The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1918-05-29
RAILROAD WAu1 INCREASE.
EFFECTIVE NEXT SATURDAY FOR
NEARLY 1900, 900 MEN.
increases Mean Over $500. 600 .OO0
YearIy-Large Sums Due i'm Back
Pay.

'H'o'S =" were announced today by
Director General McAdoo. effective
next Saturday and retroactive to last
January l, carrying out substantial
ly recommendations of the railroad
wage commission. The aggregate of
the increases probably will be more
than $SOO,00O,0O0 a year, half of
which will be distributed within q few
weeks as back pay in lump sums from
about $l00 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
eXigencies of the war situation, hours
OF employment are not actually re-
duced and overtime is to be paid pro
rata; future adjustments of pay are to
he made on the basis of eight hours
In addition to the ordinary scale of
increases, day laborers employed
| mainly on track work are to get at
| least 1-2 cents an hour more than
they received December 81.
A minimum of SIS cents an hour is
established for the shop trades, in
Guiding machinists, boilermakers and
blacksmiths.
Women are to receive the same pay
as men for the same work, and me-
groes are ito get the same as white
men for similar employment.
TO work out multitude of in
equalities OF pay among employees do
ing similar work in different localities
and other injustices caused by vary
ing rules of employment and cond;-
tons OF organization, the director
general created new board of rail-
road wages and working conditions
consisting of three labor representa-
tlves and three railway executives
which will conduct extensive investi-
cations
All increases now ordered will be
determined according to a percentage
scale based on pay received in De-
cember, 1915, and any increases
which have been allowed within that
time, will be deducted. In MANY cases
raises IN pay in the last two and "a
haf years are about equal to in
creases now approved, and conse-
quently these employees will get lit
tie or no more. To correct just such
situations when injustices are ap-
parent will be one of the PRINCIPAL
duties of the new wage board, whose
creation was suggested by the rail
road wage commission. In no cases
are wages to be reduced.
Men working on the monthly, daily,
hourly piece work and train mile ba-
sis will benefit by the new allowances.
and members of the four leading rail-
road brotberhoods whose pay was
raised through operation of the Ad-
amson act are to receive from ten to
forty per cent additional, a smaller
increase than they had asked of the
railroads.
The wage order applies TO all en-
ployes of the 1914 roads now under
federal management, but not to the
So called short lines unless they are
retained by the government after
nal. union station and switching COM
panies, lighters. ferries and tugs own
ed by railways, but not employees OF
abroad boat lines on the lakes. riv-
ers or coastwise traffic. Although
Pullman cars now are under govern
ment operations, Pullman employees
will not benefit.
In announcing his decision, Mr.. Nc
Adoo appealed to railroad employees
to forget dissensions and disappoint-
ments and to remember that the sue
cess of the war depends largely on
their services.
TO meet the expense OF the wage
increase, the biggest ever granted to
any class of employees at one time, the
railroad administration has discussed
raising freight and passenger rates.
The percentage of wage increases
range from $43 for men who received
SAG month i'm December 1915,
down to n small rate for those re-
ceiving just under $3.50 and no more
or more in 1915.
The actual conditions run up to
thirty-four.
With the exception of Office and