Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1920-07-22
R. R.. MEN GET q
PER CENT INCREASE
100000, 900 Added to Wage
Budget of 100000 Men
Brotherhood Officials Dissatis.
fied-Strike Spectre Looms Up

wide railway strike has been laid by the
*6"'oW,Wo wage increase granted to-day
to more than 100000 railroad EN- ployes
tonight remained undecided.
brotherhood officials, after all day con-
ferences. made no attempt TO conceal their
disappointment that they did not get all
Of the billion-dollar increase they asked.
the belief grew, however, in the absence
or any talk OF an immediate strike, that
the union ofticials would submit the award.
probably without recommendation to a
referendum Of the men. A decision on this
point was promised tomorrow by w. g.
Lee of Cleveland. grand president of the
Brotherhood Of Railway Trainmen.
Railroad representatives accepted the
award p~hilosophically and Immediately set
about plans for passing the 500, OOO.OO0 addi-
ton to their wage budget along to the
ultimate this case the man
who pays the freight. Armed with reli-
able advance knowledge as to what the
award would provide. the railroads had
their figures ready. Judge r. NJ. Barton.
chairman of the United States Railway
Labor Board, had hardly handed down
his decision when f. T.. Whittier. represent
ing the more than NO railroads invoved.
announced that the roads would need an
increase of IL per cent in freight rates
~ ~ Nv "oSt CJS ne lnIPTEfAfa
, Commerce Commission will be asked to
spread the increase over both freight and
passenger rates.
p r CENT INCREASE
The s6O0 900. 900 award represents a q per
cent increase in the pay Of the railroad
men. For the first time in history the
roads pay rolls this year will pass the
three-bi1lion-dollar mark. Mr.. Whittier
| pStinated the 1Qo0 q a. roII. ~. 20 ol1 NM hon
more than double the sl.4ss, SIS. 1914 paid in
1916.
The boards award was made retroactive
to May 1, with provision that back pay
for three months falls due August 1. when
s1o,nn.0O is TO be distributed in addition
TO the regular pay. Yard service, engi-
neers. fremen and helpers. who received
an hourly increase Of IS cents. will get the
biggest back pay checks. their three
months award totalling s11o.1s.
In its decision the board followed the
general policy laid down by the Lane COM
mission. appointed in 1918, that the man
who received the least should get the most.
On a percentage basis the biggest in
creases went to the unskilled and semi
skilled labor, while the conductors. enri-
neers and shop crafts. the so-called arts
tocracy of the road, received smaller per-
centages.
YARD MEN GET MOST
me one notable exception to this gen.
eraI rule was the yard service men whose
10 cents an hour increase topped all others.
here the board explained the deciding fac
Tors were the extreme hazard TO life and
limb and degree of skill, renuired.
T~o-day's award. if it is accented hv III.
men, will bring to a close at least for the
present the board believes the seerningIy
endless cycle OF wage demands from the
railway workers. Starting with the do
mahnS OF LIS, which were met for a time
oy passage of the Adamson law. there
has been an almost continuous process
sion Of rail unions before various. govern
ment boards and commissions, all demand
ing changes in pay.
When the government. took control Of
the roads in December. 1877. it found pend
ING requests from many unions for more
money. The Lane commission responded
with a graduated scale ranging from a AZ
per cent increase for the poorest Maid
men. 10 nothing for those getting above
s2f9 a month. A series of adjustments fol-
lowed. Less than a year later. in .Janu-
airy, 1912. Director General McAdoo re-
ceiNed a request from the shop crafts ask
ing that he add another $500, 900. 900 to the
wage budget to meet the rising cost of
living. The request hung fire for MANY
months. In August of last year President
Wilson appealed to the men to wait and
give the government a chance to reduce
the cost OF living. They waited until this
year. then pressed their requests again
Again the matter was deferred. as fed
eral control of the roads was about 10
end. In February, Congress passed tho
transportation bill providing new ma
chinery, in the labor board. to deal with
the case. but 1t was not until the board
was appointed on April Is that work was
begun.
COMMENT BY LABOR BOARD
This long delay and succession of dis
appointments, coupled with the pressur,
or a further rise in living costs produced
deep and not unreasonable dissatisfaction
on the part OF railroad employees who felt
themselves called on to make sacrifices
as they believed, far beyond that of anv
other class" the board said in its report.
ut is clear that the cost of living in the
United states has increased approximately
I'm per cent since 1914" the decision added
I'm many instances the increases To en-
ployes here is fixed together with nrior
increases granted since 1914, exceed this
figure. The cost of living and wages Maid
for similar kinds of work in other in
dustries, however, differ AS veen
different parts of the country. Yet stand
ardization OF pay for railroad employees
has proceeded so far and possesses such
advantages that it was deemed inexpedient
and impracticable to establish new aria
tons based on these varying conditions.
THE board has endeavored to fix such
wages as will provide a decent living and
secure for the children of the wage
earners opportunity for education and vet
to remember that no class of Americans
should receive preferred treatment and
that the great mass of the people must
ultimately pay "A great part of the in
creased cost of operation entailed by the
increase Of wages determined herein"
Those persons who consider the rates
determined on too high should reflect on
the abnormal conditions resulting from
the high cost of living and the high rates
now being paid in otner industry. The
employees who may believe these rates too
low should consider the increased burden
these rates will place on their fellow
Icountrymen. many of whom are less ia
vorably situated than themselves"
An analysis of the decision shows that
$500, 900 .0O increase will go to the larger
classes Of employees in substantially the
following basis:
Railway clerks and freight handlers,
$123, ono, Oo.
Maintenance of way employees, $3.50, 2es. mo.
Engine and trainmen, sl57, nm. 900.
Railway shopmen, sl39 2S7, 600.
The remainder will be divided among
the station employees, yardmen and des-
patchers. and marine employees on tugs.
ferries and other railroad owned harbor
Ihoafs