The Butler County press. [volume] (Hamilton, Ohio) 1900-1946, 1914-07-31
FOUR BRANCHES ARE UNITED.

strong IN membership ana Maintain
Ample Funds In reasuries-Large
Sums Paid Out Annually In Bene-
fetal Work-Power In Organization.
For the last three months the ques-
ton OF war or peace between all the
railroads west of Chicago and their
engineers and firemen has been wait
ing for an answer, writes Henry NJ.
Hyde in the Chicago News.
The number of railroads involved is
ninety-two The two unions number
more than 10000 members.
1t is understood that the men are
asking changes in working rules and
direct increases in pay which the rail
roads estimate would. taken together,
add 40 per cent To their payroils.
Whatever the outcome of the pend
ing struggle there are few things more
significant and interesting than the
change during the last ten years III the
position and attitude OF the four great
unions of railroad employees.
Then they were comparatively weak,
poor, quarreing among themselves.
anxious to propose arbitration to rail
road managers. who frequently declar-
ed they had nothing to arbitrate.
Today they are immensely strong,
with total membership OF we'll over
100000 men in the United States.
Each of them the union of eng neers,
of firemen of conductors and of train
men has millions of dollars in its
treasury. The rrainmen alone have a
balance of S3.0O0,000, with about ST.
100000 of this amount i'm their strike
fund. The engineers own a skyscraper
in Cleveland and have other large in
terests.
They pay out hundreds Of thousands
OF dollars a year in life and accident
insurance to their members and con
duct homes for the aged and crippled
in their ranks
None of the four unions has ever de
manded the CLOSED shop" from a rail
road company Yet the engineers, with
$4,000 members, b We enrolled more
than 90 per cent of all the locomotive
drivers in the United States. and the
other three unions. the conductors,
with about 10000 members; the fire
men. with nearly 10000. and the train
men. including brakemen and yard
men. l35O00. have also practically
cleaned up their respective fields
Ten years ago the unions of engineers
and firemeu We're at swords points
When after long years OF apprentice
ship fireman was finally promoted to
the other side OF the cab the engineers
union declared that he must give up
his old affiliatiOn and absolutely quit
the fremen's union. That rule result
ed in bitter feelings and much friction
Now that has all been patched mp. Not
only that but working agreement
has been reached by which all four un-
ions stand together in making their de
mands on the railroads
Up to 1900 when the officials of a
railroad union went before the officials
to ask for changes in conditions or In
wages their chief weapons were threats
and heated oratory. Now they EN-
ploy accountants and statisticians 10
analyze complicated railroad state
ments. They come into a conference
nowadays with expert witnesses. who
have prepared charts and diagrams
living. the rate of railroad earnings to
investments and all the factors which
enter into the discussion of the situa-
ton.
In the matter OF arbitration the posi-
tion of the railroad companies and OF
the unions is exactly reversed. In the
old days it was the unions. then com
paratively weak. which pleaded that
their requests be sent TO arbitrators
now 1t is more often the railroad man
ayers who are quick TO suggest arbi
tration.
In the management and operation OF
the roads the unions have also gained
great influence. They are largely re-
sponsible for the passage of most OF
the laws requiring safety appliances to
be installed on railroad trains. Under
the seniority rule. which prevails al
most universally. promotion must be
given to the men who are oldest in
point OF service. Even up to the ranks
OF the minor railroad officials, such, for
instance, as assistant yardmaster, the
man at the top of the list Immediately
below that position has the right to
demand that be be given at least a trial
In the new job.
And the union men have one stock
argument which they use to great ad
vantage Ten years ago single en-
CINE could haul a certain number of
tons of freight; today single engine
hauls twice as many tons In other
words. there has been an Increase of
100 per cent in the train load
During the same period the wages of
trainmen have increased 40 per cent
The men point out with much elo-
Quence that so far as the wages of en-
gineers. firemen and trainmen are con.
cerned If actually costs less TO haul a
ton OF freight nile today than 1t did
ten years ago.
None OF the unions of railroad en-
ployees are affiliated with the Amer
lean Federation Of Labor. They have
fought and won their battles alone.
They arc the mos, powerful. the rich
est and strongest. the most dominant
body OF workmen In any large indus