The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1916-03-08
BIG REFERENDUM
BY RAILROAD MEN
To Determine Whether Their Officials
Shall Enter Into Negotiations with
Roads Representatives Look
ing to Settlement.

Chicago, March s.--The railroads an
the employees do not agree as to tn
meaning of the referendum vote takel
by members of the four great brother
hoods on all the railroads of the Unite,
States representing close to 100000 EN-
ployes on 52S lines. These organizations
are the Brotherhood of Locomotive En-
gineers, the Brotherhood of Locomotiv,
Firemeu and Enginemen. and the Broth
erhood of Railroad Trainmen, and the
Order of Railway Conductors. The ref
erendum instructs the officials of the
brotherhoods TO enter into negotiations
with the roads representatives., provided
the result of the vote is favorable.
The brotherhoods announce that the
question is that of the eight hour day
and time and half for overtime, similar
to conditions which prevail in many other
lines of industry.
The railroads say that the issue does
not mean the coming of an eight
working day, as commended by the EN-
ployes, but rather an irsrease of 25 per
cent over present wages for the same
amount Of work, and an increase in many
cases of S7h per cent for overtime as
compared with present rates The de-
mands pertain only to freight and not
to passenger service.
The propositions on which the men
voted were divided under four articles.
The first pertained to road service and
provided that 100 miles or less, or eight
hours or less shall constitute a day, with
overtime beginning at the expiration of
eight hours on runs of less than 100
miles, and as soon as 100 miles have been
run on longer trips, overtime to be com
puted at one and one-half times the pro-
rata rate, no one to receive less than
they now receive for a minimum day.
The second article referred to yard and
switching service, the minimum for eight
hours day to be not less than now paid
for 10 hours a day, all over eight hours
in any "a hours to be paid for at time
and half rates. Article 3 provided that
eight hours or less at the present pay
for 10 hours viii constitute day for
"hostlers," the men who prepare loco
motives for runs and care for them at
The final article guaranteed
the employees the right to retain any
rates of pay or schedules in effect Jan. /, |
1915, which are preferable to the new |
The railroads prepared a statement of
heir view of the situation in which they |
aid. "To allow the increase would add
00,000,000 year to the operating ex
lenses of all the roads of the United
states for the benefit of men whose aver
ge per day was increased from 80 to AZ
yer cent from 1903 to 1914 while the
wages of the western engineers were fur
her increased in 1915"
The roads further contended that the
den made no allowance for the differ
nee between railroad and industrial
ervice. They pointed out that the rail
Dad engineman or trainman is guaran-
eed payment for a full day no matter
ow few hours he works and receives
ay for more than full day il he works
lore than either the established miles /
r hours In most lines of industry. the ]
iilroads hold, the employe does not re-
Give days pay for less than a days
ork and ordinarily he cannot earn more
nan a days pay without working more q
nan the regular number of hours Fur 5
Ter the roads contended that terminals o
re located generally so the distance be-
yeen them can be made in approximate n
! 10 hours, and that therefore the run v
ng time can't be reduced to conform S
the demands without reducing the
image of trains and thereby depriving Il
lie roads of efficiency in operation, or by Z
Hiding new terminals at enormous ex
al n1a;, l,at Nv,
i've arisen no new conditions demanding h
rger rates of pay since the present t.
ties were fixed by arbitration under o
deral laws. n
The unions formally denied the argu. h
ents of the roads and in explaining the &C
asons and motives for their demand
id; NJ
"The eight hour day movement is based m
lolly upon the justice of workday of OF
asonable hours that will permit the oil
IN further to separate the dead line Fl
tween work and wages. The railroads Il
V in effect that men who have put in co
few years of railroad service have ra
'rked themselves out and will not be dc
,epted if they lose their positions. If tn
N are worked out in few years under tn
ssent service conditions, the demand Ell
extend their wage earning years is
ly justified. pr
Overtime inroad service is due almost w
oily to the practice of railroads over pa
ding trains so that they cannot make Gu
,ir mileage within their time limits. pc
E railroads are doing this for profit; We
y do not deny it, and if they propose I'M
demand extra service at the sacrifice I'M
the health and future earning ability
the men they should pay extra for it. eX
e payment of overtime applies with mi
ticular force to yards where the COM pr
lies can regulate their work so that me
overtime need be made" OF
EAST BARRE. ne