Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1919-01-04


obtained before the award.
Discusses the Runs.
THE change reduces the lapsed
time, or the spread, as it is called,
from about q hours to IA or Is
hours. Under the award of the
War board, provision was made for
time bonus in all cases where the
spread exceeded IA hours.
\ The company replies that before
the award, where there was no
bonus or spread, it made no differ
ence to the company or the men
whether the beginning was in the
morning or the evening, but that
as these runs are in effect long runs
the spread should be calculated from
the evening to the morning in de-
termining equitably what the time
bonus should be. The examiners,
after looking into the matter, have
held that these are properly the
night runs and should be treated as
such unless the interval during the
night when the men are not at
work and are not receiving pay
should exceed three and one-half
hours. This interval is, it is true,
an arbitrary interval, but it was in
serted by the examiners for the pur-
pose of insuring that the run shall
be night run and reasonably con-
tinuous in that light.
Examiners Upheld.
I'VE do not think that at this
time we should reverse, the finding
OF the examiners. We think those
runs are properly night runs and
that the calculation of spread or
lapsed time is probably made on
that basis. We think, also, that the
method used by the examiners to se-
cure good faith in making them long
runs is justified at least until the
first of February, when, if the en-
ployes desire it, the whole matter
can be reopened for hearing.
The second objection is to the
ruling of the examiners as to the
minimum wage. As to this, we are
not sufficiently advised of the actual
ruling of the examiners and its ap-
plication to the particular instances
definitely to reverse or affirm the
action of the examiners. We can
lay down as a general practice that
4lH cents an hour was intended by
the award to apply to the adult male
serving the company except where
the circumstances of service elmi-
mates pension because of the ina
bility of the person concerned to
render the full service of an adult
male workman. 1t will require the
coming of the examiners to look
into each case and interpret this
ruling of ours and to apply it to this
particular instance. .-..t
Company Oversteps Itself.
I'VE come now to the application
to the complaint against the COM
pany that the award has not been
complied with and the application
OF the men that we shall direct full
compliance. The first instance
called to our attention is the short
piece runs from six and one-half to
seven and one-half hours, which,
with the rates of wages, DO not
make a sufficient compensation by
the day to enable the men who re-
ceive the runs to live and require
them to apply for tripper runs to
exc out their days compensation.
We think that this arrangement
made by the company, as explained
by the assistant manager, was for
the purpose of reducing a spread
beyond Is hours and .aving the
penalty imposed by the award of
The board therefor.
We feel, however, that the short
piece runs with the necessity for
tripper runs are in effect long spread
runs without the penalty, and are
therefore not fair and full COM
plant that the award of the board
and that in the interest of economy
the company has neglected the con-
sideration of fairness to the men in
dealing reasonably with the changes
which the board required.
Amend Short Piece Runs.
I'VE, therefore, direct that these
short piece runs shall be in some
way amended to avoid the Injustice
which we have pointed out That
this amendment shall take place
after a full conference with the full
committee of the employees and if no
agreement can be reached the pro-
posed amendment of the company
to which the employees may object
shall be submitted to the examiners
for adjustment and decision.
Second. Objection is made to
discrimination against the men. The
company then, whatever may have
been the policy of the company in
the past and whatever may have
been the attitude of some of the
subordinates of the company in par
ocular instances. we feel that the
declaration of the president of the
company and the few instances in
which discrimination is charged are
evidence that the company is now
.rying to comply in full with the
orders of the board in this regard.
Discusses Union.
with reference to collective bar
gaining which it is objected by the
men the company has not fully &C
cepted. we have this to say: This
company is now conducting an open
shop in which union and non-union
men are employed without discrim.
nation. The rules of this board re-
CURED that no obstacle or interfer-
ence should be offered by the COM
pany to the organization of the men
n the union or the affilation of the
local union with a national union.
"The rules of the board permit ar
employer to insist that in the neg
ligence between him and his en-
ployes he may deal only with his
emnioves and only with representa-