The Butler County press. [volume] (Hamilton, Ohio) 1900-1946, 1916-03-03
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TO AID RAILWAY UNIONS.
American Federation Will Help to Es.
tablsh Eight Hour Day.

tablIsh Eight Hour Day.
The American Federation of Labor
has made common cause with the 4O0,-
900 service employees of the railroads
of the United States in the demand for
an eight hour day, with time and a
half pay for overtime Hugh Frayne,
general organizer in the state of New
York for the federation, in making the
announcement said financial support
would be voted If necessary and that
in the event of strike general
notice would be sent out ordering per-
sons affiliated with the labor body TO
refuse positions with the railroads.
''The four brotherhoodS are not mem
oers OF the American Federation of
Labor" said Mr.. Frayne. but we in
dorse their position in this instance
The railroads have attacked the sin
cerity of their employees in the de-
mand for an eight hour day by quot
ing the provision for pay of time and a
half for overtime. This proved, the
railroads said, that what the men
wanted was not a shorter work day.
asserted also that men will do as lit
tie work as possible in the eight hours
in order to get the overtime higher
pay, and a campaign is under way to
influence the brotherhoods to abandon
their demands for overtime.
at has been asserted that the over
time provision means an enormous in
crease I'm the payrolls ana that the rail
roads could not possibly afford to pay
the advance asked for Has it ever
occurred to the railroads that they can
avoid paying time and half overtime
by using the many extra men on their
waiting lists?
"The railroads are asked to pay over
time only after they have worked the
men eight hours But they are not
compelled to work the men more than
eight hours. They can help reduce
the army of the unemployed by put
ting the extra men to work after the
regulars are through, and they will at
the same time avoid the need of pay
ing overtime
work overtime. They are satisfied to
work eight hours, and then 30 to their
homes if they are paid well enough to
keep up American standards Of living
The only way Il workingman can be
come a better citizen is TO have a little
time to himself, when he can improve
himself, have a little time with his
family and come into possession OF
himself as a self respecting citizen.
THE American Federation Of Labor
stands for the eight hour day and will
therefore support the railroad brother
hoods The federation does not be-
lieye it is true of the majority Of work
ingmen that they will do as little work
as possible to increase the burden of
overtime A railroad has the same op-
portunities for keeping its men steadi-
~ at work as has any other employer.
The men will be better workmen be-
cause of more leisure in which to i'm
prove themselves.
The kind of work done by those in
railroad service must be taken into
consideration. The public win be bet
ter protected and better served if long
hours of work are abolished. The lives
of those who travel are in the hands
Of the employees, and the public is en-
titled to demand that these workers
be fit and alert and faithful, which
they cannot be if they are overworked
1T is to be hoped there will be no
strike, and the American Federation
of Labor does not believe there will
be. But if there is the organization
stands, as | have announced. to u man
with the railroad brotherhoods."