The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-06-08
UnhealthyWOrking
Conditions, But
Many Rules on q"
By an .ET' Worker CorrespOndent

BY an Gel" Worker Correspondent
NEW YORK.-The riding pub
lie seems to think that I, R. T.
and BMT. employees have a soft
racket, that they are well paid,
work under all conditions, etc. But
if they only knew the abuse they
have to put up with, and certain
rules and regulations. which if
they violate they are liable to be
suspended or discharged. OF course
if the company enforced all the
rules they have, they would have
a new force working every day.
No matter how perfect you are,
you always violate the rules; it
can't be helped.
Take for instance the painting
department, where the men may
work one day a week up to five
days a week according to the
weather. They have to wash up
on the platforms out of water
buckets; for this they are supposed
to have 10 minutes which they
seldom get. If they expose any
part Of their bodies while washing
they are liable to be dismissed.
Everyone drinks from the same
cup while working Then depart
ment heads and brotherhoods
wonder why we are kicking.
After putting overalls on, you
have to put your clothes in the
same box where you put your
overalls. They say they can't
supply us with room or shack
where we can report every morn
ing and return to at knocking off
time. Why not? Some other de-
partments have it, They have
plenty Of spare rooms that are
never used. They claim because
we travel from one place to an
other, that it can't be done. If
We were stationary we probably
would have it. When we are work
ing on a station we usually take
about to weeks. On the
structure between stations it takes
between month to 2 months or
more before we move to the next
station. Why can't we have some
special place to go to? During
that time we could easily have
some particular room or shack
where we would be able to wash
up, dress and undreSs in comfort,
without fear of being reported for
violations.
Some of the foremen and sub
former seem to think we are
nothing but slaves. They drive
us, curse us-anything, in order to
get more work oVt of us. Most of
these foremen and sub-foremen
were in the gangs themselves be-
fore they we're promoted. And
from the accounts of most of the
men that were working with them
at that time they were always
squawking; or else they we're suck
ers, favorites, or stool pigeons for
the boss. For instance Corn
Beef" now working between 14th
st. and 18th ST., Second Avenue
Line.
If it rains, the men working on
the structure are sent home. Very
seldom do we make a full week.
Usually it is anywhere from one
day and 4 hours to 4 days. Why
can't we have steady timeP There
is plenty of work to be done. Yet
they still take our 10 percent away
when we do make a full week and
70 cents month for the "vol-
untary relief" and the Brother
hood demands its % cents monthly
which has to be paid for three
months in advance, for which you
are allowed no more than $1,000
year if you are sick for a month.
and can show a doctors certifi-
cate when you took sick and
when discharged. You have to
be sick two weeks before you re-
ceive anything, and then you have
to notify the Brotherhood, notify
the voluntary Relief" and after
that you have to argue and fight
for the small sum that you receive.
Let us get together, all trans
port workers, unite, throw out this
so-called Brotherhood and build
real Rank and File Union con-
trolled by and for the transport
workers, and demand;
Return of 10 percent cut.
2.-Sanitary conditions.
3.-Safer conditions.