New York City Mayor's Advisory Transit Committee Hearing Transcripts and Records, 1939-1947
Collection Number: 5251
Kheel Center for Labor-Management Documentation & Archives
Cornell University Library
DESCRIPTIVE SUMMARY
Title:
New York City Mayor's Advisory Transit Committee Hearing Transcripts and Records, 1939-1947
Repository:
Kheel Center for Labor-Management Documentation & Archives
Collection Number:
5251
Abstract:
This collection contains materials produced by the New York City Mayor's Advisory
Transit Committee and submissions to the committee from the various parties involved
in the mediation. These records include transcripts of the hearings, exhibits from
labor unions, submissions from the New York City Transit Authority, correspondence
of committee members, and drafts of committee documents.
Creator:
New York City Mayor's Advisory Transit Committee
Hoffman, Anna Rosenberg, 1902-1983.
Rosenman, Samuel I. (Samuel Irving), 1896-1973.
Kheel, Theodore Woodrow.
Mulroney, Edward P.
Knowlton, Thomas Anson.
Friedman, Clara H.
Quanitities:
2 cubic feet
Language:
Collection material in English
The New York City Transit Board was established in 1924 as the operating agency for
the New York City mass transit system. In 1932, the Transit Board completed the construction
of the Independent Subway [IND] and its employees became part of the Competitive Civil
Service System in 1935.
There were two private companies providing subway service in New York at this time:
the Brooklyn-Manhattan Transit Company [BRT] and the Interborough Rapid Transit Company
[IRT]. Their employees had negotiated system-wide closed shop agreements with the
Transport Workers' Union [TWU] in 1937, except for motormen and signal maintainers.
They were represented by the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers [BLE] and the Brotherhood
of Railroad Signalmen [BRS], respectively.
In 1940, New York City purchased the BMT and the IRT and as part of the purchase
agreed to respect the contracts of the three unions, which were set to expire in 1941.
However, the relationship between the City and the unions degenerated and the TWU
made two separate strike threats. The mayor of New York, William O'Dwyer, eventually
responded to these threats by creating the Mayor's Advisory Transit Committee in 1946.
The committee was charged with studying the issues and making recommendations regarding
working conditions, wages, and labor relations with the NYC Transit Board. The chairman
of the board was Arthur S. Meyer. The other members of the committee were Theodore
W. Kheel, Edward P. Mulrooney, Anna M. Hoffman (nee Rosenberg), and Samuel I. Rosenman.
Dr. Thomas Knowlton, United States Conciliation Service, and Clara Friedman (nee Handleman),
labor arbitrator, served as executive secretary and committee economist, respectively.
The central issues addressed were the desirabiliity and permissibility of collective
bargaining, the process for resolving grievances, the legality of public employees
striking, and monetary issues concerning both wages and maintenance of an extensive
transit system. Hearings were held in the spring and summer of 1946.
The final report of the committee was delivered to Mayor O'Dwyer on September 9,
1946.
Inclusive date range: 1937 -1947
Bulk date: 1946
This collection consists of records submitted to and created by the New York City's
Mayor's Advisory Committee. The collection is divided into four series, listed below,
to help distinguish the creators of the records in this collection. "Series I: Hearing
Transcripts" consists of fourteen bound volumes conaining the transcripts of the thirteen
public hearings held in March, April, and May 1946 and for the hearing in June 1946
held with the Board of Transportation. "Series II: Union Exhibits and Submissions"
consists of memoranda, demands, briefs, supplemental briefs, exhibits, and other submissions
made by the sixteen unions representing the employees in the NYC Transit System. In
addition to the records of these sixteen organizations which appeared at the hearings,
this series also conatins the briefs of an additional seven labor orgnizations which
did not participate in the hearings, but did file their papers with the Committee
(for a complete list of these organiations, see pp. iii-iv in the final report of
the Committee). "Series III: Board of Transportation Exhibits and Submissions" consists
of the Board of Transportation [BoT] response to the demands of its employees in a
memorandum with exhibits and additional submissions with data that the BoT alleged
supported their position in denying the demands of their employees. "Series IV: Mayor's
Committee Drafts, Correspondence, and Reports" consists of the records generated by
the Committee itself. These papers include multiple drafts of the final report submitted
to the Mayor, detailed analysis of monetary matters and labor relations with regard
to civil service employees in other municipalities as they relate to the demands of
the employees, annotated copies of civil service laws, correspondence between committee
members, and a copy of the final published report of the Mayor's Advisory Transit
Committee.
