Evening star., 1944-01-19

A., o. q w. ono NoPituI
Tronsit Are Denied
Scent Wage Increases
The $50 employees of the Arnold.
operated Bus Line will meet to.
morrow in the Ballston Firehouse
to consider the War Labor Board
decision yesterday granting them a
7-cent-an-hour wage increase
cents less than the unions demand.
Meanwhile, union officials at the
Capital Transit Co. and the Alex.
andria, Bancroft g. Washington
Transportation Co. could not be
reached for comment on the WLB's
denial of their requests for Scent
hourly wage increases. Approx
mately 1000 workers at the two bus
lines are affected.
Declaring that he doesn't think
very much" Of the boards decision,
o. B. Hiner. president of the Arnold
local union, said the matter would
be placed before union members at
their meeting at II am. tomorrow.
While Mr.. Hiner said he could not
predict what action the union would
take, he added that the men with
whom he talked had indicated they
would reject the boards decision.
Some A., B. e. w. Men Indignant.
Some of the drivers on the A.. B.
& w. line we're reported to be 'in-
dignant" over the boards action
and were talking of tying up the
line" one of the older drivers said.
Anything can happen" he as
serted, with the type of drivers we
have today. I wouldn't venture q
guess as to whether there will be q
strike or not-I certainly hope there
won't be one"
He explained that the drivers re-
cessed their last meeting instead
of adjourning it. This means that
they can be called into continuous
session at any time No notice has
been received concerning resump-
ton of the meeting, however.
In its decision the WLB also re-
quested the three bus companies to
draw up proposed bonus system as
compensation for abnormal work
and as an incentive to meet the
present emergency"
Raises Held Not Justified.
In rejecting company-union agree.
ments for Scent increases for en-
ployes OF the Capital Transit Co.
and the A. B. & w., the board point
ed out that neither the companies
nor the unions made any showing
that the increases were justified
under the wage-stabilizing program.
Present wage rates for operating
employees of the two firms are e5
cents an hour for Capital Transit
Co. workers and 80 cents an hour
for A., B. & w. employees. The in
crease granted employees OF the Ar
nold-operated line will bring their
wages up to 88 cents an hour.
! The board also explained that on
August 7, 1943, it approved vacation
and overtime pay provisions of the
Capital Transit Co. company-union
| agreement.
;. In the A. B. & w. agreement the
board approved a provision| callins
for reduction in the. progression
schedule from tWo-year period tt
one year required to reach full rate
The salary schedule for operating
employees of the A. B. & w. under
the new schedule will be 78 cents an
hour for The first six months, IS foI
the second six months and 90 cents
after one year.
Arnold Boost Retroactive.
Although the Arnold-operated
line pay increase was approved
unanimously by the board, the wage
boosts sought by employees Of the
other two bus lines were denied by
an 8-to-4 vote, with labor members
OF the board voting for the increase.
In approving the increase for en-
ployes Of the Arnold bus line, which
was made retroactive to May II,
the board explained that its action
was taken TO restore the differen-
tial between their salaries and those
of AB&W employees as they exist
ed in 1910 and to compensate them
for an increased work load"
The board also unanimously ap.
proved time-and-a-half pay for
Arnold workers after nine hours
platform time or after IA hours
spread time, whichever is greater.
A special WLB panel, which had
been appointed to arbitrate the wage
dispute between Arnold officials and
the drivers, after the latter went out
on a one-day strike November 10.
recommended a 9-cent hourly wage
increase. B. J. Shave. labor men,
Der of the panel. dssented, recon-
mending 12-cent increase.
Other members of the panel were
DR.. Paul Douglass, president OF
American University, representing
the public, and John Twohy, Nor
folk, Va, representing industry.