Denver labor bulletin., 1916-02-19
Why Railroad Shopmen
Want a Higher Wage
(By E. H. Misner.)

Inc working people generally are eh-
titled to know something OF the eondi-
tions under which the railway shopmcn
are making demands for higher wages.
We find that there were 1872 machinists,
l09 boilermakers, 81 blacksmiths and 356
carmen employed by the Denver 4 Rio
Grande company during the years 1911,
making total of 9s4. In this year 1916
there are 800 machinists, 1877 boilermak
making a total of 922. This shows that
- less machinists, 81 less boilermakers,
less blacksmiths and more carmen
are being used now under the eight hour
basis, altho the carmen should not be
considered in this comparison, as they
work under the nine hour basis.
We further find that during the year
1910 there were 344 machinists, 100 boil
ermakers, ~ blacksmiths and $40 car
men. and during the year 1915 there
We're 339 machnists, l30 boilermakers,
5. blacksmiths and 366 carmen, showing
decrease of D machinists, ) boilermak-
ers, 5 lacksmiths and 20 more carmen.
This Is n decrease OF % over all, altho
the carmen, who show an increase,
worked under the nine hour basis, which
is to our credit and goes to prove that
we are doing the same work, operating
the railroad with less mechanics under
the eight hour basis than under the old
nine hour day.
The year 1910 was an exceptionally
good one for the company, as it showed
net earnings Of S7,76l ,4s3, over 81 ,00o, 900
more than the year 1909 and S2,ooo0o0
more than 1905. In 1914 the net earn
ings We're S6l2,02s less than the year
1910, but for eight months OF 1915, from
April l to December /, the increased
earnings We're 81 500 ,S34.73 over those of
1914. This is proof that the company
did better with less mechanics during
the years 1914 and 1915 under the eight
hour basis than they did under the old
nine hour day OF the years 1905, 1909
and 1910, and ought to entitle the men
to more pay
Superintendent Enright has failed to
prove that the men are receiving more
money now than they We're in 1910. as
he did not compare the yearly pay Of
ten machinists for the years 1910 and
1918. lie did compare the pay for one
or two months. The month OF Docem-
ber. 1910. showed an average Of about
SO. and the month Of October for the
same year showed an average Of Sp2.
This is considerable more than the men
are now receiving.
During the year 1910 there were a
total OF $50 engines repaired. In 1915
Ok engines were turned out Of the
shops. showing a decrease of engines for
the latter year Of 303. This would look
like the showing was against US. but
the hours worked ON engines and the
cost of repairs was much more extensive.
and overeomes the difference. We also
learned that 30 new and much larger en-
gines were bought. and repairs on thi.
class OF engines are much higher than ON
the smaller class, and would take more
time and men for each engine. Never
theie-s, we shown fewer number Of
men were employed TO do this extra
work.
The three eight hour shifts in the
ro,indhouses has reduced the overtime
and men, and has netted the company
thousands Of dollars We are in n no.
sition to show that the company l. max
ing more money now than Il has for
many years. and that the assets are in.
crchsIng, or have increased S2.ilI,73l. 10
during the last year up 10 june 10. 1918