Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1921-06-29
RAILWAY LABOR
CHIEFS GET NEW
PROBLEM TODAY
U. S. Board Eliminates Over
time Pay at Present Rate of
Time and a Half.

CHICAGO. June 29-Railway labor
chiefs en- route or already gathered here
to canvass the u Ter cent wage slash
which by order of tine United States
railway labor board will chop $4OOC0O.-
600 from railway workers pay, were
confronted today by a further adverse
action by the board.
In a new ruling the board eliminated
overtime pay at the rate of time and a
half for all work over an eight hour
day.
PERMIT ROADS TO
DEAL WITH. MEN.
However, in another ruling, the rail-
way workers gained a temporary ad-
vantage. The board, by indefinitely ex-
tending the operation Of the national
agreements which on April IA it had
directed should terminate Friday, per
mits pay to continue as at present until
agreements between the employing roads
and their men are reached regarding the
slash. The extension order does not
apply to those roads which have reached
agreements with their workers. In a
measure the new ruling was expected
to eliminate possibility of an immediate,
country wide rail strike, for, by in
denitely extending the national agree
AlcAIS anu AetpAuS pay lOE an tlB uOuT
basis on present levels, an opportunity
will be afforded those lines which have
not reached terms with their men to con-
tipue negotiations.
BY continuing the national agreement
indefinitely in such cases, it was pointed
out, the railway board could lend its
assistance, taking up each case separate
", in helping the various railway COM
panies and their employees to reach
amicable terms Labor leaders inter
preted this action as an adroit move to
split the ranks Of railway workers.
JOINT MEETING
HELD TOMORROW.
Just what effect the new decision would
have upon tomOrrOw's joint meeting OF
railway labor chieftains vgos probIemat-
ical to the labor leaders themselves.
The referendum votes on acceptance or
rejection of the wage cut will be tabu-
lated and announced as planned. but
since the national agreement In behalf
Of which the votes were ordered, has
been extended indefinitely, possibility Of
ordering an immediate strike was con-
sidered TO be passed.
Two ulions, the shop crafts and the
railroad sheet metal workers have voted
to reject the wage slash and these two
unions alone comprise more than half OF
all railway workers. But at the rail
way labor board It was insisted that re.
ports Cf This action had not Influenced
the board in its decision to extend the
national agreement. IL was explained
that the extension was made necessary
because a majority Of the reads had not
come to terms with their men and that
the board had itself been too pressed
with work to assist individual cases In
furtherjng compromise agreements.
BROTEERHOODs ARE
NOT AFFECTED.
Irute labor leaders who besieged the
railway labor board offices, asking about
the abolition Of overtime ruling. were in
formed that the decision did not affect
train service men known generally as the
Big Four" BrotherhOOds
Neither does the overtime decision
affect any railroad employees organiza-
lions which negotiated time and a halt
for overtime operative previously TO the
railroad administration regime. The
withdrawal Of the time and half rate APP
plies only to those crafts which were
granted this rate during the period Of
Federal control.
The Labor Board ruled that the general
Office clerks do not constitute a separate
craft or class from other clerical and
station service workers and ruled that
they come under the agreement Of the
Brotherhood Of Clerks.