The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-08-09
RAILROAD NEWS.
Trainmen Have Planned on 20
Per Cent Increase.
Proposition Will Be Submitted
to Western Roads.
ON A MILEAGE BASIS.
Better Working Conditions Also
on the List.
Other Items of General Interest
in Traffic World.

81. LOUIS, MO-, Aug. 9.-The eight
hour day for freight conductors and
tra1nmen and the mileage basis for
passenger train crews are the two most
important propositions which will be
submitted to the Order of Railway
Conductors and the Brotherhood of
Railroad Trainmen in the next ten or
fifteen days. The crews will seek the
equivalent of a 20 per cent increase in
wages, the concessions to be requested
from the carriers to be in the form of
improved rules and conditions of work
The Western Association of General
Committees of the Order of Railway
Conductors and the Brotherhood of
1tailro3d Trainmen completed it's Ia
bors yesterday at the st. James hotel.
where convention lasting seven days
was held. The meetings of the last
four days were attended by w. G. Lee.
grand president of the Brotherhood of
1ta1lroad Trainmen, and A B. Garrett
SON grand president of the Order of
Railway Conductors.
The conclusions reached at the St
Louis convention will be submitted to
the vote Of $4,000 conductors and train
men. The carriers affected are all in
the United States and Canada west Of
and including the Illinois Central The
vote Will be taken in the next ten or
fifteen days under the auspices of the
general committee of each of the west
ern railroads. Ninety-six chairmen Of
general committees. representing all
the western lines, participated in the
discussions.
Unions Expected to Approve.
If the conductors and trainmen. by
their vote at the referendum, render. as
they probably will, a verdict favorable
to the proposition outlined by the
Western association, the matter will be
taken up with the General Managers
association, representing all the west
ern railroads, by the grand officers of
both unions. The propositions will be
submitted to the carriers in 80 Or 30
days.
Messrs. Garretson and Lee, as we'll as
the general chairmen. were pledged to
secrecy regarding the action taken by
the Western association. 1t was de-
cided that no announcement should be
made. but that the propositions should
be referred to the men, and, as soon as
possible, to the railroads.
I'VE are restrained from making any
statement" said Mr.. Lee. I'VE feel
that the proposition should not gain
publicity prior to its submission to the
railroads. as any other course would
constitute breech of courtesy. 1 am
at liberty to say merely that the propo-
sition will be referred to the men, in
accordance with our rules, in the next
ten or fifteen days, and. if approved by
them, Will be submitted in the next 80
ISOLATION.
1.-THE crews are on the same footing.
Whatever the conductors ask the train
men will ask, and whatever the train
men get the conductors will get. There
may be some very interesting news IN
the near future"
Amounts to 90 Per Cent Increase.
1t was ascertained from most reliable
sources that the unions will urge the
carriers to give the conductors and
frainmen of freight trains an eight
hour day, and to put the conductors
and trainmen of passenger trains on
the mileage, instead of the monthly,
basis. These and other desired changes
in working rules and conditions will, it
is explained, be equivalent to an in
crease IN pay of approximately 20 per
cent.
1t is not improbable that the conduc-
tors and trainmen will cooperate I'M
DER what is known as the Cedar
RAPIDS plan with the locomotive en-
gineers This course, however, would
require the sanction of the three unions
concerned.