The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1902-05-14

cases. shorter hours-nnd received more pay anu
did not have to have the education
The majority of frc,ncn receive but $l72 pc,
shift OF twelve hours, or equal to II l.3c per
hour They make practically full time. however
which. on a basis OF 3Gj days in year, would
net them Sj2.3 2-3 per month In the majority
of cases, pump runners engineers. etc. are Sc
lected from frcmen, that the position is looked
| upon as step toward promotion, and is natural
ly much sought after by other laborers about the
cocres, even though they may he receiving a
higher rate per hour
| 1t has been the practice for years for ircmen
| to alternate or change their shifts every week. In
other words one shift of ilrc,nen would work days
| this week aud nights next, and so on. In making
this change. it was necessary for shift, every
other week to work an excessive number of hours.
| This it mas been arranged to correct, however,
by dividing the long, or fourteen hour Shift into
two short shifts of seven hours each, allowing
| the men full pay for the short shifts This re-
| suits in doing away with the long shift, and
| makes an increase in the frcmens wages equal
to little I per cent.
| lIoisting engineers are, in most cases. monthly
| men. receiving from S1j to SIS month, which
tiouS s,rro,rdn % ,heir vor, and tn services
| they are called upon perform. These men have
also been working long hours, in order to change
| their shifts once week from night to day, but 1t
! has been arranged to correct this matter by
| adopting the TWO snort Snlls, tle same as WITH
| hrenlen
| Inside. there are driver boys, ranging from II
| to 20 years of age. earning all the way from 13c
| to 1Sc per hour; trackmcn. 2llac per hour;
| trackaycrs and helpers, from 1oc to 22c per
| hour: timbcrmcn. from dc to 2i1ac per hour;
laorers. from lsc TO a2c per hour; pumpmcn,
from 10c to 22c per hour.
! We know of some cases where the father, or
| head of the family, is employed the railroad
as a trackman at 12Iac per hour whereas his son,
| a boy OF 10 or TO years old. is employed inside
driving at lie per hour.
| We have in effect a large number of prices
| for tho different classes of labor. which are the
| result OF years of experience and which. in our
opinion. arc cmincntly fair TO all concerned.
| They have been adjusted. from time to time. TO
suit the conditions, and to attempt to put them
| on the same basis would be most unjust to the
| companies AMI the men themselves aud the posi-
| tion we want to maintain is that our employees
are TO be paid in accordance with the duties they
| perform and receive fair days wage for fair
| days work; and avoid, as far us possible, the
| spirit OF unionisn. the whole idea OF which
seems to be equality, without regard to merit.
.,.
AecoShAtAoH VI the oAAoAi.
| The question Of recognition is that has
| been prominent before the operators since the
| strike of 1900 We have agreed TO meet commit
| tees of our own employees and adjust any actual
/
mittceS are in most cases. selected by the United
Mine Workers union or so.callcd ''locas." In
other words, we are dealing indirectly with the
| local unions at the different mines We have re-
fused. however, up to thi, tine TO deal with
any Of the national officers of the union, and
| have taken the position that they, not being ac-
GRANTED with the conditions that exist at ire
ecntlv obout tIcm: and. nnt beng our ,nnloyrs
llyc M riont 10 intorfcre mr. ,ttcmn, IN ,i,ta,n
| tn ~ bo, ,o sh,Il conduct tnr husine.s
| !, L.s hoo, ,lnr,nnstr,tod limo onI oun;n 1,o+
even tbc.c local .rinyoncr co,nm;ttncs hoyc hrrn
,is,ed ,,. r,o,nhors of ,hoir ,,ni,n casa, of a.
lrol ;ni,.,;r, ho,, bo, ,onrosortod 10 l,on, or1
th,,. in trr, b,yo ,,rosor,,d nv, =, ,ho;r .,,
| nor,,rs ,,Li,, ,,n,p ;,vostio,tion have ,rovo,
| - ho .hsnIr,n,y t1so and m,,,n,, anv ,n,u,I,
| tion
| ,rhe nr,,os;tio, NJ ,,ootirc and o,t.r;n,, into
any. aorcomont viii, ,ho oruaniy,tion nc n whole
| hovercr is ou,o ,li,yorort ,,o.,;o, Ass,n,
n ,h,t +no nnor,,or, s,o,,ld o,rroo ., ,root +ho
| rated u;no W,rlors ~ am.rio, IN onon oon.
| y.ntion. Anv ooroon,ont t,,at thov oonld ross;
| blv consder would nncessa,ilv have IN he n tbo
| hro,dost ,na wost ;rdoonito obor,ot.r an no..
count of ,ha ynrving conditions in tho ditYeront
roo;o,, onI ,,;n,s rho i,,,nrn,ototion ~ ,,,L
on o,rr,on,or. ma,,,d ro.,,t l.; n,,,Ioss ,r;s, m
too,;m' ord uott,. Ill u has hon,, show, g.,
| ho nm invo,;nhln rnlo th,t unonovnr an onren.
| mont o;tbo. oynrnssod NJ, ;mn,ioJ ho, boon on.
| tor,J ;ntn viii, tho oec;,,s of tbn .oool,oJ
..,ao,,, y, ror;n ~ nra'an;,;, +hot ro,oa -
| ,orro n,,nLor ny r,ou hn,h ,,,o,, ,nd tha WON
| nnI, ord dil sot IL osida NJ ,,oaS,,ro rrn;r a>
| ~ h ,n,, ,L, .,,,, a,,i, t ao,,,n, a.
| a ,on,,, ,,l a. , ,a' ~ o' l., sa. ~,
! ! oxnarion"a io," WV '"' y
|
! minimum wage scale.
| II is the evident intention OF the United Mine
Workers union to cndcayor to formulate scale