Evening star., 1949-11-29
Transit Union
Tells Arbiters
Pay Is Unjust
Final Arguments
Made in Dispute
On Wage Demands

The Capital Transit Co.'s union
employees argued today before the
fve-man board arbitrating the
contract dispute between the COM
pany and it's workers that the
present wage rates are unjust and
inequitable.
The company. in reply, main
tanned there is no justification fol
an increase in pay at this time.
Final arguments were made In
the dispute on which the arbitra-
ton board has held hearings in
termittently since October 20 at
the Hamilton Hotel.
The union is asking a wage
raise of Is cents an hour ano
other benefits. No estimate OF
the cost of these fringe" demands
has been made by the union, but
the company has estimated them
as amounting to 1872 cents an
hour additionally and that thei1
cost, plus the Is cents an hour
would total about $4,500,000 a
year.
The company is opposing all
of the demands and asking for
certain changes in the contract
in it's turn. Top scale now for
operators is $1.45 an hour.
Union Presents Case.
E. L. Oliver, counsel for Divi-
sion 689, Amalgamated Associa-
ton of Street Electric Railway
and Motor Coach Employees, spoke
for the union as the arguments
opened. Mr.. Oliver, who has pre-
sented the unions case to the
board, made these points:
/. Money rates of pay here are
below the average for those IN
cities used for comparison in the
1947 arbitration when a 15-cent
increase was given.
2. The purchasing power OF
wages here is even further below
these same cities.
3. The work week has been re-
duced here since the last award
without compensation granted for
such reductions.
4. Wages paid operators are less
than those paid other workers for
service of equal or less skill In
Washington. :.
5. Earnings of Capital Transit
Operators are too low to permit
them to live on the standard
found to be proper for Washington
by the Bureau of Labor Statistics
6. Wages have not kept pace
with the rise in wakes and living
standards Of other workers gen.
orally.
Company States Position.
The company position was
stated by Hawley S. Simpson, a
member of the Philadelphia firm
of Simpson & Curtin, labor coun-
selors to transit concerns.
He asserted that the stralght
time hourly earning OF the COM
pany's operators is 1881 based
on actual work hours. ITO this
we may add" he said, IAN addi-
tional 1872 cents in benefits, max
ing our average hourly earnings
for each hour work S1.763.
Mr.. Simpson said he believed
the company had proved con-
clusively during the hearing these
facts:
l. No wage rate increase is
warranted on the basis OF hVlng
costs but, instead, decrease is
indicated by the decline in the
cost of living that has occurred
since the negotiation OF the last
agreement.
2. No increase is indicated on
the basis of trends in the transit
industry because the company
rates have moved up with the pre-
vailing movement within the in
dustry.
2. The company has no money
with which to meet a wage IN
crease.
Requests Opposed.
He argued that in view OF these
facts all Of the wage requests OF
the union should be denied.
Arguments also covered the va
rious collaterals which the un1or
is asking. 1t wants insurance
benefits, longer sick leave, an in
crease in night rate differentials
eight holidays with pay a year, ar
increase in report and turn-lr
time and other benefits.
The company has argued thai
the contract changes it seeks
would not reduce the take-home
pay of the employees, but Woulo
save money for the company. II
has cited it's serious decline ir
net income and has said that even
without increased operative costs
it appears a fare increase may
nave TO De requested.
Board to Study Problem.
The next step is a study Of tht
record by the board, which in
cludes three impartial members
Alfred A. Colby, chairman; Prof
Harry Shulman and Charles A
Horsky, and two partisan mem
bers, John F. Curtin, for th'
company, and o. David Zimring
for the union.
Mr.. Zimring is associated with
M. Oliver in the Labor Bureau
OF the Middle West. Mr.. Curtain
is associated with Mr.. Simpson.
Chairman Colby said the boarc
will hold executive sessions durins