The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1918-05-27
HIGHER WAGES ON
Rail ROADS ARE
RETROACTIVE TO
JANUARY /, LAST
Aggregate Of The Increase
Will Be More Than
$3OO,O0O,O0O
EIGHT-HoUR DAY
rs RECOGNIZED
But Hours of Employment
Will Not Be Reduced,
Overtime Being Paid
EQUAL PAY FOR
EQUAL WORK
:e@ssfYE8zSl31 -
Women Will Get The Same
Pay As Men For -
Equal Work ..--..E
EQUAL PAY FOR
EQUAL WORK
fRv Associated Presg.l

Washington, May 27.-GeneraI pay
increases for nearly two million rail-
road employees were announced yes
terday by Director General McAdoo,
effective next Saturday and retro
active ITO last january l, carrying out
substantially recommendations OF
the railroad wage commission. The
aggregate Of the increases probably
viii be more than $80O,00o,oo0 a year,
half of which VIII be distributed
vtthir a few weeks as back pay IN
lump sums ranging from about $i0o
to nearly 5000, each.
The director general departed from
the wage commissions recommends
tions in the following particulars:
The principle of the basic eight-hour
day is. recognized, but owing to
exigencges OF the war situation,
hours of ofsemployment are not actual
ly reduced ana overtime is to be paid
pro rata; future adjuBtneents of pay
are to be made. on the basis Of eight
hours. ~ s.<
In addition to the ordinary scale
OF. increase, day laborers, employed
mainly on track work. are to get at
least 2as cerrts an hour moro than
they received last December 81.
A minimum Of IS cents an hour Isl
established for the shop trades, in
cIuding mactinists. boiler-makers
and blaclzsmiths. enT 4 ~
Equal Pay For Equal Work.
Women are to receive the same
pay as men for the same work, and
negroes are to get the same as white
men for similar employment.
All increases now ordered viii be
determined according to q percent
age scale based on pay received inI
December, 1915, and any increases
which have been allowed within that
time, win be deducted. In many casesi
raises in pay in the last two and al
half years are about equal to theI
increases now approved and con-l
seuuently those employees viii get
little or no more. To correct just
such situations when injusttces aref
apparent will be one of the pTinci
pal duties OF the new wage board,
whose creation. was suggested by tnel
railroad wage commission. In mol
cases are wages to be reduced.
Men working ON the monthly, |
daily, hourly, piece-work and trainl
mile basis viii benefit by the newI
allowances and members OF the four
leading railroad brotherhoods wdaosel
pay was raiesd through operation Of
The Adams act are to receive from
10 to 40 per cent additional, a small
ser increase than thsy had asked of
the railroads shortly before the gov-t
ernment took control.
The wage order applies 70 all en~
pIoyes Of the 164 roads now under
federal management, but not to the
so-called short lines unless they are
retained by the government after
July T.
Although Pullman cars now are
under government operation, Pull I
man employees will not benefit un-
less the railroad administration del
cides eventually to retain manage
ment OF the cars.
The percentages Of wage increase
range from 49 for men who received
s45 q month In December, 1915, down.
to small rate for those receiving
Just under $3.50 and no more pay is
allowed men who made $3.50 or more
i'm 1915. The actual additions run upf
to s3A
with the. exception Of ONCE and
messenger boys under is, who are
given smaller increases, all empioyesl
who received less than $46 a. month
are given flat increase Of $40 with
the provision that laborers paid byl
the day shall get a minimum Of 25a
cents an hour above the rate Of six
ago.