The sun., 1916-12-24
AWARD SWITCHMEN
AN EIGHT HOUR DAY
ArbitratOrs Compromise, How
ever, on All Issues Debated
Since August.
WAGES on o HOUR BASIS
Thirteen Railroads to Be At.
fcctcd by Decision-oy in
BrOthcrhOOds.

The Board Of Arbitration which since
August has been considering the demands
Of the S~witchmen's Union for an eight
Aour day. punitive overtime and increases
In the wage scale yesterday filed an
award which compromises on all the re-
guests.
il decided that eight hours or less con-
stitutes a days employment. The actual
operation Of this does not carry with 1t
~ pay for ten hours-the~ prevailing day
Aeretofore-but gives the compensation
n q basis OF nine hours.
Time and a half for overtime was de-
nisd the board decided that overtime
work shall be paid at the normal hour
rate.
The switchmen had asked that helpers
- paid ~ cents an hour and yard fore
men 90 cents an hour. The boa I'd granted
An Increase Of five cents an hour to both.
me highest pay for switchmen heretofore
was 40 cents an hour
Dissent from the final award on the
eight hour day was recorded by the
roads representatives In the arbitration.
~. +. Potter. assistant to the general
0anager OF the Minneapolis. st. Paul and
oault Ste. Marie Railway. and T. w.
Evans. assistant general manage OF the
New York Central.
Award Affects only IL Roads.
Protest vas made by the %switchmen's
0nion members. ]. Il. Connors. assistant
Deesident. and w. A. Titus. v%ice-pres!-
Gent. against the denial Of the full de-
Hnands on overtime and wages. The
other members Of the board are Prof.
Jeremiah w. jerks OF New York Cnlver-
aty and Charles H.. Howry Of Washing
ten. chairman.
In It's application the award affects
oaly thirteen roads--the Michigan Gen.
1ai. New York Central. I.ehigh vaNey.
Bessemer and Lake Erie. New York,
Chicago and st. Louis. L~ackawanna. Gin
c%innati. New Orleans and Texas. Rock
Island. Chicago and Eastern Illinois,
Baltimore and Ohio. Minneapolis. st,
Paul and Sault Ste. Marie. Chicago
0reat>w Western and the Peoria Railway
Terminal Company.
The award is che largest given I'm any
arbitration hat involved switchmen. II
- expected to cost the roads $3.50, 0OO
annually in the aggregate.
Comment On Eight Hour plea.
On the question of the eight hour day
the point which has been the focus OF
Oeneral railroad interest-the arbitra.
tors made this
although II has seemed wise ia
80 ,ninir,,,n - a.: a,..rm,h.,m,ia
-. 80 ~. ."I""N
e. IS ~ .,.,, -.
%..n Wv S,,,n,.a, ,m., n. 80
~ do,.rm,no i,., how, y.r st.t, Nos,
sn;,,s can ~. worrsd ~.i,ho,, nr,h,hi'
scrv cos, "a tho roads md up5u. Ais,
snrh. moo ~ tha x,ork ~ their nu,rons
..J, .asu,s 20 ~. o,a,ri, .s,ahItsh.d
MAJ Under exis,ipy condi,ions and
80. h,,, go nd oo,d,,,nns - g.. ,fi,
80. - ~" $500, !, ~,
-, -. nass,hr, 90 ,naLa J. actu., r.o,t,
srn .,.h, - Ja, oY.c,iy. ir ,ho on a,
80 80 ,han s,.ii n.rcer,nye of IN,
.viichinr crews moi, more than 10 no,
~ w. n". 49, A." 80 " ~
..v,h,io ,b.r.,oro "a, u,v.5 ,ho, ~,
Adj, horr i,,. no os,,hiishe1 IT, IN,
erodno,inn 80, n. .r.duaI I,h. nor,
1000 ,h..ato,a ~, ,ha .y,,,ol;n,
cr.us ,h,, w,i, ha ,,,r.c,,v Affected dur
ln~ the pcriod of this award must o
Moreover. owing to the Increase II
yay awarded tn the switchmen. thos'
Who seriously desire to shorten theil
work day two hours for the purpose o
employing the added hours OF leisure II
ways distinctly beneficial to themseiVei
will he able to secure this leisure by I'M
exercise of their seniority rights. rhos
who prefer the added wage VIII gen
orally be able to secure that. The zen
tority rules VIII enable the neh 'o"se
In service TO take their choice.
"lf the older men In service sh"u!n III
prefer the added dairy waee 'o.h'h'
from the long hours. the eight hou
shifts mus. be taken ny the !ounse
and less experienced men But win -
large an element OF choice inc so siha'
Q number or positions 10 ne "'iN"' Wv
award will enable employers e'hPio!er
and the public to determine .he eN'."
10 which the switch"'e" "e''' ~
shorter hours" ,.,
The importance oil the "ro.'.".'"" ."'
Increased since the passage u " na
son law and because OF the presen, nc
gotiations W inc bis ~,
brotherhoods. WIN "hich 'ne "~'"n
mems Union Is not aii'eu' II mas De
come crucial.
Brotherhood Are Exu'ta"''
When It was made puo.lc represents
tiVes OF the br~otherhoous eNu,'ea :,
the grant or the eisht hour oas' :
upheld. they said, the pr,ncip's 10
which they contended unt'l 'he Ao'.h
son law was enacted Iney earnes,,
expect that because OF ms awaru u,
reads VIII take u s'rohs ros'''o" 4,
next weeks negotiations ,o"a'" Iepea'