Evening star., 1949-10-21
Additional Sick Leave
Asked for Operators
On Capital Transit


pany to allow more sick leave for
bus and car drivers on the ground
that their occupation exposes
them to special health hazards
He cited drafts and bad food.
The witness before the arbitra-
ton hearing of the unions de-
mands for higher wages and other
benefits was Isaac N. Collins. 1880
r street Sc. He is a member OF
the executive board Of the en-
ployes union.
The wage increase sought for the
unions 4,300 members is 25 cents
an hour. An arbitration board OF
flve members is holding hearings
at the Hamilton Hotel.
Stomach Complaints Cited.
MIR. Collins said the operators
are subject to drafts as they open
and close the doors and that
stomach complaints are frequent
These complaints, he said. result
from the necessity of eating In
lunchoors which are mot SC
good" where the operator is given
meal relief.
His testimony was in support
of a union request for increased
sick leave. Employees now are al
lowed seven days sick leave ano
may accumulate this up to 81
days. The union is asking for Il
days leave and the right to &C
cumulate so days.
There was unexpected agree
ment on one point at the hearing
providing a human touch to the
otherwise factual proceedings
E. j. Heberle, vice president ano
controller of the company, men
toned the high regard in which
a worker in the Employees Relief
Association is held. The worker
was identified as Miss Kitty
Barrett.
Union Witness Concurs.
Mr.. Collins said earnestly he
would like to concur, adding, eve
all love her" .
Prof. Harry Shulman, one OF
the arbitration board members
put in, "On that basis the board
ought to love her"
The union-Division 689 of the
Amalgamated Street, Electric
Railway and Motor Coach En-
ployes-began the introduction of
evidence to support its requests
for group life insurance and hos
pital and surgical benefits. Haw-
ley Simpson. presenting the COM
pany's case. said the company
hasn't any money to pay for
these things"
The insurance the union asks
includes:
A group life policy of $4,000 for
each employe of three months
standing.
Group accident and sickness in
surance of. $35 a week for each
em1Ioye of years standing.
y Insurance providing hospital-
fzation, surgical and medical ex-
penses and consultation fees for
each active and retired employe
and the beneficiary's family.
Sudden Agreement on Point.
E. L. Oliver of the Labor Bureau
of the Middle West. who is pre-
senting the unions case, SUBJ
mitted q number of less important
parts of the unions requests
yesterday. To one of these-that
employees must take their vaca-
tions and not work during the
vacation, receiving double pay
Mr.. Simpson, suddenly announced
agreement.
Mr.. Simpson is a member of the
Philadelphia labor relations firm
Of Simpson & Curtin.
One Of the union demands is
for three week vacations after
10 years, instead of after IS years
as at present. Mr.. Oliver pre-
sented yesterday a number Of ex-
hibits. one showing that in many
industrial concerns the three
week vacation is given after less
than 10 years employment. The
Union Leader. weekly publica-
ton of the Amalgamated in Chi
cago. however, does not allow a
vacation of three weeks until after
10 years.
Transit Tie Cited.
"It appears that the Union
Leader is a laggard." Mr.. Simp-
son remarked with a grin at Mr.,
Oliver.
"It's tied to the transit indus
try" Mr.. Oliver came back, land
it has to follow the trend in that
industry"
Members of the arbitration
board, of which Alfred A. Colby
is chairman, interrupted fire.
quently with questions. Flanking
Mr.. Colby are the other two i'm
partial members, Prof. Harry
Shulman of Yale and Charles A.
Horsky, Washington attorney. AT
opposite ends of the table sit O.
David Zimring, Mr.. divers asso-
ciate in the Labor Bureau of the
Middle West. and John Curtin, Mr.
Simpsons associate.
President E. D. Merrill was at
the table yesterday morning, but
in the afternoon his place was
taken by j. A. B. Broadwater,f OF
Jacksonville. Fla, one of the group
of Florida businessmen who re-
Gently acquired control of the
company and has been elected a
vice president of Capital Transit
Jap Land Reform Program
Success, Macarthur Says