The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1920-08-10
RAIL WAGE BOARD
ADDS S3O,OOO,OOO
TO EXPRESS BILL
10000 Workers Awarded
Pay Increase of Is Cents an
Hour, Retroactive to May
/, in Decision.

CHICAGO, Aug. 10.-Thirty millions
dollars was added today to the nations
express bill. The United States rail-
way labor board awarded the 10000
employees of the American Railway Ex-
press company an increase of 16 cents
an hour. The decision Is retroactive to
May /, 1920.
Under the terms of the Esch-C Cum
Minis transportation act. the express
company will be permitted to raise its
rates sufficiently to meet the increased
labor cost. Arguments in the rate
case already have been presented be-
fore the interstate commerce commits
sion at Washington.
Today's award does not go into the
question of rules and working condt-
tions. AS was the case last month,
when the board granted a $500, 200, 600
announced that decision covering new
working rules would be handed down
later.
The express decision applies. to all
express employees save $500 shopmen
who were given an increase OF lS cents
an hour in railway award last month.
The award to expressmen is slightly
better than the average increase 10
the railroad men, the board finding
that express employees, as class, were
not so we'll paid as men in other INES
OF railroad work.
boards decision. They are the me
Brotherhood OF Railway and steamship
clerks, freight handlers. express ana
station employees; the international
Brotherhood of Teamsters, Chau11euTs,
Stablen1en and Helpers of America; the
railway express drivers, chauffeurs and
conductors, Local No. 720 Of Chicago,
and the Order of Railway Expressmen.
For the purpose Of the award the
board divided express employees IN i've
classes. but the increase granted was
in each case the same, 16 cents an
hour. Messengers and other employees
in the train service, whose hours are
computed on a basis Of a 20-hour
month win receive an increase OF $3S. 40.
All other employees, working on nootile inc
20t hour month basis, VII reeelse thse :
payment from May to August 81 shall
be made separately from the Septem-
Der checks, in order that the employees
may know the exact amount OF back
pay received.
Describing. conditions IN the express
service, the board states in its decision:
"As in the case of the railway en-
ployes, this long delay and succession
of disappointments (referring TO the
unsuccessful efforts of the men to get
an increase early last spring., coupled
with the pressure of further rise IN
living costs, produced deep and not
unreasonable dissatisfaction on the
part OF the express employees even to
a greater degree than upon many OF
the railroad employees, as the wages
paid to the express employees were gem
orally less than those paid for analogous
service by the railroads and In many
other industries. The express employees
thus felt themselves called upon to
make sacrifices. as they believed, far
beyond those Of any other class. For
these reasons and as a measure OF
justice it was decided that this de-
cision, when made, would be effective
as of May 1, 1920, and that the in
creases herein specified should be
slightly in excess of those decided upon
for railroad employees performing SINH
lar service"
Presidents of the express unions. who
were present when the award was
handed down. were non -commital on its
acoeptability but the general impress
sion was that the labor board had been
slightly more generous than either the
unions or the express company had
expected. Two of the unions had de-
manded increases of S51 a month, while
the other two asked an Increase of S35
monthly.
The Brotherhood of Railway and
Steamship Clerks, Freight Handlers,
Express and Station employees will hold
grand lodge meeting here tonight to
pass on the award. About $4,000 of
the 10000 express employees are said
to be members of this union.