The potters herald. [volume] (East Liverpool, Ohio) 1899-1982, 1938-07-07
Street Car Men Win.
81 Wage Increases
SO. 900 Members of A. F. of L.
Athlete Have Coined
Vacations

Detroit, Mich.-Despite the business
recession" during which employers
have forced thousands and thousands
of employees to accept drastic wage
slashes, the .Amalgamated Association
of Street and Electric Railway En-
ployes Of America, by means of it's
strong organization and firm policies,
has not only guarded practically all
Of it's members against reductions in
pay but has actually won wage in
creases for considerable portion of
; it's membership.
| The high points in this remarkable
! record for maintaining and even i'm
proving wage rates during this ire
cession" are given in an editorial in
the July issue Of "The Motorman,
Conductor and Motor Coach Operator"
the official journal of Amalgamated
Association. r
"Out of this entire organization"
the editorial says, "a mere handful of
members, employed upon three prop
critics, have suffered wage reductions.
Two are small operations involving a
total Of 1O4 men. On the other sys-
tenn, which employs ], ,255 men, the re-
duction is temporary. The previous
high rate there will, according to the
agreement, be restored on Oct. l.
Eighty-Four Wage Boost Agreements
"Since business took nose dive last
fall 115 Local Divisions have signed
agreements with the employing COM
|
tracts were opened for negotiation the
arrangements demanded reductions in
the wage scales or attempted to do
away with favorable working condi-
tions. Despite this fact 81 of the set
Elements called for INCREASES in
wages. 1t is interesting to note that
since last September arbitration was
resorted to in only four cases and in
each wage boosts resulted.
"Twenty-six agreements have been
renewed in the last nine months with
out change to the wage structure. In
many of these and in the other agree
ments concessions were gained in
working conditions and still others
provided for vacations with pay. Sew
eral contracts reached early in 1887
run for two years and are not affect
ed by the conditions which developed
since the signatures were affixed.
i. No Strikes Called
"And here is the most impressive
fact of all-In not one instance has it
been necessary for Local Division to
strike to defend it's wages and condi-
tions, or to improve them. Through
negotiation or arbitration hundreds of
, thousands of dollars have been added
to the incomes of Amalgamated AS
sociation members in times like these,
without the loss of one days work or
minutes interruption of service to
the public. This is an achievement
that surpasses anything accomplished
by any group of wage earners, organ
lied or unorganized, in North Amer
ica."
, Vacations With Pay
Another achievement of which the
Amalgamated Association is justly
proud is the tremendous strides made
toward obtaining paid vacations for
it's members. At the present time, ac-
t cording to officials of the association
+ the members of 122 Local Divisions
numbering more than 10000 street
, railway and bus line operators, receive
annually vacations of from fifteen
+ days to seven days with pay. Five
, years ago the members of only fifteen
Local Divisions had arrangements with
the arrangements by which their mem.
1 bers received paid vacations.