Evening star., 1947-10-02
Capital Transit Wages
Top Federal Average,
OfficiaI Tells HEARING

Capital Transit Co. employees re-
ceive a higher average annual wage
than Federal workers or other en-
.ployes of comparable skills, a Wage
Arbitration Board sitting at the
Raleigh Hotel, was informed today
by the management.
J. Edward Heberle, the company's
vice president and controller, put
into the record figures showing the
firms union employees now have
average annual earning of $3.50,
compared with an average annual
Federal salary of $3.50.
The union has asked 35 per cent
wage increase, as well as improved
working conditions, paid holidays,
sick leave and other benefits. Nego-
tiations, involving 1000 workers,
previously had stalled and the issues
were then placed before the arbi-
TRAITORS, who completed their second
NCCh VI 4ACoA 4l1SO lotoS'
Mr.. Heberle told the board 70 per
cent of Federal workers receive
1854 annually or less. He declared
1t requires rating of very good"
or excellent to reach higher Fed
eral pay brackets, which are now
enjoyed by Capital Transit workers.
More Statistics on Earnings.
"a very substantial number OF
Government employees have had i'm
provements in earnings less than
those of the Capital Transit Co.,
Mr.. Heberle testified. The Federal
employees represent very large seq
= ment of our customers and they
= have benefited to a lesser degree
, than have our workers. They have
TO pay the bill and we have to ar
range cur schedules to suit the Fed
eral workers
. Mr.. Heberle declared 68.4 per cent
of Capital Transit operators earn
between $1,000 and $4,000 annually
a much higher percentage than
those of comparable skills. Only
16.l per cent among those with
comparable skills earn that much
he said. He put in evidence chart
showing only II per cent of family
units with money to spend have be-
tween $4,000 and $4,000, as shown by
Federal Reserve Board figures.
Eli E. Oliver, union spokesman
raised the point the company was
using 1945 figures to show earnings
. of kindred workers with comparable
skills, contrasting them with the
more favorable Capital Transit fig
ures for the contract year 1857.
- Bus and streetcar operators are
in the upper one-third Of industrial
workers in America in their eco
nomic standing. Hawley Simpson,
the company's labor counsel, told
the board.
Board Adjourns Until Monday.
The company placed in evidence
10 exhibits at this mornings session.
Shortly before noon, the board ad-
journed until Monday, wnen the
company will resume presentation Of
its case.
= The company told the board yes
terday, rate of $1.23 an hour,
with no allowance for overtime pay,
would restore employe buying power
to an equivalent of that of January
1941, according to Bureau of Labor
Statistics figures on living costs.
Streetcar and bus operators now get
$1,20 an hour.
Mr., Simpson contended transit
workers were better of in January,
1941, in terms of purchasing power,
than at any period before the end
Of the war.
Union officials contend Scent
increase suggested by the COM
pany would leave the men no
better off than they were in jan
uary, 1941, despite an increase in
living standards elsewhere in the
Nation. In addition to living costs,
living standards throughout the
country have increased Is per cent
since 1941, the union contends.
; Arbitration Board Chairman DR..
George w. Taylor, former chairman
: of the old War Labor Board, 5ug-
gested Scent wage increase
, would be in accord with previous
practice. Mr.. Simpson conceded the
. practice was to have a wage rate
! higher than the living cost to care
! for anticipated increases.
o. David Zimring, representing
Division 689 of the Amalgalneted
Association of Street, Electric Rail
way and Motor Coach Employees
. (AFL), arbitration board member,
/. said the workers suffered a cut in
purchasing power shortly after re-
cent contracts had been entered
into, due to rising costs. MI. Simp-
{, son conceded this.