New-York tribune., 1919-12-29
Labor Meeting
To-day to Fix
New Rail Policy
Brotherhood Chiefs and
Compers to Outline Plans
10 Force Congress to Drop
Anti Strike Provision
Wage Issue Comes Next
Officials Expected to Meet
This by Promise of Lower
Living Costs by March l
Ncw York Tribune
l}-1,l.,,r}c D

Ncw York Tribune
Washington Bureau
WASHINGTON, Dec. 2S.-Chiefs of
the four railroad brotherhoods. the
most powerful labor organizations in
the United States. meet here to-mor-
row with Samuel Gompers and other
officers of the American Federation of
Labor to map out labor's attitude
toward the return of the railroads to
private ownership on March l.
Definite predictions of what labor
viii do were not forthcoming from
leaders here tonight, but it has been
generally indicated that first OF all it
wishes to be assured that Congress
Will not put an anti-strike provision
IN the general railroad bill it will
adopt next session and which will
govern the railroads probably for MANY
years to come.
A drive Will be made on the Senate
and House conference committee. now
at work on the bills that passed the
different houses, to make elimination
of the anti-strike provision from the
completed measure certainty There
IS nttie doubt that the conferees will
tax most OF the teeth out OF this part
o. the bill, and this done labor is ex-
pected to view the return of the roads
on March l as something not exactly
10 its liking but something it can not
at this time prevent.
Wage Issue Comes Next
Aside from the question Of legisla-
ton on railroads in Congress the
brotherhood chiefs and the other lead
ers O. railroad employees under the
Federation are interested in what is
10 become of the wage demands be-
fore the United States railroad ad-
ministration; whether they shall press
them a. this time or wait until the
roads are IN private hands and then
attempt TO force them through when
the strong hand of the government
has been removed
No exact total Of what the demands
still pending would mean in money has
been made, but Director General Hines
once declared that if granted they
would add about SSOO.0OO. 900 annually
to the expenditures of the carriers.
he exact amount probably runs some
where between that figure and around
81 coo 900 eco
The demands before the railroad ad-
ministraton include those Of the fol-
owing organizations:
Federated shop craft unions. afFila-
ed with the American Federation Of
Hbcr and including the international
Brotherhood Of B iack miths and Help
ers. the machinlsts, boilermakers, cleo
trlcai workers, railway carmen and
;.nalgamated sheet metal workers.
Their demands were submitted in Jan
uary for an increase from 6S TO IS cents
an hour il minimum rates fer ma
cAinists. blacksmiths, sheet metal work
, ers, carmen and boiermakers. with a
minimum Of 60 cents an hour for help
ors. 10 cents ar hour increase for APP
prentices This was to be retroactive
20 January |, 1919.
Demands were made also for chanres
in rules and working cOndit ons The
Board Of Railroad Wages and Working
Conditions recommended last summer
an increase from 6s cents an hour to
sc cents an hour for machinists, etc.
with proportional increases for other
classes, but the recommendation was
not acted upon by the Director Cen
eral
Trainmen's Demands
Brotherhood of Railroad Trainmen:
Demand made July ! for d minimum
rate Of $50 a month for twentv-siX
days for brakcmen, fagmcn and bag
gaCemen, and of 5000 month for con-
ductors with mileage scales ranging IN
passenger service from 385 10 455
cents for tagmcn, etc.. to 5l3 cents for
conductors. in freight service the de-
Ma' are f.. fr0M 1.Ss cents 10 6.Sl
cents a mile for fagmen and brakemen
to T.25 to S.64 cents a mile for con-
ductors.
Special rules and rates for yard
service were included. as was the de-
mand for time and one-half for over
time. which recently was adjusted
separately by Director General Hines
HEARINGS have been held by the Rail
road Wage Board, but no determina-
ton announced.
Brotherhood Of Railway and Steam
ship Clerks, freight haAi'ers, express
and station employees They ask an
increase Of 20 cents an hour with
fortyfour-hour week, retroactive to
January /, 1919.
Order of Railway Conductors: No
demand fled but President l.. (. Shcp-
pard told the Board of Wages that if
the traiNmen's demands were granted
conductors should receive considera-
ton based on brakemens ration, being
66 23 per cent Of conductors rate, and
that conductors should get So q day
freight service and SS.SS IN local
freight service.
brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen
and Enginemen: Firemen and helpers
in passenger service, $3.50 a day of five
hours o. less. 100 miles OF less Mallet
locomotives $72O); through freight
service on locomotives Weighing Jess
than 100000 pounds, $3.50 a day of
eight hours or less, 100 miles or less,
on locomotives weighing more than
100000, $3.50; local or way freight
service, mixed trains, mine runs, etc,
minimum of so cents for 100 miles or
less in addition to through freight
rates; helper, pushcr, transfer, work,
wreck, construction snow plow circus,
milk and unclassifed service, through
freight rates; yard service. $3.50 Nal
let $3.50, on Malict locomotives in al
except yard service, s7.20 day; inside
hostlers. $3.50 a day; outside hostlers,
S7.20; hostlers' helpers. $3.50, eight
hours or less, all coal burning locomo-
tives to be equipped with power CRATE
shakers and automatic fire-door open
ers. All coal burning locomotives IN
road service weighing more than 200,
900 pounds to be equipped with me-
chanical stokers and two nremen to be
employed on each engine until 50
equip ed All locomotives weighing less
than 100000 pounds to be equipped
with coal passers. Firemen to be re-
lievcd of cleaning locomotives, remov-
ing tools CT supplies. loading coal, fill