New-York tribune., 1907-12-09
UNITE FOR HIGHER PAY.
RAILROAD MEN'S DEMAND.
Preliminary Tote Begun and Strike
Nert Month Nay Result.
LBv Telesraph 20 Tho Tribune. J

Altoona Penn Dec S.-Seventy-fve thou
sand railroad men, on sixty-nve railroad unes
east Of the Mississippi River and including
Eastern Canada, are preparing for a strike IN
January unless wages are advanced approNi-
uately 10 per cent and uniform working rules
are adopted Members of the unions here be-
gan voting to-day on demands intended 70 be
made January =. The result of the ballot VIII
be known December -.
The Order Of Railroad Conductors and the
Brotherhood OF Railroad Trainmen are working
in unison in formulating the demands. which
will be presented to the railroads simultaneous
". II these demands are not met it Is predicted
that more than nifty railroads will be tied up
at once.
one of the changes demanded is the abolition
of the ..double-header'' Ctwo engines with only
one crew of conductor and brakemen), the two
engines 10 be permitted in extraordinary cases
only. The "double-header'' was the question
over which the Pennsylvania workmen quar-
relied In 1877, and strike costing millions OF
dollars and many lives resulted.
The vote now being taken is not a strike vote
direc+Iv but one to determine the sentiment of
the men as to the questions proposed. II the
demands are refused action on a general tie-up
viii be considered at once.
Tho nrincipal demands outlined fol-
lows:
A0n runs of 4,500 miles a month, or over
the nav of passenger conductors to be = 30 cents
- ,,iiIe. baggagemen, 1.65 cents a mile nag
men So cents a mile; brakemen, l46 cents a
mile. 100 -, o,+h
R-On runs Of 4,J00 miles or less, a MONTH
tho nav of passenger conductors to be not less
than 81 % a day; baggagemen % 90 a udS
fiagmen, 81 80 a day; b! akennen' - % d uftS-
S-Overtfme in through passenger service 10
IN based on a speed of twenty-five miles an
hour. 20 be computed from the time the men
are required to report for duty. ana 10 cohtltue
IrntU thev are relieved at the end OF the run.
and to be paid for at the following rates con :tg
ductors 42J cents an hour; baggagemen. 2o.1
cents an nour: fagmen, $50 cents an hour.
hrakemer 225 cents an hour, less than thlily
minutes not to he counted; thirty minutes OF
over to be paid for one hour ,
D-Il all freight service. one hundred llliies
or less ter hours less to constitute day 5
work. overtime to be cons; s;deIed after ten hours.
Or runs oF over one hundred miles overtime 10
he maid for on a basis of speed of ten miles an
hour Through and irregular freight service to
he maid for as follows: Conductors. 3.S cents a
mile: fagmeII. 2.63 cents mile: brakemen- 81
cents a mile; hundred miles or less to be
Maid for as one hundred miles. Local and pick
nm conductors to be paid LOO cents mile, flag
men, IS cents mile; brakemen. ~ cents q
mile.
The Chicago standard rates OF pay are to gov
ern all terminal. divisional other important
wards All other yards to be paid one cent
an hour. less than the Chicago rates. Ten hours
or less shall constitute days work In any in
stance where better wages than those demanded
are paid OF better working rules are enforced.
the new demands are not to be allowed to OPP
crate TO the disadvantage Of the workmen.