Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1921-08-03
AyoLUNTARY WAGE REDUCTION

WILL NIAh1 " AVE hEbtt itotN
The members of Division No. Si2
Amalgamated Association of Street
and Electric Railway Employes-and
this means the men who run our street
cars for us-have voluntarily ap-
preached their employers and offered
10 accept a slight wage reduction un-
less business on their lines improves
Immediately. We know of no action
which could place the carmen in a
better light. for their willingness TO
bear a portion of the loss which their
company is sustaining in the railway
department demonstrates that they
possess not only sense OF
responsibility. but feeling Of pro
prietorship in the w. & p. T. c."
Here is the substance of the agree
ment which the carmen will submit
60 the executives of the Wilmington
and Philadelphia Traction Company. as
reported in the press:
The position of the employees of
the company. who are members of
Division No. $40, a. A. of $. & +. r.
r. of y. is that for the period Of one
year, beginning August Il, 1921. when
ever the number of revenue passen-
gers carried in any month during the
said year approximates the average
number carried in that same month
in the years 1919 and 1920, with other
conditions as at present the wage
scale shall remain unchanged; and
further that during the months Of the
said year when the number OF reve-
nue. passengers is lower than the aver
age Of that same month in the years
1919 and 1920. with other conditions
as al present. the employees will accept
a voluntary reduction of wages of
five (5) cents an hour for that month.
This means that if business rep
resents rate of wages for employees
turns to normal or near normal the
present rate Of wages for the en-
ployes of the company represented by
Division No. S42 viii remain at so
cents an hour maximum, the minimum
being 56 cents an hour. and if business
is like at the present time. when there
is a falling off in patronage. due TO
industrial conditions, then the vol
untary reduction of FIVE cents an hour
will apply. effective August Il, 1921"
Industrial conditions have caused
a falling of of patronage on all lines
within the past few months. OF course
neither the company executives nor
the carmen are TO blame for that
II is an economic matter over which
none Of them have control. However.
the men who are running the cars
10 tide over the present depression. In
a spirit of wonderful manliness they
have shown that they will do their
share by accepting a portion of the
heavy railway loss which the Whining
ton and Philadelphia Traction Com
many is sustaining TODAY.
This spirit which the carmen have
shown is one which employees in every
line would do well to follow. Today
is no time for men to quibble over
wages. Many concerns are seriously
considering cutting down their forces
until normal conditions are reached
which should be within the next few
months. How much better il would
be II instead of more men being laid
of. that the workers in any given in
dustry would be willing to take a
slight reduction in wages, so that
all could remain at work until better
times are with us again.
The men composing the Division No.
sf2, Amalgamated Association of Street /
and Electric Railway Employees, show
by their actions that they realize the
problems which their executives are
facing; they are willing to play fair
with them. and to aid their company
in one Of the worst periods which it /
has faced in recent times. If all the
employees Of all the companies in Will
mington would show this same spirit
OF willingness today. this city would
become a power in the nation. When
workers show the boss that they are
willing TO bear a portion of the losses,
as well as being perfectly willing to
share in the general prosperity, they
create feeling of mutual sympathy.
understanding and respect which
heals all old industrial wounds,