Evening star., 1936-03-24
0USTED EMPLOYE
ACCUSES ARNOLD
Harmon Charges Bus Firm
Head Vowed He Would Not
Recognize Union.

Joseph l.. Harmon, discharged night
foreman of the garage OF the Washing
ton. Virginia & Maryland Coach Co.,
at Clarendon, Va, told the National
Labor Relations Board in its hearing
today into charges that the company
had Disseminated against employees
because Of alleged union activities,
that he had heard Leon Arnold, presi-
dent of the company, say, Il am not
going to recognize the union-put that
in your-pipe and smoke It,"
Harmon said he had asked George
Wilsey, shop foreman. why he was
discharged on March 6. Am I fired
for joining the union?" Harmon said
he asked Wilsey.
Wilsey then replied, according to
Harmon, mo. It's the way you went
about it."
Satisfied With Work.
Wilsey said, according to Harmon
that he had always been satisfied with
the discharged mans work and was
sorry to see him go. Wilsey told him
Harmon said, that Harmon should
have come to Wilsey for advice first
Asked about sand and dirt in the
strainers Of the busses on the line
Harmon said they had always had
trouble with this problem. He testi-
fled that there was no thread on the
cap covering the gas tank in the ga
rage from which the busSeS are sup
piled and that water used to wash the
busses picks up dirt and sand and
flows over the top of this cap.
Harmon said he had talked with
Wilsey about this several times.
Under examination by Jacob Blum
attorney for the board and cross ex-
animation by Robert E. Lynch, at.
torney for the Arnold Line, Harmon
told of his union activities.
Carmody Outlines Question.
Harmon testified over protest of the
company attorney that Wilsey had
said Arnold would never recognize the
union, but would put his busses in @
lot and burn them first"
John NJ Carmody, member Of the
board, sitting as trial examiner, out
lined the question before the hearing
as narrowing down to the point Of
whether or not when these mer
undertook to organize a union they
would be stopped from it by the en-
ployer who did not wish to deal with
union men"
The national labor relations act
Carrondv evn1oirad
ployes in the right to organize.
Former employees of the bus firm
were expected to take the stand today
Twenty-one drivers and repair men
who joined Local 1919, of the Amalga-
mated Street, Electric Railway and
Motor Coach Employees of America, In
February. were dismissed early in
March. Through Attorney Charlton
Ogburn, they charged the company
has and is engaging in unfair labor
practices.
Arnold Testifies.
Dismissal of the employees was a
rough and ready method" of wedding
out unreliable men, according to Ar
mold
The boards complaint shows the
terms OF service Of the dismissed en-
ployes ranged from three months to
five years.
Arnold declared "the end of 10 years
OF good relations with employees" be-
gan in October, when delays and Slip
shod methods were noted among the
workers. He and Howard w. Eng
lund. tHaffic manager of the line. de-
clared the dismLsSals were based on
the reports Of "spotter" employed
by the company in December to ride
the bus lines and observe the con-
duct OF drivers. This investigator
whose name was not revealed, was
paid SIS day
Reports Sand in Gas.
Englund testified that about De-
cember IS officials found sand In the
gasoline used by the busses. He said
this was only lone Of many things"
encountered then.
Arnold and Englund emphatically
denied they had ever advised any OF
their employees TO stay out of a labor
union. Both admitted, however, they
had had conversation with employees
about the union, Arnold declaring he
had simply explained" his observa-
uonS Of other labor unions.
Questioned closely by Carmody,
Englund testified there are IS men
still in the employ of the company
who had told" him they belonged to
the union. Asked if there had been
any friction between the company and
its employees. Englund said:
1T was just like one big family"
William j. Hughes, jr., and Robert
E. Lynch, attorneys, are representing
the Arnold Line.