Series I: Hearing Transcripts, 1946 (Box 1, Folders 1 -13)
Series II: Union Exhibits and Submissions, 1939-1946 (Box 1, Folders 14-28)
Series III: Board of Transportation Exhibits and Submissions, 1943-1946 (Box 2, Folders
1a-4)
Series IV: Mayor's Committee Drafts, Correspondence, and Reports, 1946-1947 (Box
2, Folders 5-18)
From note found in collection: "These are Mr. Meyer's papers of the complete file
of the Mayor's Advisory Transit Committee."
Access to the collections in the Kheel Center is restricted. Please contact a reference
archivist for access to these materials.
This collection must be used in keeping with the Kheel Center Information Sheet and
Procedures for Document Use.
INFORMATION FOR USERS
New York City Mayor's Advisory Transit Committee Hearing Transcripts and Records #5251.
Kheel Center for Labor-Management Documentation and Archives, Cornell University Library.
Related Collections: 5321: U.S. Department of Labor Wage and Hour and Public Contracts Division Special
Industry Committee #12 Records 5252: Arthur Meyer Papers 5114: New York City Transit Authority Fact Finding Panel Records 5118: New York City Board of Transportation and the Transport Workers Union Records
Names:
Meyer, Arthur S. (Arthur Simon), 1880-1955.
New York (N.Y.) Mayor's Advisory Transit Committee
New York (N.Y.). Transit Police Department -- Employees
Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers (U.S.)
Transport Workers Union of America
Brotherhood of Railroad Signalmen
Civil Service Forum
AFSCME
New York (N.Y.). Board of Transportation
Subjects:
Collective bargaining -- Government employees -- New York
Strikes and lockouts -- Civil service -- New York
Transport workers -- New York (State) -- New York
Wages -- Local transit -- New York (State) -- New York
CONTAINER LIST
Container
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Description
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Date
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Series I: Hearing Transcripts, 1946
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|||
Scope and Contents
This series contains fourteen volumes transcribing the hearings held by the Mayor's
Advisory Committee. Thirteen hearings were open to the public. Nine of these hearings,
held between March 12 and April 14, 1946, were concerned with monetary matters, such
as wages, vacation, promotions, and holidays. Four hearings concerning labor relations
were held with the employees organizations between May 15 and May 20, 1946. Finally,
a hearing with the BoT regarding labor relations was held on June 4, 1946.
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Box 1 | Folder 1 |
Mayor's Advisory Transit Committee Preliminary Hearing Transcript. Pages 1-34 and
Pages 35-139.
|
1946 |
Scope and Contents
In the Matter of The Board of Transportation of the City of New York and The Transport
Workers' Union.
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|||
Box 1 | Folder 2 |
Mayor's Advisory Transit Committee Preliminary Hearing Transcript. Pages 140-219.
|
1946 |
Scope and Contents
In the Matter of The Board of Transportation of the City of New York and New York
Transit Police Association; New York City Police Sergeants' Association; The Transport
Workers' Union.
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|||
Box 1 | Folder 3 |
Mayor's Advisory Transit Committee Preliminary Hearing Transcript. Pages 220-326.
|
1946 |
Scope and Contents
In the Matter of The Board of Transportation of the City of New York and Brotherhood
of Locomotive Engineers; Brotherhood of R.R. Signalmen of America, New York Transit
Police Association; New York City Police Sergeants' Association; The Transport Workers
Union.
