The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1918-02-12
RAILROADS Under
| FIRE OF WORKERS
Union Head Says Companies
Sought to Discredit
S-HOur Law.
ASKS HIGHER WAGES
Declares Bonus Systems for
Firemen Would Tend to
Cause Dishonesty.
ASKS HIGHER WAGES

Washington, Feb. 1l.--Charges by
representatives of other brothcrhoods
that the railroad arrangements have
evaded or sought to discredit the oper-
alton of the S-hour law were supple
mented today by the statements of
Timothy Shea, acting president OF the
brotherhood OF Locomotive Firemcn,
Enginemen and Holsters at today's,
hearings Of the railroad wage commits
sion.
I'VE want time and a half for over
time, computed on a minute basis" Mr..
Shea said. II think ! can say that IL
this penalty Is imposed, very little over
time will be paid for the arrangements
will readjust the working shifts to eli
intimate it,"
Changed Classification.
Mr.. Shea asserted that many roads
had returned to the eight and nine
hour basis and that in the case of
hostIers, some roads had undertaken to
rcclassify them so that they would not
come under the S-hour law He cited
particularly the Atchison. Topeka 4
Santa F'e railroad, where, he said. host
lers we're performing their old tasks
under IL new name, working IL hours at
the old rates.
The report of the commission headed
| by Major General Goethals, which in
vestigated the workings of the 8-hour
law In accordance with the act Of con-
gress, was declared by Shea to be
filled in great part with forecasts of
what the railroads believed would be
the cost of the law, rather than the ac-
tual expense of operation.
Run Up Expenses.
"Thc roads have sought to make the
application Of the law as expensive
First, they wanted to discourage any
suggestions for time and n half over
time, and, second, they wanted, what
ever the cost of the new basic day, to
have the bill paid by the public, instead
of the roads.
"Thcy succeeded In having incorpor-
atcd In the commissions report state
ments that originally were prepared for
presentation as partisan evidence"
Increases in pay asked by Mr.. Shea
| for members of his brotherhood
amounted to 10 per cent generally with
/ u minimum wage of $3.50 Il day.
4 The possibility Of basing the pay Of
d Ilfeileu ol iHe COai useu, WIN IL view
to saving fuel, elected numerous qucs-
sitions from Secretary Lane, chairman
! of the commission and the frank hos
/ tility of the union leader to any such
!, system.
Oppose Bonus System.
I'VE found when | was ON the in
terstate commerce commission" Mr..
Lane said, that less than 10 per cent
of fuel units were utilized. We are
interested very greatly In making time
with trains to relieve congestion and
also in the saving Of fuel. Could not
the firemen be paid on basis of the
use of coal?"
"a bonus SYSTEM" asked Mr.. Shea
quickly. II would oppose any such
plan. II was tried on the Pennsylvania
lines east and experience showed there
was no accurate way OF measuring the
fuel. The experiment caused more con
fusion and dissatisfaction than any
other innovation / ever knew. The
bonus system makes certain C1as.
of employees dishonest and | am OPP
posed 10 anything with such tend
ency.
There should be competent instruc'
tors to teach frcmen about combus
ton though as IA matter of fact W,
are not burning coal on railroads am,
more. To use the railroad term 1t Il
real estate-slag, slate and dirt"
. Mr. Shea will continue his discussion
III of the S-hour commissions report to
Il morrow.