The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1920-07-23
RAIL MEMS PAY
BOOSTED ABOUT
s6OO,OO0,O O0
u. S. Railroad Labor Board An
n0unCeS Its Decision.
SOME MEN ARE DISSATISFIED
Increases Granted by the Body Range
From 10 to 27 Per Cent-Engineers
and Conductors in Open Pro-
test Against Award.

Chicago July 21-Increases ranging
from Is to q per cent retroactive TO
May /, were granted railway en-
ployees through the decision of the
United States railroad labor board.
Approximately 100000 employees are
affected.
The award paying an annual in
crease of $6OO,OOO0OO, is not uni
form increase through all crafts en-
gagged in transportation. Some OF the
higher paid classes of employees re-
ceive merely nominal increases, while
the lower grades of employees are
more generously dealt with by the
board
Arranged to Meet n. c. L.
The decision, according to the re-
port, is made to meet the cost of liv-
ing which has materially increased
since the last award made by the Lane
commission May %, 1918. At the time
that increase was made a percentage
basis was figured on in direct ratio to
the report of the department of the
interior on the percentage of increase
in the cost of living.
L. E. Shepard, president of the Or
der of Railway Conductors, after turn
ing the pages to the award given his
men, shook his head and expressed
doubt as to it's acceptability to his
men.
r. T. Whittier of the Pennsylvania
lines, who gave testimony for the rail-
roads, declared that the roads would
accept the decision and live up to It's
Instructions.
81 haven't had time yet to digest the
decision" he stated, "but I do know
that. whatever the award was, the rail-
roads will live up to the order"
r. M. Barton, chairman of the board,
said:
"In that document you have the ex-
preston of our opinions and so there
is no need to speak further. 1t speaks
for itself"
Other members of the board, declar-
ing they have now washed their hands
of the entire matter, left all discussion
of the award to Mr.. Barton.
Manner of Division.
The manner in which the $500, OOO,-
600 increase is divided is as follows:
Amount of
Glass of Employees Increase. Pct.
Railway clerks and freight
handlers .....................$l OSJOO 70
Maintenance of way en-
ployees .................... 16O, 900 Is
Engine and trainmen ....... 157 100000 %
Railway shopmen ........... 139 237. 600 1919
Station employees ........... N,2S2,OO0 2312
Yardmen and dispatchers.. 4767,350 %
Marine employees .......... 100000
These amounts plus the large sum
involved in the retroactive feature of
the awards, makes the 5000, 100000
which represents the entire increase.
On their next pay day the workers
will have coming to them grand ag
gregate of three months back pay of
$1,5O0,OOO for the current period, as
the award is retroactive to May 1.
Rates to Go Up.
Increases not only in freight rates
but passenger rates will be necessary
to meet the q per cent wage award
which was granted to railroad en-
plOyees by the railroad labor board,
according to railway officials.
E. T. Whiter who represented the
railroads in the hearings before the
railway labor board, announced that
freight rates would have to go up IS
per cent in order that the roads could
stand the additional expense.