notice before reopening, which means
that the Capital Traction carmen will
take up their case with the COMPANY
the end of this month.
The motormen and conductors of the
Washington Railway and Electric Com
pany, Mr.. Goodman said, have no direct
agreement with the company, but are
working under an agreement fixed by
the War Labor Board
Mr.. Goodman indicated TODAY tb.t
Local S75 will ask the Washington Pail
way and Electric next month to make
an agreement similar to the one which
the Capital Traction has with its men
Whatever increase is sought, Mr. Cook
man sald' Will be made the same for
both roads.
BrOtherhOOd's Statement.
A statement issued by the brother
hood following the presentation of
their demands follows:
We, the Brotherhood of Electric
railway workers. solemnly declare
that the brotherhood is and has a
right TO be free and independent of all
other labor organizations we wish
to state that on this day we are pro
crossing in our efforts to Incorporates
under the laws of the District of Co
lumbia, as free labor organization
and the charter isbeing drawn under
our constitution and bylaws as fol-
lows:
The motto of this organization
shall be Peace
The purpose is to promote the So
cial welfare of it's members and to
assure its members all the rights
and privileges guaranteed under the
Constitution of the United States
This organization shall at no time
affiliate itself with any other organi-
cation whatsoever
The name, Brotherhood of Electric
Employees, shall be always
retained, and. with the further sup |
port of its members. this declaration. |
made with firm reliance on the pro- |
lection of the Divine Providence. we |
pledge our loyalty to each
other on our sacred honor"
The Amalgamated Association is |
affiliated with the American Fedora
ton of Labor The brotherhood has |
never recognized the amalgamated as |
the union controlling the majority of !
employees of the Washington Railway I
and Electric Company and the Anal
association has ignored the
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