Evening star., 1947-09-24
Capital Transit Union
Gives Testimony on
Instructor Pay Rise

Employees Of the Capital Transit
Co. today presented testimony to
back up their request that instruc-
tors in streetcar and bus operation
be given an increase in pay. In
structors now get 10 cents an hour
in addition to the base pay, and the
employees union wants to raise it to
25 cents.
The testimony was presented be-
fore the arbitration board at the
Raleigh Hotel which is hearing the
issues In the dispute over wages and
working conditions in a new con-
tract to replace the one which ex-
pired June 80.
The union-Division 689 of the
AFL Amalgamated Association of
Street, Electric Railway and Motor
Coach Employes-put William C.
Klotz, 1889 South Carolina avenue,
on the stand. He has been a COM
pany employe for IL years.
Responsible for Money.
Mr.. Klotz said instructors are
personally responsible for money
handled by students, and that stu
dents now are broken In on more
different types of equipment than
IN former years. He said, however,
the instructors pay differential has
not been increased since 1943.
One of the difficulties is Dupont
Circle, he said.
Dupont Circle is confusing even
to instructors" he declared. He said
that students first are taken to
isolated sections and later into
downtown traffic, usually operating
vehicle for two weeks without
passengers.
Eli L. Oliver, who is directing the
unions case before the Arbitration
Board, placed on record the rates
given instructors in other cities.
The exhibit showed that instructors
in Los Angeles get a differential
of 50 day. The rate of A. B. & w.
Transit CO. here Is Is cents an
hour and in Richmond and Norfolk
II cents.
Night Differential Discussed.
Bonuses for nightwork also were
discussed. Mr. Oliver eontended the
unions request for a nightwork diff
ferential, in addition to IS per cent
basic wage increase for the 1000 en-
ployes, is based on national practice
as well as that of other Washington
utilities.
He said the Potomac Electric
Power Co. pays cents an hour more
for work between pm. and mid
night and cents more between
midnight and am. The Washing
ton Gas Light Co., he said, pays
scent night shift bonus for work
between noon and 8 pm. and a 10
cent differentia1 for work between
8 pm. and 4 am.
Capital Transit, he said, already
gives 8 hours pay for six hours
work on track repair after mid
night.
The transit company employees
are asking differential of cents
an hour for work after pm. and
10 cents an hour for work between
midnight and 8 am
Some Get Differential.
Under the present contract me-
chanics and maintenance workers
receive cents per hour differential
or the pm. to midnight shift, and
cents per hour from midnight
to 8 am. Operating employees, ex-
cept those running owl cars" re-
ceive no premium or differential.
The additional pay for night work
Is asked on top of the IS per cent
general pay raise. W.
The transit company has asked
the Arbitration Board TO elm
mate the night shift differential
for mechanical employees.
The board expects to hold no hear
ings tomorrow, but will resume Fri
day. Union leaders Indicated they
probably will get to their arguments
on the general pay raise on Friday.
When the transit union finishes
presentation of its case the company
plans to cross-examine union wit
nesses and then present its own