New-York tribune., 1921-10-22
Employers Wage Scale
Committee to Lay Prof.
ect Before tbs Bureau
Membership for Vote
Ready to Hire 5000
IndependentDrivers
Replacing of Union Men
by Non-Union Likely To
Be Used to Reduce Paw

decision to install the open shop
in the trucking industry of Ne -rork
was reached yesterday by the wage
scale committee of the Merchant Truck
mems Bureau, the central organization
of trucking concerns of the CITY. at
a meeting held at it's Offices, Is Park
Row.
The decision virtually means that
the employing .truckmen Of New York
will have nothing further to do with
the international Brotherhood of Team
sters, and comes as speedy reply to
the threat of a strike November 1 by
the 10000 or more union teamsters con-
cerned which was made Thursday night
when the brotherhood voted to ignore
the demand of the bureau for a $5 cut
in wages and a lengthening of the
working day of from nine to ten hours.
In some quarters it was reported that
the action of the committee was re
garded as possibly constituting an
opening wedge for general open shop
movement in New York
All that now remains to place the
committees plan for an open shop into
active operation is the formal official
approval of the bureau members as a
whole.
Will Vote on Tuesday
They will vote on the proposal at
meeting to be held next Tuesday night
at the Hotel Brevoort. 1t is "practi-
cally certain" that the results of the
ballotng will be largely in favor of it,
according to Thomas S. Barry, secre-
tary of the bureau.
IN entering such a fight, the bureau
Will have the support of many leading
and powerful business mems assoca-
tions. Mr.. Barry said that he already
has received such offers from seven
organizations Of the kind. One of these
was in the. form of letter from the
Downtown. League, of l54 Nassau Street,
which includes iii its membership w.
II. Grace & Co, Kuhn, Loeb & Co., the
Chem lcai National Bank, the National
City Bank, the Bank of America. Mu-
tual Life Insurance Company and the
Bush Terminal Company. This letter,
which bears the signature Of David
Robinson, president of the league, was
as follows:
"The Downtown League, represent
ing more than 1000 business firms in
greater New York, is in sympathy with
your efforts to adjust and revise the
scale of wages of the trucking indus
try of this port, and desires to CO.
operate in this matter.
I'VE believe that the open shop
plan is the only recourse left to pro-
tect the merchants and secure the re-
lief now necessary to meet the ext
gencies of the present business depres-
sion.
"In view of this and the need of
prompt remedy, we shall be glad to
aid in your movement"
To Hire 5000 independents
immediately following ratification
Of the committees plans, it was said
by Mr.. Barry, the bureau will begin
an advertising campaign by which it
hopes to obtain the employment of at
least 5000 Independent teamsters bv
November /. Then, if the union team
stantly filled and the battle for the
open shop will be on.
Officials of the union declined to
comment on the committees action
when this was disclosed to Them. saw
ing that any statements for the public
must come from Michael J. Casual.
president of the brotherhood. Efforts
made to reach him were unsuccessful
The committees decision was in the
form of a resolution, in part rs fol
lows
Whereas, the Transfers Union has
seen fit to refuse our offer. made in
good faith, for a S5-per-week reduc-
tion in wages and a ten-hour day. to
be effective November l, and
Whereas, they have shown de-
fiant and non-conciliatory attitude,
even going 50 far as to place them
selves on record as ignoring the or
ganization entirely in the matter of a
new wage contract, and further declar-
ing they would make these contracts
with individual members Of the as-
societion, and
Whereas, In the past they have seen
fit to abuse the power of union organi-
cation in dealing with individuals who
had contracts with them; therefore
be it
"Resolved, That it is the sense of
(contnued on naxt nase)