The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-07-03
THE rEs- D1sPATCH RICHMOND VA sUNDAY, 1910

among the employees, together with
the company's answer to the men,
which was posted In all yards.' Ihe
company states that the men want q
tcr-hour day at the same wages paid
for eleven hours. and that the eleventh
hour be considered extra work ana
paid for at the new ten-honr rate
The company states that its rates, gen.
orally speaking. are higher than the
New York Contrals, but that u was
willing to apply the rules of the New
York Central arbitration award In ad-
dition to the present rates that OBJ
tain on the Pennsylvania, providing
the eleven hour day could be main
tanned and pay for overtime be paid on
the one-tenth of the New York Central
rate. instead of paying one-tenth oil
the daily rate of the Pennsylvania
The officers of the Trainmep's and
Conductors Unions in their strike cir
cular to the men say! deneraliy
speaking. yard rates put into effect by
your company compare favorably with
the rates paid by other companies In
the territory, but we contend that
both road and yard rates should be
higher on our lines than paid py
other companies for similar service.
because the policy of the Pennsylrania
Railroad has always been to educate
their employees in the belief that Ger
tain of such employees were entitled to
from 3 to 10 per cent. more than paid
by other companies for similar ser
vices. We feel we are entitled to u
continuation of these STANDARD condi-
tions of payment
Decide on vote.
The determination to take strike
vote was reached after conference
last Tuesday with General Mana ger
w. H. Myers. who informed the com
mittee that the company would ac-
cept the arbitration award of the New
York Central, that 1t would adopt all
that embodies the principles for which
they contend and the rates that have
been put into effect on the New York
Central, leaving the company's high
rates stand. but not increasing them
by making a. ten-hour day apply to the
rates which were made to fit an eleven
and twelve-hour day; or that the
adjustments, fitting its rates OF pay
and conditions of work to the New
York Central award as near as pos
slble, as has been done in the rates
that have been posted recently.
In Its answer to the men, posted In
all yards. the company says:
AS of to-day, the Pennsylvania
Railroad pays as high or higher wages
than Its competitors. The committee
agrees with this, and 1t is so stated in
the ballot.
The opinion OF your committee is
that the company should pay from 5
to 20 per cent. higher than is paid
by other companies for similar SER
vice in order to maintain the differen-
tial that has heretofore been paid for
similar service by your company and
Its competitors.
rs 1t fair to penalize your com
pany now because. in the past 1t has
treated its employees as literally as It's
finances would permit, regardless of
wages paid by it's competitors, and,
further. because in this instance 1t
has more than met the advances of
the other roads. whose employees. al
though generally still below those of
the Pennsylvania Railroad were
brought up more nearly to parity
with the favorable conditions of your
company? -.
Your committee has presented a
schedule which would increase the
wages from Is to 20 per cent above
those now paid by our competitors as
result of mediation and arbitration.
This schedule the company has de-
clined."