United labor bulletin., 1912-04-25

:. crease of wages of between>q and =
:. and IL per cent. under the three =
= year agreement with the Brother :
:. hood of Locomotive Engineers. =
:. :. :. :. :: :. :. :. !. :: :. :. :. :. !. !.
There will be no strike Of engineers
on the many railroads east Of Chicago.
Charles p. NeiII, United States labor
commissioner, and Judge Martin A.
Knapp Of the United States commerce
court Wednesday took up the work Of
mediation between the fifty railroads
east Of Chicago and north Of the Potomac
river and the engineers over the ques-
ton Of increased wages.
Commissioner Neill will confer with
the railroad officials to ascertain their
position and reasons for refusing the de-
mands for increased wages and to learn
what form the railroads desire the pro-
posed arbitration to take. Later Com
missioner NELL or Judge Knapp Will con-
fer with the engineers.
The demands OF the engineers, ii was
generally reported, are TO be followed by
demands for increased wages by other
railroad employees ond general arbitr2-
ton board would be able to bring about
settlement of these possible wage prob
lens.
The men are receiving from s3.65 to
si.15 per hundred miles. They demand
$40 per hundred miles for passenger
trains drawn by locomotives with twenty
inch cylinders or less, and si.60 per
phundred miles for locomotives with cyl
inders over twenty inches in diameter;
miles made in excess of 100 TO be pro
rated; overtime TO be computed on a
basis of twenty miles an hour; overtime
a. a. PAID at the rate OF - cents an
BsIbw is given a splendid comment on
the shortcomings and things accom-
plished under the Erdman act. The com
ment is by Commissioner Neill, who is
taking part in the settlement:
Cancellation and arbitration In labor
controversies forms the subject of Bulle-
tin No 9s. soon to be issued by the Bu-
reau OF Labor. Department OF Commerce
and Labor. Recent experience In this
and In number of foreign countries
under various plans is presented in
series OF articles. Commissioner Charles
p Neil discusses Mediation and arbi-
ltration OF railway labor disputes In the
u United States. under the Erdman Act
IS the frst official report upon this sub
Railway Strikes. Avoided In United
States
The federal law known as the Erd-
man Act, which provides for the media
tiof and arbitration OF controversies ar
fecting railways and their employees en-
EaEod In Interstate train service, has
nov been on the statute bookks OF the
United States for more than thirteen
years During the FIRST eight and one
half years following the enactment OF
the law In June. 1895. one attempt only
WIS made TO utilize its provisions This
attempt. which was made within year
after the passage OF the law. proved en-
firely fruiilcss During the past five
years the provisions OF the law have
been invoked in nearly sixty different
controversies. During that period It's
provisions have been invoked with I'm
croas,ng frequency, and from the middle
of 1908 to the present time there has
been only one period as long as three
months during which the media,ors have
not been called upon TO act in some
pending controversy.
The controversies which have been
brought before the mediators have
ranged in importance all the way from
n few instances OF small roads involving
less than 100 miles of line and fewer
than 100 employees up 10 cases OF eScep-
tional magnitude embracing over sixty
roads and involving more than 100000
miles OF line and over 10000 employees
in n single controversy. In one year,
1910. the assistance of the mediators
under the act was called for in sixteen
cases, these cases involving nearly So0.-
600 miles OF railroad and directly involv-
ing nearly 10000 railway men. The total
mileage involved in the cases in which
the provisions of the law have been in
volIed is over 100000. and the total num-
ber of employees directly involved Is over
100000
Scope Of Erdman Act.
The provisions of the law apply only
to those classes of employees actually
engaged In train operation, so Its prac
tical scope is limited to controversies In
vloving engineers. firemen. conductors
and other tranmen, switchmen and tel
egraphers. During the past FIVE years
there has been no serious strike and no
important controversy threatening Sc
rious strike involving any of these
classes of employees in which the provi-
sions OF this act have not been invoked
by one or the other party to the con
troversy: and with one exception there
has been no case in which mediation was
invoked and accepted before the actual
beginning of a strike in which an amica-
BILE adjustment has not been brought
about.
The mediation proceedings are purely
voluntary. The act merely provides that'l
in case OF disputes actually interrupting
or serious threatening to interrupt inter
state traffic either party TO the contro-
yersy may appeal to the presiding Judge
of the commerce court and the commits
sioner of labor to put themselves In COM
munication with the other party and en-
deavor by mediation and conclation to
bring about an amicable adjustment OF
the matters at issue.
~ The mediators are without authority
TO intervene upon their own initiative In
nny controversy Their Intervention is
conditioned. first. upon the receipt OF
request for mediation under the provi-
sions of the law from one of the parties
to the controversy; and. second. upon
the acceptance by the other party OF the
vhediators tender OF friendly ohices.