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|||
Box 1 | Folder 4 |
Mayor's Advisory Transit Committee Preliminary Hearing Transcript. Pages 327-465.
|
1946 |
Scope and Contents
In the Matter of The Board of Transportation of the City of New York and Civil Service
Forum; Claim Examiners, IRT & BMT, Grades 1, 2, & 3; Claim Examiners, BMT, Grade 2;
Provisional Claim Examiners, et al.
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|||
Box 1 | Folder 5 |
Mayor's Advisory Transit Committee Preliminary Hearing Transcript. Pages 466-595.
|
1946 |
Scope and Contents
In the Matter of The Board of Transportation of the City of New York and American
Federation of Municipal Transit Workers, Local 21193, A.F.L., et al.
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|||
Box 1 | Folder 6 |
Mayor's Advisory Transit Committee Preliminary Hearing Transcript. Pages 596-659
|
1946 |
Scope and Contents
In the Matter of The Board of Transportation of the City of New York and Board of
Transportation, Local 624; American Federation of State, County, & Municipal Employees,
AFL; et al.
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|||
Box 1 | Folder 7 |
Mayor's Advisory Transit Committee Preliminary Hearing Transcript. Pages 660-806
|
1946 |
Scope and Contents
In the Matter of The Board of Transportation of the City of New York and Civil service
Technical Guild, et al.
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|||
Box 1 | Folder 8 |
Mayor's Advisory Transit Committee Preliminary Hearing Transcript. Pages 807-847.
|
1946 |
Scope and Contents
In the Matter of The Board of Transportation of the City of New York and The Transport
Workers' Union, et al.
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|||
Box 1 | Folder 9 |
Mayor's Advisory Transit Committee Preliminary Hearing Part II, Transcript Pages 1-128.
|
1946 |
Scope and Contents
In the Matter of The Board of Transportation of the City of New York and The American
Federation of Municipal Transit Workers, Local 21193, et al.
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|||
Box 1 | Folder 10 |
Mayor's Advisory Transit Committee Preliminary Hearing Part II, Transcript. Pages
129-226
|
1946 |
Scope and Contents
In the Matter of The Board of Transportation of the City of New York and Board of
Transportation Local 624, American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees,
AFL; Civil Service Forum, et al.
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|||
Box 1 | Folder 11 |
Mayor's Advisory Transit Committee Preliminary Hearing Part II, Transcript. Pages
227-402
|
1946 |
Scope and Contents
In the Matter of The Board of Transportation of the City of New York and Civil Service
Forum; Civil Service Technical Guild; Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers; Brotherhood
of R.R. Signalmen; New York Transit Police Association; Yardmasters; Association of
Administrative and Clerical Employees; Independent Division of Train Dispatchers Grievance
Committee.
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Box 1 | Folder 12 |
Mayor's Advisory Transit Committee Preliminary Hearing, Part II, Transcript. Pages
403-610.
|
1946 |
Scope and Contents
In the Matter of The Board of Transportation of the City of New York and The Transport
Workers' Union.
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|||
Box 1 | Folder 13 |
Mayor's Advisory Transit Committee Preliminary Hearing, Part II, Transcript. Pages
611-739.
|
1946 |
Scope and Contents
In the Matter of The Board of Transportation of the City of New York and The Transport
Workers' Union.
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Series II: Union Exhibits and Submissions, 1939-1946
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|||
Scope and Contents
This series consists of the various papers filed by the employee organizations. The
papers both list the demands of the employees and provide supporting materials as
exhibits to bolster their claims. Of interest in this series are the various agreements
and contracts between carriers and labor unions submitted as exhibits, statistical
information on wage rates for various professions, both in New York City and in the
rest of the United States, and crime statistics for the New York Transit system provided
by the unions representing the Transit Police and the Transit Police Sergeants' Association.
An annotated index for these exhibits is also located in this series.
