Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1920-07-23
RAIL MINIS PAY
INCREASED ABOUT
$4,000 000
u. S. Railroad Labor Board An
nounceS Its Decision.
SOME MEN ARE DISSATISFIED
increases Granted by the Body Range
From 10 to 27 Per Cent Engineers
and Conductors d, Open Pro
test Against Award.

and Conductors ny Open Pro
test Against Award.
Chicago, July 21.-Increases ranging
from is to q per cent retroactive to
May l, were granted railway EN-
ploYees through the decision of the
United States railroad labor board
approximately 1,se0oGo employees are
affected.
Upon the acceptance of the decision
rests the immediate future Of the en-
tire transportation system Of the Unit
ed States, for dissatisfaction on the
part Of the employees and general
strike. if one should be resorted to,
would tie up the country. Industrials
now running from hand to mouth on
their supply of coal face a shutdown
If transportation is halted.
The award paying an annual in
crease Of S600.000000. is not a 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 bv the
board.N
Arranged to Meet Il. c. L.
The decision, according to the re-
port. is made 10 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.
J.. 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 its acceptability to his
men.
E. r. Whittier Of the Pennsylvania
lines who gave testimony for the rail-
roads, declared that the roads would
accept the decision and live up to its
Instructions
Il haven't had time yet to digest the
decision" be stated but ! do know
that, whatever the award was, the rail-
roads will live up to the order"
r. NJ. 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 $600,000,-
600 increase is divided is as follows:
Amount of
Class Of Employees Increase Pct
Railway clerks and freight
handlers ......s. ..... sizes, 900 GOO Is
Maintenance Of way em-
ployees .~..,... 160, 29S0o0 25
Engine and trainmen ,...... fh7 O0OO0O "a
Railway shopmen .........., 1S9, $4,000 1871
Station employees ........... q 2Sg OO0 9sik
Yardmen and dispatchers.. 4767350 e
Marine employees ,..,....... 250000
These amounts, plus the large sum
involved in the retroactive feature of
the award, makes the S600,O00, 600
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
Sl.5oOo00 for the current period, as
the award is retroactive to May /.
New Unions to take Vote.
An element OF confusion was iniect-
ed into the situation when John Cru
nau, president Of the Chicago Yard
mems association announced that the
new railroad onions which called q
series of strikes in the spring after
breaking away fTcm the old unions
would hold "a referendum vote on the
award
Grunau declared that the under.
standing of his followers was that the
award applied to all rail workers re-
CARELESS of their union.
After Grunaus attention was called
TO a statement by Judge Barton that
the decision specifically mentions rs
brotherhoods and some 400 roads as
the parties concerned and that il took
no cognizance of the new unions. he
said
The United States railway boards
decision is unsatisfactory. II shows
discrimination when il entirely ignores
the Chicago Yardmens' association
delegates who were present with their
men and who represent more than
100000 men OF the various crafts afHl-
lated and recognized as being an in
tegral part Of the membership Of the
c. y, A.
1T was Inconsistent 10 recognize
one minority insurgeut group and not
the majority group, The group | s.eak
of being the Masters, Mates and Pilots
OF America"
In commenting on the misuuder-
standing Judge Barton said.
eve decided uiat we would hear
the claims Of an organizations which
were properly brought before us. hut