The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1928-09-17
Speed Up OF CAR
MEN is CAUSE OF
MANY ACCIDENTS
Lay Off Many; Risk Is
Motornan'S
by q Worker Correspondent

CLEVELAND. Ohio (By MaiD.-
A vicious plan of speed-up and staff
reduction is now being inaugurated
in this city by the local traction
interests, the Cleveland RR. Co..
who own the sole rights of trans
portation in the city and suburbs.
The new plan was put into effect
on the 10th on Euclid Ave, the
Broadway" of this city.
Articulated or two car trains
mounted on three trucks, with an
aisle connecting the cars to allow
passengers to pass from one car to
the other, have been introduced. I'm
der the old system two conductors
were necessary to operate a two-car
train, but the new cars will require
only one. At present a conductor
rides on the rear car instructing
the passengers how to use the trea-
die doors with which the new cars
are fitted. Afterwards, the company
declares, when the car riders are
acquainted with the new machinery
only one conductor will be necessary.
This means that a considerable
number of the men will be thrown
out of employment to swell the large
numbers that are already roaming
the streets of this Getty of homes"
Motormen's Risk.
Along with the new cars comes
the announcement from the company
that five minutes will be cut off the
running time on the Euclid Ave.
line.
This is going to be dangerous
procedure, especially for motormen
as it is almost impossible at the
present to make the schedule time
owing to the volume of traffic and
the large number of automatic traf-
fic signals that the carmen have to
contend with. Lately many serious
accidents have occurred owing to
the high speed at which motormen
have been forced to operate the cars.
on an eight mile stretch of Euclid
Avenue, three-fourths of which lies
in the busiest section Of the city.
This running time is cniy forty-five
minutes from about p. m. to s.
a. m. What with a stop at every
second block, and traffic signals
that only alternate every thirty
five or sixty seconds, and an inspec-
tor hiding behind a telegraph pole
with a watch in his hand, you can
easily imagine the risks motorman
has to take to keep the car on time
and keep his job. The schedules are
o. KID by the city traction COM
missioner Mr.. Ballou, who works
hand in hand with the R. r. COM
pany in speeding up the men.
Insurance Gag.
A group insurance and retirement
benefit plan proceeded the speeding
up. The insurance plan was intro
duced following the declaration Of
the supreme court of Ohio declaring
unconstitutional the closed shop con-
tract then existing between the Car
mems Union and the r. R. Co.
after the local courts had declared
legal an award of twelve cents per
hour increase in wages granted by
an arbitration board. This was in
1924. Since then the r. R. Company
has done everything possible to lure
the men away from the union. Free
smokers, free concerts, free picnics,
free dental treatment, and now free
uniform caps have been given to the
men, all paid for out of the nine and
seven cent fares that are being
wrung out of the car riders, the
great majority of whom are work
ers.
During all this time neither the
officials of our local union or our
international have done anything to
help the membership. In fact they
conspired with the R. R. Co. and
the Metropolitan Life Insurance Co.
of New York to put over the insur-
ance plan on the men. Under the
insurance plan the workmen have
no legal guarantee whatever, moth
ing but vague promises by the RR.
Company. "The r. R. Co. reserves
the right to change, alter, or amend
the plan any time" and for that
they deduct $3.50 per month, and
permit us no say in the matter ex-
cept to withdraw, which by so doing
you lose 70 per cent of the money
that had been deducted, and perhaps
get the "air" into the bargain. Time
! permitting, I hope to write some