Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1920-10-25
UNIONS TURN DOWN
WORKING CONTRACT
WITH y. R. & P. CO.
ALI Four Unanimous in
Refusal of Annual La
Dor Agreement.
WILL REOPEN CONFERENCE
WITH RAILWAY OFFICIALS S
General Chairman Bookman
Expected to Call Conference
Committee Tomorrow.


gamated Association of Street and
Electrical Railway Employees Of
Richmond, Petersburg. Norfolk and
Portsmouth have refused to accept
the working contract for the year
offered by the Virginia Railway and
Power Company. was announced last
night by e. q. Bookman. general
| chairman Of the conferepce commit
tee. Tho men voted almost unani-
rendered to them by the general com
mittee for ratification when a ref
erendum vote was taken last week
Mr. Bookman said that he intends
to call a general meeting OF the COM
nittec within tho next few days. for
the purpose OF considering further
| steps.
There are, IL is said. two objec-
tionabie clauses in the contract ten
dcred Richmond and Petersburg after
the four days conference between the
company and the committee. Aboli-
ton OF breakfast trips" and 4 clause
limiting the working hours OF the
men 10 sixteen out OF each twenty
four hours. are the cause Of the re-
fusal. II IS not divulgcd what in
( structions have been given the local
| members OF the committee concern
ing their vote at the general confer
cnce on the wage scale, which the
company refused TO increase.
Voice Objectionn to Contract.
The abolition Of breakfast trips"
would eliminate the ten minutes each
morning allowed the men in which to
| get breakfast. Members OF the union
declare that the men who report for
work at 3:3o o'clock IN tho morning,
taking out the early runs" nre un-
able TO get breakfast unless allowed
! the ten minutes. as has been the cue
! tom.
! Officials OF the union object to the
si1teen-hour clause. and ask that
eleven hours, with exceptions duo TO
emergenc.es, be substituted.
Others of the four unions are dis
satisfied with the contract because
%: minor difficulties, and there is no
apparent trouble over the refusal OF
the company to adopt a closed shop
policy or accept the arbitration plan
asked by the unions.
Powcr-house men here are said to
be the most dissatisfied with the con-
tract with the company. claiming that
Norfolk is paying men more money
for similar work and that the arEu-
| ment of the company is that the COM
petition with the navy Yard there
makes this necessary
VIII Reopen Negotiations.
Mr.. Bookman said that the next
move of the unions probably will be
. to reopen negotiations with the COM
pany and see IL the parts OF the con-
tract which the unions refuse TO rat
ify can be adjusted on mutually
, satisfactory basis.
There are 1000 men affiliated with
the unionRwho are in the employ OF
the company. They are divided into
four unions. Two on the Norfolk
Portsmouth division line and two on
the Richmond Petersburg end Of the
| system. The agreement with the
company. according to the unions. is
much less satisfactory than that
| signed last year. 1t is for a period of
twelve months. ~.
/ Officials Of the company last night
stated that they had not been Of
! ficially advised as to what the de-
| cision OF the employees would be and
do not expect to be informed of the
| stand OF the men until the committee
| rcconvenes here.