Pine Bluff daily graphic. (Pine Bluff, Ark.) 1893-1942, 1916-03-24

Conductors, anu w W. Lso' p p
brotherhood of Railway Iralnmeh'
WHY the Eight-Hour Day?
.'The demand is fair. All or the |
leading industries and trades, rail-
roads excepted, have recognized the /
economic Justice of the eight-hour
day. We believe it can be adopted
with no greater inconvenience by the
railroads than accompanied its intro !
duction in other employments.
"The eight-hour-d movement is
based wholly upon the justice OF a
workday of reasonable hours that Will
,ermit the men further to separate
the dead line between work and wages
The railroads say in effect that men
who have put in a few years OF rail-
road service have worked themselves
ont and will not be accepted II they
lose their positions. If men are worked
ont in few years under present serV-
;ce conditions, as the railroads in Ell
feet declare, the demand to e,tend
their wage-earning years is fully JUS
titled. -
"Oyertime in road service is due al
most wholly to the practice OF rail
roads overlooking trains, SO that they
cannot make their mileage within
their time limits. The railroads are
doing this for profit; they do not deny
it; and, if they propose to demand
extra service at the sacrifice OF the
health and future earning ability OF
the men, they should pay extra for 1t.
The payment of overtime applles win
particular force to yards, where the
companies can regulate their work SO
that no overtime need be maze. IL
thew exact extra service, it is to their
own interest, and the men have per-
feet right to demand time ana one
half time for that service.
1.-The railroads contend that the men
are not sincere in their demand for
the shorter workday. They declare
they want wage increase rather than
q time decrease, and refer to small
number of the men who prefer the
extra-hour jobs to prove it. II the
companies desire to test the sincerity
of the smen let them prove their be-
lief in what they say and establish the
eight-hour day so that the men do not
have to make a minute OF overtime.
The shorter workday is the only prop
osition on which the meh, are voting.
"The statement has been made that
the payment of overtime is an lncen-
tive to delay work during the regular
working time. It does not apply 10
railroad service Both the employers
and the men know that if delays are
!, made without reason, the men are
called to account for it; il at fault,
they are disciplined, and the COM
panies have it within their power to
~ %o NH are
unnecessary.
'The railways have introduced state
ments that serve no purpose other
than to divert attention from the main
question; for instance, the money pado
to green brakeman is quoted at Sooo
year. A ripe brakeman does not
get any more for the year than the
green brakeman, except that the ripe
brakeman has regular job and STANDS
a chance to make regular time, Whlle
the green brakeman is on the extra
board and must take his chances Iof
employment when the regular man
lays off. Instead of getting $SOO
year, there are times when he Will OF
fortunate if he has chance to MAKE
a trip once a month. If he WORKS on
certain roads, that one day will OF
applied to his payments due the volun,
tary relief association, and he will MOI
even receive that in money.
What the Men Really Get.
"The pay Of train service employees
other than passenger, is based on lV'
miles or less, 10 hours or less. IN Ih'
Eastern territory, for instance. I'M
lA brakeman will receive the muulflcen
sum of $2.67 for regular freight tran
y service, out Of which he must MAINTAIN
his family at home and take care {,
himself at the other end of the roao
The 100-mile trip is what represent
one days work, and means that at II
expiration the man must lay ava
from home until deadheaded back o
returned with a train. The conduc
tors in all classes of road service re
ceive approximately one-thlrd NOR
pay than the brakeman. the dire.
ence between the wages of the Two
Neily estimated. :, i,
ITO be specific, the wages palo
freight service in the Eastern terri
tory are as follows:
Through freight: EN- n Ger.
s4.75; firemen. $2.45 to $3.4O, accore
ing to classsof engine. Way frelgn'
Engineers, rs cents additional, an
fireman, Is cents additional, per ga;
Switching service: Engineers, $4.lV
firemen, $3.50 and $3.50. One hundre
miles or less, 10 hours or less, col
stitute day. A few roads pay g 81
gineers SASS and $5.15 per 100 mlle
Nm Or less for. certain classes OF heaN
power, while other roads in the san
r~territory. with heavier engines wnle
handle approximately S5 per cent mo,
tonnage, pay the same rate OF ~.
to the engineer, although the firema
gets the benefit of graduated sea
running from $2.45s to $3.40.
Through and irregular frelgf
work, CONSTRUCTION, snow-plow, circ,
Or wreck-train service: Conducto,
100: flaginen, $0.O267; brakeme
$O.0267 persmi1e runs Of 100 miles
less to be paid for as 100 miles. on