The Clarksburg telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1874-1926, 1912-11-28
Arbitration Board Favors go
600 Locomotive Engineers
on Eastern Railways. -
WAGES ARE TOO Low
On Some Roads and a Mini
mum Wage is Introduced
by the Board.

An award that is considered par
tial victory for the 10000 locomo-
tive engineers in their controversy.
begun last January, with the fifty-
two railways operating in the terri
tory east of Chicago and north OF
Norfolk, and Cincinnati, has been
announced here by the Board or
Arbitration which investigated the
questions at issue. 1t grants GER
tain incresad compensation and i'm
proved apd uniform rules OF service
requested by the engineers, but holds
that general increase OF wages on
all roads is not warranted upon the
basis of the evidence presented.
The board found that on acme
roads and for certain classes of ssr-
vice. the compensation was too small
and therefore introduced into the
award the principle Of minimum
wage for the entire district. The
award, which dates back to May
last and will stand for one year. set
Ties the most important American
labor dispute submitted to anbitra-
ton since the anthracite coal strike
in 902.
In its report the board suggests
the creation of federal and stats
wage commissioners, which shall ex-
ercise functions regarding labor, en-
Gagged upon public utilities. ana
Joyous to those exercised with re-
gard to capital by the public SER
vice commissions already in exist
enee The representative of the en-
g;neers on the board, p. H. Morris
sey. dissented from this suggestion
which, he said. virtually meant COM
pulsory arbitration and was Wholly
limpracticabl.
Following are the more important
of the boards awards and the re-
quests of the engineers:
In passenger Service. a minimum
wage was granted of s4.25 for 100
miles or less; and an overtime rate
|of 30 cents per hour with an average.
speed of 20 miles per hour. The en-
gineers asked $4.4O and $500 per
day OF 100 miles according to the
size of the locomotive cylinder, With
an overtime sate of 10 cents per
hour after five hours.
In through freight service, mia-
imum was grenated of S4.75 per
day OF 100 miles or less, with over
time pro rata after ten houra. The
engineers requested rates Of $5.25.
$3.50 and 1915 per day of 100
miles, according to size of the on.
CINE; and $500 for Mallett engines;
the same rates to apply to mine
runs, work. wreck, helper or pusher.
milk and circus trains.
In local freight service Is cents
additional to the through freight
rates was granted. This met the
full request of the engineers.
In switching service, a minimum
OF $40 per day of ten hours or
less was granted. The engineers
asked $3.50 per day OF ten hours in
suffering service and for belt line
service.
All existing rates higher than the
minimum granted by the board are
continued in force.
In fixing the minimum wage IL
passenger service at $4.25 per day,
higher minimum rate is estab-
lishedNsor the roads parties to the
arbitration with the exception OF
few.
In awarding the minimum through
freight rate of s4.75 per cay. the
board establishes wages for the dis
.trlct that measurably approach the
current minimum OF roads now pay
ms the better rates.
In making the rate for local
freight service % cents HIGHER than
through freight service, a general
increase OF compensation Ii
granted.
The effect of the 20 mile Per hour
basis Of computing overtime in the
passenger service. the rules regard
ing final terminal delay, ana other
changes in the rules of service. are
all more favorable to the engineers
than existing rules upon many or
the roads.
The prohlsm before the board OF
arbitration was one of such difficulty
that u became necessary before an
award was made for the board 20