The Ronan pioneer. [volume] (Ronan, Mont.) 1910-1970, 1911-09-22
WHY THEY co
ON A STRIKE,
British Railway Employees Side
Of Their Troubles.
uNOERpAIO AND OvERWORKeO
While Roads Declare Enormous Divi.
dends-Pension Fund Really Source
Of Income to Employers and Of Lit.
tie Benefit to Men.

A few thousand shareholders In the
railroads Of Great Britain divide among
themselves each year the enormous
sum of $215,000,OO0. There are fifty.
one highly paid managers. who receive
salaries Of $1,155 per week. One sen
eral manager who directs small Scot
fish line gets $4,000 year.
Now, as an offset to these high priced
people there are 100000 employees
whose average wage is less than S. per
week, while another 350,Oo0 average
$500 per week. Altogether there are
about $4,000 employees in these low
earning positions.
When a previous strike was threaten
ed evidence was given before the labor
commission that many employees work
ed seventy hours per week for 1896.
The railway workers get less wages
per man than any other trade in Eng
land.
The following statement was made
by an employee Of British railway
and throws considerable light on the
recent strike situation and recites in
part the grievances behind the present
industrial upheaval in the United King
dom:
At tho Beginning.
II began life in signal box ;ls a
lad, earning $3.50 per week. Every
other Sunday had to work for moth
ing. suppose it was because was
only boy and couldn't help myself.
At the same time if my time was
worth anything it ought to have been
paid for.
''When 1 was old enough to handle
baggage and do the work of porter
around the stations l got so cents
more week for two years and then l
was raised to $3.50 per week. Though
doing a grown mans work, | only got
$3.50 per week for two years, because
there is rule by which one cannot
get more than this sum until one is
eighteen years old. no matter what
work he does.
"Besides doing portering, l had to do
'fogging,' or putting fog signals on the
track when required. This work is
very dangerous, but we get no extra
pay for it whatever. Sometimes after
full ten hour day portering, or pull.
Ing about heavy baggage, l have to
60 on fog duty nearly all night, es-
pecially in December, when we have
those heavy fogs. The railway gives
us no extra pay for this. but allows
US IL cents worth Of grub They
would not have allowed us the II
cents worth of grub only the men
used to get so hungry they would quit
work to get food, and that endangered
the lives of passengers. So the COM
pany gave us the allowance of actual
food, but no increase of money.
"Tor our first twelve hours work
Of 'fogging' we get. as I said. II
cents worth of grub If our work
lasts longer than twelve hours we get
another 10 cents-in grub not money.
Working all day as parcel porter ana
then working all night at Jogging is
pretty rough 1t is a wonder more
trains don't go to smash, the men are
often so exhausted and sleepy. Some
Of the men meet with accidents at
times because they get too tired to
look sharp every Instant.
| Wages $5.23 a Week.
| "My wages are now % sfillings
($5 2S) per weos. ont IF which the com
pany each week takes IS cents fol
what it calls 'providcnt aud pension.
That is to give us a pension after W.
get to sixty-Gve years. Eut, let me tel
you. mighty few Of us live that long
II YOU leave the company after paying
into this fund for ten years you don
get a cent back. It Is nil velvet t.
them. Every single man-marliet
,ncs. tco-mus. pay into this fund. 1h'
company must set q snUt, little sum
I considering tl.,t 81 few rolcll the pen
zion are.
"As IL mere porter and without fo,
ging I WORK ten full hours & day ant
often have extla wnr:; a1 night. 70
the night worr. c'i III" extra pay Fe
Is A cents. | have often worked fro.2
s a. nj. to G r. III. and then right ol
to 3 e.. III. next morning. just gettin'
this 4 ( cents and ITO more.
l 1.-The company allows US no time 70
food. so we have to snatch it when W
get Il chance. This means doing hcAv.
work often on insufficient food an'
sometimes without amy at Hll. Some o
: this WORK is very dangerous. rs W
often have to get down ON the track
and shift parcels from one platform
to another. Men are often killed D.
! passing specials The parcels ofte
weigh 15O to 200 pounds.
It II am married and support rs bes
|, can wife and one child OH S5.2
r per week. Less Is cents for 'proyidrn
}. and pension less $3.50 per week TO
e two rooms for rent in SUM quarter
= less, say, 80 cents for coal, leaves 500
! for self. wife and baby"
8 French Workmen's Pension Law.
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