New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1920-04-21
bO0O Elevator
|ODeratOrsTake
| Back Old Jobs
|fFnion's Declaration That
Wage Increases Have
Reen Granted in All Cases
Meets Denial Of Owners
Istrike Is About Ended
! eader McCill Resents State
i ment That He Laid
off to Conduct Walk-Out

Thomas J. McGill, president of the
Elevator Starters and Operators Union,
.,rduc.ine the strike of lift men
,.re. appeared before Commissioner of
nblic Works Clarence f. Fay yester-
;.v TO explain why ne. as a city en-
,oree. had absented himself from his
rork, ostensibly on the ground of i'll
,sss, while actually devoting his time
% preparations for and leadership of
t.ae strike.
/ NcGill, who is starter in the Munic-
lnsl Building. was suspended on orders
Il Henry Curran, President of the Bor-
1 .uch OF Manhattan. for absence without
ave. McGill was closeted with Mr.
UFay and President Curran for some
lame. At the conclusion of the confer
nee President Curran declared that no
announcement of the final disposition
): MeGilFs case would be forthcoming
| antil he and Commiss ioner Fay have
zone over the testimony.
Before entering the hearing room
1NcGill called the charges against him
I-unfair. uncalled for and unjust"
Il cannot understand the purpose be-
Itind the charges pleaded McGill II
an ill., have submitted certificates
from two reputable physicians. | have
/ never got any money from the city
except that which have earned. Nv
going on sick leave was an honest act"
Asked to explain the discrepancy be-
tween his Illness and his leadership of
+ the strike, McGill said he had suffered
l. 4 ,,i, .
lnecessitate his confinement to his home.
\ and that his part in the strike has been
merely of an advisory nature.
From reports received at the head
quarters of the elevator operators
union, 1856 Third Avenue, it appears the
strike is about over. According to
anion leaders. more than 5000 operators
save returned 10 work either as a result
Of the acceptance of the unions de-
nands by employers or because of corr
promises.
In no settlement. union leaders said.
save the strikers given up their union
sthations or compromised their posi-
ton as unionists. More than 200 set
Elements with owners of buildings and
ipartment houses have been effected,
according to the union leaders. Most
Of .he settlements. they said, were in
iowntown Office buildings.
Members of the Building Managers
ard Owners Association, however
aid the return of normal elevator
#rvice IN most buildings of the city
not due so much TO settlements
damned by the union as to the DELHI
rate return of strikers to their work
An officer Of the association said
asst night:
we have purposely refraned from
Nterlng upon controversy with the
sleyator Operators Union in the pub
press for the reason that we felt
L unnecessary and undignified. When
yer statements from the union have
een published saying that the ele-
Htor operators in certain large build
| ngs have returned to work, having
'een granted all union demands, we
AVE checked up each case and have
found the statements untruthful, ex-
:spt in two cases, that of NJ. & L.
Hess and the Farmers Loan and Trust
Company, who are not embers of the
Building Managers and Owners AS
ISOLATION.
ut seems evident that the union
officials are putting out such state
Inents in their efforts to stiffen their
membership to prevent further de-
aetions or their organization"
Fifty students of New York Univer-
uty, among them the entire member
| snip Of the athletic organizations, re-
ported at the Equitable Building yes
srday morning and ran the elevators
oil day. They will remain at work
lntil the strike is called off. Yester-
aay the students were entertained at
tie Bankers Club. The student OPP
orators We're directed by James W
Storey, president of the student body
l 4 the urirersit,-