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Box 1 | Folder 14 |
American Federation of Municipal Transit Workers (MTW), Local 21193, AFL. Exhibits
and Summary Points in Support of Demands
|
1946 |
Box 1 | Folder 15 |
AFSCME, Board of Transportation Local 624: Memorandum and Exhibits in Support of Demands
and Exhibits
|
1946 |
Box 1 | Folder 16 |
Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers: Letter and Exhibits in Support of Demands
|
1939-1946 |
Scope and Contents
Exhibits consist of agreements between the BLE and various carriers such as the BMT,
the Central of New Jersey, and the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad.
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|||
Box 1 | Folder 17 |
Brotherhood of Railroad Signalmen of America: Demands, Brief (exhibits included therein),
and Supplemental Brief
|
1945-1946 |
Scope and Contents
Lodge 113, Brooklyn, New York.
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|||
Box 1 | Folder 18 |
Civil Service Forum: Demands, Brief, Exhibits, and related correspondence
|
1941-1946 |
Box 1 | Folder 19 |
Civil Service Technical Guild: Demands, Brief, and Exhibits
|
1946 |
Box 1 | Folder 20 |
Claim Examiners (All who appeared at Hearing): Demands, Memoranda of Support, and
Exhibits. Association of Administrative and Clerical Employees: Demands and Exhibits.
|
1946 |
Scope and Contents
Claims Examiners, grades 1, 2, 3, and 4, from both the BMT and IRT systems, working
in the trial and legal divisions.
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Box 1 | Folder 21 |
New York City Transit Police Association: Briefs (containing Demands) and Exhibits
|
1941-1946 |
Scope and Contents
Exhibits include statistics for subway crime in 1945 and 1946
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Box 1 | Folder 22 |
New York City Transit Police Sergeants' Association: Demands, Brief, and Exhibits
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1941-1946 |
Scope and Contents
Exhibits includes statistics about police activity, 1941-1945
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Box 1 | Folder 23 |
Independent Dispatchers; Yardmasters IND Div.; Association of Engineers & Architects-
State, County, & Municipal Workers of America, CIO; Motorman Instructor's Grievance
Committee, IND Div.: Demands & Exhibits
|
1946 |
Box 1 | Folder 24 |
Submissions, No Hearings
|
1946 |
Scope and Contents
from Committee of Clerical, Engineering & Administrative Employees; Stenographers
& Typists - BMT & IRT, Grades 1, 2, & 3; Assistant Counsels- Grade 4, BMT Trials Dept.;
Train Masters IND Div.
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Box 1 | Folder 25 |
The Transit Workers' Union of Greater New York: Exhibits and Supplemental Exhibits
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1946 |
Box 1 | Folder 26 |
Indexes for "Submission, No Hearing" File and for "Hearing" Files
|
1946 |
Box 1 | Folder 27 |
Summary of Monetary Demands Submitted to the Mayor's Advisory Transit Committee (Part
1)
|
1946 |
Scope and Contents
On behalf of the organizations representing the employees.
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|||
Box 1 | Folder 28 |
Report to the Mayor's Advisory Committee on Wages and Working Conditions of New York
Board of Transportation Employees (Part 2: Index of Tables 1-23).
|
1946 |
Scope and Contents
On behalf of the organizations representing the employees.
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|||
Series III: Board Of Transportation Exhibits and Submissions, 1943-1946
|
|||
Scope and Contents
This Series consists of memoranda submitted by the BoT to refute the demands of the
employees. Included in the exhibits are financial data regarding the maintenance and
operating costs of the Transit System and about the working conditions of its employees.
Of note in these exhibits is the attention paid to the legality of civil service employees
having collective bargaining rights, whether they have a right to strike, and the
rules and regulations their employees are subject to.
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Box 2 | Folder 1a |
Memorandum on Behalf of Board of Transportation and Supporting Exhibits 1-4, 8-9.
