Omaha daily bee., 1920-07-21
Decision of Government Labor
Board Adds Approximately
$500, 900 to the Annual
Payroll of Carriers.
AWARD MAY NOT STAVE
OFF GENERAL WALKOUT
Increase Only go Per Cent Of
Amount Demanded; Chiefs
0f Brotherhoods Refuse to
Comment on Decision.

comment on UeClSI0n.
BY The Associated Press.
Chicago, July 20-Six hundred
million dollars was added to the pay
envelope of the nations 100000
railroad workers today i'll the first
award handed down by the new
United States railway labor board.
Rejecting the demands of the Or
eanizcd rail unions for increases to-
falling approximately Sl,000,000,0
tn, board decided approximately 90
per cent of that sum would be Just
increase to meet present living con-
ditions.
The award adds approximately II
per cent to the present pay sched-
ules. Railroad officials have de-
Clared that any pay increase must
be followed by a corresponding in
crease in rates, and> they plan, it is
said. to file new tariffs with the in.
ter state commerce commission as
soon as they can be prepared.
Union Leaders to Meet.
J Whether the award will stave off
the threat of a general railroad
strike remains to be seen. The lead
ets OF practically all of the 10 big
railroad unions were, present this
morning when Judge R. NJ. Barton,
chairman of the board, handed down
the decision. They left Immediately
to present the award to 1000 general
chairmen, who had gathered here to
pass on its aceeptability.
The union presidents refused to
male any comment before the meet
ing: The terms of the decision had
been known to them yesterday and
they believed then their men would
stay in line. at least until a referen-
cum vote can be taken. Nearly a
month will be needed for the referen-
dunn.
Retroactive to May /.
The boards decision is retroactive
to May /.
"As the maximum increase granted
any class was 1S cents an hour, or
$56.72 Per month, the biggest pay
check due when the back pay settle
ment is made August l will be for
Sll0.16. Engineers, hremen and
helpers in the yard service will re-
ceive this amount"
The board provides that the back
pay checks shall be made out
separately so that each man will
know the amount he receives from
that source
Seven Things Considered.
Seven things were taken into con-
sideration in arriving at the award,
the preamble of the boards an
nounccment says. They were:
The scale paid for similar kinds Of
work in other industries.
The relation between wages and
the cost of living.
The hazards of the employment.
Training and skill required.
Degree of responsibility.
Character and regularity of the
employment, and
Inequalities in increases and treat
ment resulting from previous wage
orders.
Comment On H. c. L.
Those persons who consider the
rates determined on herein too high,
should reflect ON the abnormal con-
dtions resulting from the high cost
of living and the high rates now be-
ing paid mother industries the
board says. The employees who
f~o1,a,ro thace rltnS TOO low
should consider the increased burden
these rates will place on their fellow
countrymen, many of whom are less
favorably situated than themselves,
The board has endeavored to FIX
such wages as will provide decent
living and secure for the children
of the wage earners opportunity tor
education, and yet to remember that
no class of Americans should re-
ceive preferred treatment and that
the great mass of the people must
ultimately pay a great part OF the
increased cost of operation entailed
by the increase in wages determined
herein"
The decision, Chairman Barton
explained, was not an unanimous
one, some members dissenting on
nearly every section. The awards
given were by majority vote on
each section, with at least one men,
Der OF the public group voting for
each award.
Ignore Outlaw Unions.
Demands of the railroad men who
struck last April and formed new
unions are ignored by the board.
In addition to the 10 recognized
brotherhoods, two other unions, the
international Association of Rail
road Supervisors of Mechanics, anc
the American Train Dispatchers' as
sociation, are made a party to the
decision. More than 400 railroads
are specifically named as parties.
The decision provides that in case
of a dispute as to the Interpretation
of the decision the question shall be
-eterred to the board for decision.
The law does not require. however
that either side must accept the
award.
The decision provides that the
iaily increase shall be computed as
sight times the hourly rate, and the
monthly increase as 204 times the
hourly schedule.
The increases follow:
Passenger Service.
Ep,;neers and Y,otoruen hremen