The Connecticut labor news., 1924-04-05

Ifary Deman0 For
 Concessions T h a t
 Would Mean De- crease.
 The arrogance of General Manager
 C, L. Bardo in dealing with organized employees Of the New Haven and C. N. E. Railroads was again demonstrated during the past week and has resulted in a situation that has already started strike vote among the engineers and : hrenlen employed on both roads and that may end in serious clash before adjusted. After weeks and weeks of conferences on the proposed new wage scale, during which the engi- neers and hremen made many conces- sions in working rules asked for by the railroad, Mr. Bardo suddenly, and when everything was thought settled. injected new proposals which would have resulted in reduction Tn wage in stead of increases, told the committees it was his final action and thus the conferences broke off. There was nothing left for the committees to do but submit the matter to the general engine employees and this is now being done and vote On a possible strike being taken.
 In common with engine men all over the country, the New Haven and C. N. E. men last fall presented request for a 20 per cent. increase in wages, this being part restoration of reductions made few years ago by the Railroad Labor Board. Matters hung in abey- ance for several months until late in | January. the New York Central road settled the situation with its engine men by an increase of five per cent This settlement was speedily adopted by other roads and the New. Haven and C. N. E. committees made pro- position to the New Haven manage ment for like adjustment
 Conferences started in February with the general committees on the roads and Manager Bardo and MT. Bardo made tentative agreement to the wage scale but insisted upon modification of many of the working rules and e1im- ination of others all of which meant considerable sacrifice on the part of the employees. To effect an adjustment amicably, however, the general com nittee agreed to many notifications but again MT. Bardo proved obdurate and demanded still further concessions. A deadlock naturally resulted and l the road committees asked assistance from the grand chiefs of their broth erhoods and Assistant Grand Chief Griffing of the engineers and Vice President Lewis of the Firemen came on here and held further conferences with the road officials. At some of these conferences President Pearson was present and tentative agreements were made wherein the workers made further concessions and late last month, following conference with President Pearson and MT. Bardo, it looked as if the matter was settled. MT. Bardo promised his final state ment in writing and the conference board recessed to await it.
 It came along next day and to the surprise of the enginemen MT. Bardo not only had insisted upon all the con- sessions tentatively agreed to but injected absolutely new questions re1a- tive to the guaranteed minimum wagS of $7 day for engineers and $5.25 for fremen, which new concessions would have resulted in an actual decrease in wages instead of the five per cent in crease expected. MT. Bardo also stipu- lated that in case the Railroad Labor Board now considering the disputes between the fremen and the railroad should decide in favor of the fremen, the road would reserve the right to defer the application of the award un-
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