United labor bulletin., 1910-12-29
ENGINEERS GET INCREASE.
80 900 Get Increase of s4,ooo,oco-Train-
men Make Demands

The threatened strike for increased
wages of SO 900 locomotive engineers on
61 railroad lines west. north and south
of Chicago. which has been expected for
several weeks, was averted Saturday, at
Chicago. when representatives of the en-
gineers and of the railroads agreed on
terms of settlement of the differences be-
tween employees and employers.
The agreement was reached at a con-
ference participated in by the railway
managers, Grand Chief W. s. Stone of
the Brotherhood of Engineers and Med
iator Charles P. Neill, United States Ia
bor commissioner.
The engineers accepted Commissioner
Neill's suggestions in letter to him, in
which Chief Stone wrote:
after thoroughly considering the pro-
posal and the question in its entirety,
We are of the opinion the offer will not
yield the engineers compensation COM
mensurate with the service performed,
and it is with extreme reluctance we in
form you it will be accepted
I'm this connection we are prompted
to accept the proposition through the in
fluence of yourself and a desire on our
part to avert calamity that would bring
suffering and loss on large number of
people, who are not parties to the con-
troversy"
BY the peace agreement the engineers
VIII receive an average increase OF 1eas
per cent in wages
The agreement gives the engineers on
the 81 railroads affected by the adjust
or approximately 1892 for every man
affected.
The specific increases in the wages of
the engineers. in money, are as follows:
Forty cents a day on passenger and
suburban service.
Forty cents a day on through freight
except on engines weighing 215,O0O
pounds on the drivers. on which an addi-
tional differential is given of % cents a
day; also on engines of the Mallet type,
an additional differential OF from 70 cents
to 81.
On pushers. helpers, wreckers, work
trains. snow plows and mixed trains, 10
cents a day.
The only roads in the West that did
not take part in the conference are the
Denver & Rio Grande, the Colorado Mid
land and the Moffat road. They are not
members of the General Managers asso-
citation and will not be bound by the
settlement made by the western man
ayers and the representatives of the en-
gineers' association.
The engineers of the Rio Grande have
already asked for a conference with the
management of the road and VIII ASK
for an increase on the same basis as the
settlement made in Chicago The Rio
Grande officials have indicated that they
will not pay the advance asked for
neither will they pay the increase given
the other western roads
The Moffat road employees in all of the
operating departments are now paid a
higher scale than any road in the coun-
try. and they will not present any de
mands. The Colorado Midland pays a
higher scale than the Denver & Rio
Grande and the men have not deter
mined whether or not they will present
any demands Their committees will
meet soon to determine whether or not
they will ask for an increase.
Settlement of the wage demands of
the engineers is expected to be followed
by an arrangement between the roads
and the Brotherhood of Railway Train
men and the Order of Railway Conduc-
tors which may add another huge sum
to the ss,soo,ooO the engineers have
gained.
The $4,000 members of the trainmen
, and conductors demand increases of
nearly SIS, ,o00. 900. There is little doubt
that the settlement, when 1t comes, Will
be a sum in excess of 100000
There are no very serious points of
difference between the conductors and
trainmen and the general managers of
the roads, and the negotiations. which
have been in progress for some weeks.
are believed to be certain to end in an
amicahle arrangement.