The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1916-02-19
RAIL UNION CHIEFS
REPLY: TO MANAGERS
Four Railroad Brotherhood Exec
utives Make Joint Public State
ment On Demands.
TAKE STRONG STAND
FOR 8-HOUR WORK DAY
Long Hours of Labor and Siren
uous Work Age Railroad
Workers Prematurely.

WASHINGTON, Feb. lin their
first official statement on the subject
the four railroad brotherhoods have
made clear their position on their re-
quest FOR an eight-hour day for rail-
road employees.
The statement emphasizes that the
men are asking for shorter work
day, not for more money.
IF the railroads insist on a longer
day." says the statement, then it will
mean Increased pay"
Rail Men Noncommitta1.
The railroad organizations decline
to commit themselves on the question
of arbitration. in the event the rail-
roads refuse the demand and risk a
strike. The position of the organiza-
tions is thus stated:
''They are not opposed to arbitra-
ton. neither are they pledged to ac-
cept it.
"They are practically pledged to
peace, but that does not mean peace
at any price.
ut means peace with honor, and
rot peace at the sacrifice of Justice"
The statement is signed by w. S.
Stone, grard chief engineer. Brother
hood Of Locomotive Engineers; w. s..
Carter, president, Brotherhood of Lo-
connective Firemen and Engineers; L.
E. Sheppard, acting president, Order
Of Railway Conductors, and W. G..
Lee, president, Brotherhood of Rail-
road T-ainmen.
Based ON Justice.
The statement replies to an an
nouncement given out by the execu-
tive committee Of the association Of
Western Railways, Feb. 1. It is
headed: "Why the Eight-hour Day."
and says in part:
"The eight-hour day movement is
based wholly upon the justice of a
workday OF reasonable hours that will
permit the men further to separate
the deadline between work = and
wages.
1.-The railroads say in effect that
men who have put in few years of
railroad service have worked them
selves out and will not be accepted if
they lose their positions.
IF men are worked out in few
years ander present service condi.
tons, :he demand to extend their
wage earning years is fully justified.
Can't Make Mileage.
"Overtime in road service is due al
most wholly to the practice Of rail-
roads in overlooking trains so that
they can not make their mileage
within their time limits.
"The railroads are doing this for
profit. They do not deny it, and if
they purpose to demand extra service
at the sacrifice of the health and fu-
ture earning ability of the men, they
should pay extra for it.
The pay Of train service employees,
other than passenger, is based on 100
miles Or less, 10 hours or less.
I'm eastern territory the brakeman
will receive s2.67 for regular freight
service, out Of which he must sustain
his family at home and take care of
himself 1T the other end of the run.
100 Miles Days Work.
The 100-mile trip is what repre-
sents one days work, and means that
at its expiration the man must lay
away from home until he is dead
headed back or returned back with a
train.
''The conductors receive approx
mately one-third more than the
brakemen.
I'm southern and western territories
wages are a trifle higher.
That there is not 80 much justifi-
cation for the contention of the rail-
| roads that the eight-hour day is i'm
possible is proved by the fact that at
present there are seven roads in the
southeastern which pay overtime on a
basis of II miles per hour.
Six roads in the southern and two
In the western territory pay overtime