Evening star., 1945-11-26
Union Will Take Up
Firing Of 3 Workers
In Transit Talks Today

In Transit talks Today
Discharge of nine Capital Transit
Co. employees for allegedly interfer-
ing with the operation of streetcars
and buses after the Government
took over was expected to be
brought up today when company
and transit union officials get to-
gether to discuss the appointment
OF arbiters in their pending wage
dispute.
A company spokesman said eight
OF the men were brought in for in
vestigation Friday and dismissed
Saturday. The ninth man did not
come in when called and was also
fired, according to the company Of
fetal.
John H. Goodman, assistant buSi-
ness agent for the transit union,
said some of the men have already
filed grievances with the union and
that these will be presented to the
company. He said there was no
doubt that the discharges would be
discussed at todays meeting with
the company.
Regular Procedure" Used in Firings.
The meeting, scheduled for 2::30
pm. today, originally was set up to
announce the men who will repre-
sent the company and the union on
the three-man Arbitration Board.
James Francis Reilly, Washington
attorney who recently resigned as a
member of the Public Utilities Com
mission. has been named company
arbiter. The name of the man who
will represent the union has not been
announced by the union pending his
acceptance.
A company spokesman insisted
that the discharge of the nine men
was done in the regular disciplinary
way" because they had interfered
with normal operation of the service
after the Government took over.
He said the men had been given
full opportunity to express them
selves as part of the regular inves-
tigation."
Asked if Guy A. Richardson, Fed
eral manager of the transit system
while it remains in Government
hands, received notice of the COM
pany's intention to fire the men, the
company spokesman responded that
the Government expects us to con-
tinue in our regular way and the
hrings were part OF our regular pro-
cedure,"
Names Withheld.
The company spokesman refused
to give out the names of the men
or their length of service with the
company. He said giving out that
information was against the policy
OF the company.
Ralph Leroy Sullivan, 174 Up
shur terrace NE, one of the men
dismissed, said that most of those
fired had had about 10 years of
service with the company. Mr..
Sullivan said John T. Souder, 1727
Third street NE, another of those
fired, had been with the company
% years
Mr.. Sullivan, who said he had 70
years service, reported that he was
one Of. about 20 or Is men standing
on the. corner near Fourth and T
streets NE. in the vicinity of the
lexington car barn last Wednes-
day night.
1--WE were just standing there
blowingwof steam. as men will
he side. There was nc incident,
never a, man touched any of the
company property. worked the
next day, Thanksgiving, and was
told to report Friday at the George
town barn for work. When I showed
up, I was told I was being investi-
gated and to come back the next
day. When I reported Saturday
morning, was told I was through
because of interference with the
operation of streetcars and buses.
Reported to Work as Usual.
Ernest M. Hatfield, 416 Eleventh
street NE, one of the discharged
bus drivers, said he couldn't under
stand the company's action. He said
he had not attended the continuous
meeting of the union either No
vember Z Or last Wednesday.
He added that he hadn't known
about the first strike and reported
to work as usual. The company, he
said, refused to give him his equip
ment when he reported for work.
II have worked seven days
week for months" Mr.. Hatfield said.
II have a wife and two small chill
dren. My hours at work were from s
am. to 10 pm. every day but Sunday.
Sundays I worked from noon to $50
pm. The only hours I got to see
my kids when they weren't asleep
was before noon on Sunday. I tried
to do my bit for the company during
the war. I can't understand the
company's action. I have had only
two days off since August r."
Mr.. Sullivan said that some of
the other men discharged were
Frank Moore, 1922 Thirty sixth
street, Mount Rainier, Md; c. B..
Schwartz, 2611 Franklin street NE;
RrlIce Calman 168 Inland terrace