The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1916-05-12
CRISIS FOR ROADS
IN THE MOVEMENT
FOR HIGHER WAGES

Would Add Millions to Expenses o,
Southeastern Lines-Public
vitality Interested.
Washington, D. C.-'The railways
of b southeast are facing a critical
situation in the proposed demands OF
the engineers, fiiremen's, conductors
and trainmen's Brotherhoods which
have joined in a nationwide effort to
force the railways of the country to
grant further wage concessions
which would add millions of dollars
to h payrolls Of the railways with.
out enabling them to earn a cent
more tina under present conditions
or to in any way give better service
to the public declares a statement
given out by the executive committee
of the southeastern railways.
The demands of the Brotherhoods
are generally referred to as demands
for an eight hour day and time and
a half for overtime, but they are not
IN reality for an eight hour day in
the sense in which that term is com
monty UNDERSTOOD the statement
continues. The employees are not
asking that they be relieved from
service at the end of eight hours, as
they realize that this is not practi-
cable in road service, and the form in
which h demands have been made
clearly shows this.
More Pay For Overtime
Thus the language of their own
proposed demands is that on run OF
hundred miles or less overtime
will begin at the expiration of eight
hours. This simply means that If a
freight train requires, as it usually
does, at least 10 hours to run 100
miles, the train and engine employees
shall receive their days pay for eight
hours of work and shall receive time
and a half for the two additional
hours.
There is not a line in the pro-
posals concerning road service that
In any way limits the number of
hours the employees are to work,
and their proposition simply ~resolves
itself into fixing the period at which
overtime begins to accrue and after
which they shall receive time and a
hall instead of their regular hourly
rate.
In a discussion of che proposed
demands in the official journal of the
organization, the follow
ing explanation of the demands is
given by one of the vice-presidents
of that Brotherhood:
There appears to be some differ
ence of opinion as to what such a
proposal involves, therefore it may be
seasonable to say that there is quite
a diHerence between an eight-hour
work-day.
The first contemplates that eight
hours shall be the maximum working
Time, and as a rule where the eight
hour work-day obtains through con
tract relations between employer and
employees, it is the constant endeavor
to prevent working overtime except
In cases of necessity. It appears that
some of the men in the train service
are OF the opinion that this is the
proposal of the organizations: How
ond, the eight-hour basic work-day
contemplates that eight hours shall
be h basis for a days work and
any. time in excess thereof shall be
paid for as overtime, consequently
uAuC1 SuCH d pIOFlSlOn LQoT0 is no
limit to the hours worked. The lat
ter system is the n proposed by
the train service Bro~therhoods and
is In accord with the action taken by
the delegates, at the Eleventh Bien.
NAL Convention of the Brotherhood
Of Railroad Trainmen.'
Same Work, More Money
"The proposals of the employees,
as in reality formulated and official
ly explained in the above citation,
simply neal that they shall be paid
more money than at present for the
same work they are now doing. The
matter, therefore, resolves itself
primarily into a question of wages
and consequently of increased cost.
Applying the proposed demands
to the present conditions of work
would mean an increase ranging from
IL to 40 per cen in cost, as the roads
would be compelled in most cases to
continue the present hours of opera
lions since changes to escape the
payment of overtime would cause a
higher percentage of increase than
the figures already given.
"The railways Of the southeast are
Ia LIZ ~ oIdlIus ally lHCIcdSO
In their operating expenses, much
less such increases as would result
from granting these demands. They
already pay higher wages to train
and engine employees than are paid
in other sections of the country
where traffic is much more dense. |
and they have had no part in the
rate increases which recently have
been granted by the Interstate Com.
merce Commission to railways in 9th.
or territories.
preliminary estimates show that
on some lines the increases asked by
the employees would more than wipe |
out all income after payment of
operating expenses, fixed charges !
and taxes. The railways would be |
forced either to secure increases in !
their rates or to lower their cost OF
operation by curtailment of train ser. !,
vice and reducing the outlay for main.
tenance and improvement necessary
to meet the transportation needs Of
the rapidly developing southeastern |
territory.
SHThis IS a r,,1.<~n - -,r !