The Leavenworth echo. [volume] (Leavenworth, Wash.) 1904-current, 1919-04-18
RAILROAD MEN WILL
GET ADDITIONAL RAISE
Wage Advances Aggregating S65, 5,000,.
900 Ordered by Director Gen
eral Hines

Washington, April 17-Wage adj
vances aggregating s65,O00,O00 were
ordered last Saturday by Director
General Hines for four hundred thou
sand railroad engineers, firemen,
trainmen and conductors in both pas
senger and freight service-member
of the Big Four Brotherhood-retr
active since January l, 1919. The
Brotherhood's demand for time and
half pay for overtime was granted
only for men engaged in yard service
and for the others this question was
referred to the Railroad Administra-
tons Board of Adjustment Number /,
already created for consideration of
disputes relating to railway trainmen
and engineers.
The increases were arranged accord
ing to a contemplated schedule; one
of the aims of which was to restore
the wage relationship existing before
the railroads increase in wages last
year. The average advance in pay
per man per year will be about $3.50.
This action practically completed
the war cycle of wage increases
granted railroad men since the govern
ment took over the management of
the roads fifteen months ago. Only
a few minor requests for more pay
remain to be acted upon.
Including this order the aggregate
increases allowed by the railroad ad-
ministratioin to the two million rail-
read employees is at the rate of 1922
1000 a year; more than $400 av-
erage per man. Thus the total pay
roll of Americas railroads is raised
nearly to three billion dollars a year
from the basis of approximately two
billion dollars on January 1, 1918,
when the roads passed into the gov
ernment's hands.
Back Pay from January
The S65,OO0,0OO dollars added to the
payrolls of members of the "Big Four"
brotherhoods brings the total granted
this class of employees in the last three
years to approximately S275,000,OO0'
OF approximately $500 per man. This
takes into consideration the S14O,OOO,-
900 estimated as the Brotherhood's
share of the general wage increase
last year and s70,O00,000 estimated as
the fruit for these men from the
Adamson act which established a
basic eight hour day but did not put
into effect theBrotherhood's plea for
time and half for overtime.
Back pay for work since January !
will be given the Brotherhood men as
soon as railway paymasters can work
out the amount due.
In the first general wage advance
made by the railroad administration
following the recommendations Of the
railway wage commission, approx
mately S4OO, 100000 a year was dis
tributed among the railroad employees.
About s14O,O00000 of this went to
trainmen and engineers and, about
$3.50, 100000 to other employees. On
supplemental orders about S150,0OO,-
900 was added to payrolls of the shop
men, about the same to maintenance
of way men and clerks and about
S45, 100000 to telegraphers and station
agents. Railway accountants calcu-
lated that 1915 and 1917, the years
Immediately preceding government
control, the railway companies IN
creased wages $35O,OOO,OOO. With the
1922 100000 added by the railroad ad-
ministration, the aggregate advance
of railway mems wages in three years
is set at approximately S1,172,OOO,OOO
OF about $500 per man. The railroad
payroll in 1917 was calculated at ST.
$50 900. 900, and in 1918 at $2,538, ,0OO,-
900 and this year at s2,S22, 100000.
Dining Car Men Get Raise
Comparatively small increases IN
nav are expected soon for the dining
car and sleeping car employees.
The actual payment under increased
orders last year was S53s,OOO,OOO, ac-
cording to Mr.. Hines calculations.
Railroad companies estimate the wage
increases at nearly S100,000,0O0 more
than the railroad administration.
Railroad accountants calculate that
about 100000 a year will be
forthcoming from the rate increase
last year. The administrations fig
ures today on rate increases indicate
that more than so per cent of this Is
eaten up in wages.
Discussing the effect of wages on
operation costs this year, Mr. Hines
in making public the order said that
"thru the elimination of overtime
which will be unnecessary under peace
conditions, and thru ability TO regain
experienced employees who were lost
during the war, the total increase IN
wages would be substantially less on