[folder 1 of 2]
|
1946 |
Box 2 | Folder 1b |
Memorandum on Behalf of Board of Transportation and Supporting Exhibits 1-4, 8-9.
[folder 2 of 2]
|
1943-1944 |
Box 2 | Folder 2 |
Board of Transportation of the City of New York Submission: "Report Including Analysis
of Operations of the New York City Transit System for Five years Ended June 30, 1945"
|
1945 |
Box 2 | Folder 3 |
Board of Transportation of the City of New York: submissions re monetary matters
|
1946 |
Box 2 | Folder 4 |
Board of Transportation of the City of New York submission regarding operating costs
of transit facilities, wages paid, and system maintenance
|
1946 |
Scope and Contents
Includes correspondence with Thomas A. Knowlton, Executive Secretary of the Mayor's
Advisory Committee
|
|||
Series IV: Mayor's Committee Drafts, Correspondence, and Reports, 1946-1947
|
|||
Scope and Contents
This series consists of the records generated by the Committee itself. The majority
of the records are various drafts of the final report, with different committee members
adding their edits and annotations to the others' drafts. Also found in this series
are materials the committee used for research, such as agreements from other cities,
copies of New York State laws, and additional data from the BoT that was submitted
upon request of the committee. The correspondence of the committee is found in this
series, and in addition to documenting the minutiae of being part of such a committee,
there are also newspaper clippings, drafts, supplemental data, and communications
with New York politicians, including Mayor O'Dwyer.
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Box 2 | Folder 5 |
Annotated Drafts Marked "Discard"
|
1946 |
Scope and Contents
Includes duplicate drafts with annotations from different committee members
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Box 2 | Folder 6 |
Civil Service Laws in regard to Demands, drafts
|
1946 |
Scope and Contents
Annotated by committee members
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Box 2 | Folder 7 |
Executive Secretary Thomas A. Knowlton's Analysis
|
1946 |
Scope and Contents
Includes "Digest of Testimony" and annotated memos from the committee.
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|||
Box 2 | Folder 8 |
Drafts of Committee's Analysis and Recommendations
|
1946 |
Scope and Contents
Includes correspondence between committee members
|
|||
Box 2 | Folder 9 |
Labor Relations Papers regarding civil service employees in New York State
|
1945-1946 |
Scope and Contents
Contains annotated document, "Presentation to Mayor's Advisory Transit Committee of
the Position of the Board of Transportation with Respect to Labor Relations."
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Box 2 | Folder 10 |
Labor Relations Papers regarding trade unions for government employees and legality
of strikes
|
1939-1946 |
Scope and Contents
Includes reports commissioned by New York City mayors regarding labor relations in
the City's transit system
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|||
Box 2 | Folder 11 |
Report Covering the Study of Contracts, etc. of Various Municipalities and an Itemization
of the Categories Into Which They Respectively Fall, with contracts from other municipalities.
|
1943-1946 |
Box 2 | Folder 12 |
Original "My (Arthur S. Meyer) Draft" and "Sam's (Judge Samuel I. Rosenman) Draft"
|
1946 |
Box 2 | Folder 13 |
Report of the Mayor's Advisory Transit Committee: draft of gratitude memo and proposed
changes to the report by committee members
|
1946 |
Box 2 | Folder 14 |
Report of the Mayor's Advisory Transit Committee: final draft, committee recommendations
and unpublished statement from the Committee
|
1946 |
Box 2 | Folder 15 |
Report of the Mayor's Advisory Transit Committee to Honorable William O'Dwyer, Mayor
of the City of New York, September 9, 1946
|
1946 |
Box 2 | Folder 16 |
Mayor's Advisory Transit Committee, Correspondence, File 1, 1946
|
1946 |
Box 2 | Folder 17 |
Mayor's Advisory Transit Committee, Correspondence, File 2, 1946-1947
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1946-1947 |
Box 2 | Folder 18 |
Requests for Copies of Mayor's Advisory Committee Report, 1946-1947
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1946-1947 |