The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1920-07-21
SIX HUNDRED
MILLION DOLLARS
is ADDED TO PAYROLLS OF
RAILROAD EMPLOYEES IN
CREASE is RETROACTIVE TO
MAY FIRST OF THIS YEAR;
TWO MILLION RAILROAD
WORKERS BENEFIT BY RAISE

Chicago, July 2O.-Six hundred
million dollars was added to the pay
envelopes of the nations 100000
railroad workers today in the
first award handed down by the
United States Railway Labor Board
Rejecting the demands of the
organized rail unions for increases
totalling approximately one billion
dollars, the board decided approxi
mately sixty per cent of that sun
would be just increase to meet
present living conditions.
The award adds approximately 21
per cent to the present pay
schedules. Railroad officials have
declared that any pay increase
awarded the men must be followed
by corresponding increase in
rates and they plan, it is said, to
file new tariffs with the Interstate
Commerce Commission as soon as
they can be prepared.
Whether the award as given will
stave off the threat of general
railroad strike remains to be seen.
The leaders of practically every
one of the sixteen big railroad
unions were present this morning
when Judge R. M. Barson, chairman
of the board, handed down the de-
cision. They left Immediately to
present the award to 1000 general
chairman, who had gathered here to
pass on its acceptability. The union
presidents refused to make any
comment before the meeting. The
terms of the decision
bad been known to them yesterday
and they believed then their men
would stay in line, at least until a
referendum vote can be taken.
Nearly a month will be needed for
the referendum.
The boards decision is retroactive
to May l. AS the maximum increase
granted any class was IS cents an
hour. or S36.72 per month, the big
ges. back pay check when the settle
rent is made August will S11O.16.
The board provided that the back
pay checks shall be made out sepa-
rately so that each man will know
TIE amount he received from that
source.
Seven things were taken into con-
side"ation in arriving at the award,
the preamble of the boards an
nouncement says. They were: The
scale paid for similar kinds of work
in other industries; the relation be-
tween 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.
'Those persons who consider the
rates determined on here too
high should reflect on the abnormal
conditions resulting from the high
rates now being paid in other in
dustry," the board said. "The en-
ployees who may believe these
rates 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 for
education, and yet to remember
that no class of Americans should
receive preferred treatment and
that the great mass of the people
ultimately pay great part of the
increased cost of operation entailed
by the increase in wages determined
herein"
The decision, Chairman Barton
explained, was not unanimous
one, some members dissenting on
nearly every section. The awards