Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1945-12-11
Hearing Opened
ByArbitrators
In TransitCase
Both Sides Present
Stand as Mediotors
Hope for Early Accord

nope TOT EuIIy ACCOTO
A three-man arbitration boart
today opened hearings in the Cap
ital Transit Co. wage case ant
heard union spokesman declare
wage increase was justified and /,
company representative insist sucl
an increase could not be justified
The hearing in Room 6221 of tht
Labor Department. Building will b,
open to the public.
The board consists of Jane
Francis Reilly. for the company
o. David Zimring of Chicago, TO
the transit union, and Aaron Hor
vitz of New York, the chairman
appointed by Secretary of Labor
Schwellenbach.
Hope for Early Conclusion.
Chairman Horvitz explained tina
the hearing would be conducted ex.
peditiously in the hope that it coule
be concluded perhaps by tomorrow
night. e
The union introduced a number
Of exhibits showing the Statistical,
picture of the company, which they
said were obtained from the com
pany'S records. These figures
showed that while the number OF
platform employees, such as motor.
men, conductors and bus operators
had decreased by "a per cent dur
ing the period from 1941 to 1914, the
passenger revenue had increased rs
per cent.
Opening the case for the union,
Ely L. Oliver of Washington con-
tended transit worker pay has
Jagged far behind the wages OF in
dustrial employees in virtually every
other industry. He explained the
union was asking an increase of 80
cents an hour over the basic rate
of IS cents an hour for the one
man operators of streetcars and
buses here. This would increase the
basic rate to SIPS.
Bonus Effective in Contract.
The 7 cents an hour bonus, now
being paid transit workers under
terms of a previous arbitration
award is effective, he explained,
only for the contract during this
current year, which closes June 80,
1916.
The request of transit workers of
Local $50, Amalgamated Association
of Street, Electric Railway and
Motor Coach Employees of America
AFL, Mr.. Oliver commended, should
be considered against the back
ground of the rising tide of wage
increases throughout other indus
tries.
Despite the War Labor Board s
Little Steel formula and arguments
OF Government spokesman that the
wage lines should be held against
possible imitation, the union spokes-
man contended that the arbitration
board here should consider the case
of the workers.
Should Get Higher Standard.
These vitality. important transit
workers here" he told the board,
should enjoy rise in living stand
ards that others are receiving"
He pointed to the movement not
only throughout the country for in
creased wages but through the
pending proposal to raise the Salary
OF Government workers here.
Not only have the basic wage
rates of transit workers failed to
rise, Mr.. Oliver. said, but as a mat
ter of fact theft take-home pay was
being very drastically reduced
Their wages have not kept pace
with the increased cost of living, he
contended.
The transit company case was
presented by E. D. Merrill, COM
pany president.
Merrill Plans Elaborate Data.
Predicting that the company
planned to present elaborate evil
dence, Mr.. Merrill said. II believe
the testimony will prove that this
Is no case where an increase is juSti-
fed. In other words, we are not
here engaged in process of amelio-
ration or compromise but we are
endeavoring to present to the board
a principle on which changes in
wage rates are based and the facts
which will permit the board to act
on these principles"
Mr.. Merrill expressed what he
contended was Government policy
against such an increase as the
transit workers now request.
THE Government is anxious to
avoid rising price levels" he said,
land will frown upon any increase
in wage levels that has that effect
unless such increases are found to
be necessary for the specific purpose
of correcting inequities and NAL
adjustments of the character speci-
fed"
Would Increase Fares.
The wage increase proposed by
the union, Mr.. Merrill said, could
not be put into effect without an
increase in fares, but he warned that
such increases are often mot pro-
ductive of additional revenue to the
extent which might be expected"
Certainly the public would have
Just cause for complaint" he de-
clared, "if wages were raised above
normal or proper level at the
expense of the general public who
uses the service"
Transit workers already had re-
ceived very substantial benefits,
Mr.. Merrill said, in the award
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