Evening star., 1949-08-05

Dismissal Was Only Issue.
Frederick o. Fitzgerald, Inter-
national vice president of the
Amalgamated Association OF
Street, Electric Railway and Mo-
tor Coach Employees of America,
made this statement early today
after the strike of Local 1865, TIE
union concerned. was averted:
Mr.. Garrity, the man involved
in this particular case, will def
| nitely retain his position as an
employe of the company If he can
pass a doctors examination on or
before September 1. That Is
agreed to. September l is the
time he said he could be back to
work.
In the event he is not able to
pass the physical examinat lion for
the job in his own particular cias-
sif1cation. the company will make
every endeavor to place him i'll
position of lighter work"
The threatened strike, which
would have crippled bus service
between Washington and nearby
Maryland for about $4,000 per-
sons, was unusual in that it had
nothing to do with wages or work.
ing conditions. The only issue was
restoration OF Mr.. Garrity's job.
Popular Worker.
One of the beSt-liked mechanics
on the line, Mr.. Garrity went to
work for the bus company in 1943.
In February. 1948, while installing
a compressor for air tanks under
meath a bus, the sleeve of Mr..
Garrity's coverall caught in a fan
belt In a flash his right hand
was severed by the fan pulley and
his forearm was so badly crushed
it had to be amputated at the ell
bow.
After weeks of convalescence ne
reported back to work and was
given the stockroom job. His
take home pay dropped from
$685. a week to s42.4l, but he
remained cheerful and uncom-
planning, his fellow workers said.
On June II. Mr.. Garrity was
stricken with stomach absceSs
and had to return to the hospital
for an emergency operation
WhiA he was recuperating he re-
ceived a letter from the company
on July Is notifying him that he
had been dismissed.
When his fellow workers-mem-
bers of Division 1865 OF the Anal
gamated Street Railway and Mo-
tor Coach Employees of America
heard OF the letter they voted to
walk out on a wildcat strike.
Strike Vote Called.
! Gravity Called Negligent.
/ In a statement outlining the
company's position. Mr.. Altman
said:
I'VE contend this man was in
jured through his own negligence
while employed in our garage. He
was negligent in allowing the
sleeve of his coveralls to get caught
in the fan belt-he should have
been more careful and he should
not have had the motor running
while he was working on that par
ticular job.
"Tpis mans hospital expenses
were paid and he reached settle
ment with the insurance company
for S., 200 to be paid: understand,
in weekly payments of $40.
During the time Bernie Gar
rity was recuperating after the
accident ] kept in personal con-
tact with him. I took a personal
interest in his welfare as I do for
all our employees. I had many
conversations with him in my
Office and l always asked him
when he planned to come back to
work and what kind of work he
thought he could do.
In October, 1948, he said he
was ready to come back and we
found = job for him as a clerk in
the stockroom Naturally he had
to take 4 cut in pay.
Il want to make it clear that
the union had absolutely nothing
to do with getting him back to
work last October. That was
purely a management proposition
In early June he had to 60 to
the hospital again for a stomach
operation. During the time he
was away we tried many times to
learn when he would come back.
The loss of one man from our
stockroom made it impossible to
keep up with the work there.
Finally we got word that he
would be back in September and
that after he returned he might
have to undergo another opera
ton. 1t was decided then that
we would have to replace him. In
our letter we told him we would be
glad to consider him for another
job If he cared to apply when
he recovered.
THE company has been more
than fair in this case and in the
public interest we went even fur
ther to sign last nights agree
ment. We were prepared to meet
the situation. We would have had
at least Is buses operating this
morning if the strike had been
called.
"As result of last nights
agreement, Garrity's status is that
of an employe on sick leave and
he is entitled to ApDly for benefits