New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1920-07-17
B.R.T. Men Get
Raise; Higher
Fare Is Sought
10 Per Gent Wage Increase,
Announced by Receiver
Garrison, Makes Total of
$3.50 Since August, 1919
Seek Greater Revenue
Application To Be Made to
Public Service Body for
Advance Over Scent Fare

rmpioyees of the Brooklyn Rapid
transit Company and it's allied lines
have beeg granted 10 per cent in
crease in wages, effective August 6, &C
.ording to an announcement made yes
,erday by I.indley M. Garrison, re-
eeieer for the B. r. T. system.
With this new raise, the Brooklyn
e.rmen will have received an increase
IN wages of 35 per cent since August
I. 1919. The announcement of the new
ADVANCE follows directly similar
increase granted employees of the
New York Railways Company, as pro-
yided by Job f. Hedges, receiver.
eIn view of the continued prevalence
Of high prices" Receiver Garrison's
statement read, land the great in
ereases in rents and conditions which
induced the recent increase in wages
on the transit lines in Manhattan, the
, following increases are authorized.
wages OF all employees increase rs
per cent over the existing wage scale
on August i, 1919 The present in
crease is an advance of 10 per cent over
the prevailing scale on August 1, 1920.
This makes total increase during
that period of 35 per cent
Extreme Limit, Says Garrison
This increase is in effect August
s, 1920, and will be applied to all those
in the employ of the company not COW
cred by existing wage agreements. 1t
is applied to all hourly, daily and
weekly rated employees in the service.
excepting those covered by existing
agreements"
Receiver Garrison calls attention to
the fact that this new increase is made
possible only by the receiver going to
the extreme limit.
in the last fiscal year, ending June
co. 1920" he says, "the system as
whole in Brooklyn received in gross
approximately s4O,5O0,00O, and ex-
pended for wages chargeable to opera
ton s24O00000. In other words, for
every dollar taken in approximately so
cents was paid out for wages. Burden
some as this great percentage of
wages is with respect to the system,
the transit situation as a whole is
worse when the individual companies
are taken separately, as they must be.
More Revenue Is Essential
1T will be seen that unless the lines
are able to obtain more revenue, which
can only be obtained from rates of
fare, or are permitted to discontinue
Improbable lines or parts of lines, the
receiver will not be able to obtain
money enough for the operation of the
lines"
1t was announced that the Public
Service Commission would Immediately
be asked for an increase in fares. At
the same time Receiver Garrison made
his announcement II. Hobart Porter,
vice-president and general manager of
the Brooklyn City Railroad Company,
announced similar increase to his
workers.
1t is believed the increases will pre-
Guide any trouble with the workers
where the wage contract expires the
latter part of August. So far as could
be learned the men are satisfied with
the contracts. One stipulation of the
new increase is that employees who
now have wage agreement with the
companies must agree to extend their
contract for one year from the date of
their expiration.
In this way the companies apparently
hope to prevent any wage disputes for
a period of from a year to eighteen
months. The existing agreement with
the Amalgamated Association of Street
and Electric Railway Employees of
America expires August %, while that
with the Brotherhood of Locomotive
Engineers does not expire until Deem
Der.