The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-06-01
TAKES ONLY PART
OF JULY 1920 hike
Salary Slash Announced From
10 to IL Per Cent.
Union Chiefs Call Session to
Discuss Decision.
MAINTENANCE men HEAVIEST
Are Reduced Eight and Half
Cents Per Hour.
Cost of Living Decrease Is
Given as Reason.
MAINTENANCE men HEAVIEST

Chicago, June 1.-Approximately
two-thirds of the wage increase grant
ed railroad employees last July by the
railroad labor board was ordered de-
Quoted beginning July 1. in the boards
DECISION announced today.
From the increase last year of $780,
100000 a year in salaries of railroad
labor. nearly s4OO, 100000 will be cut,
it is estimated, by the reductions. In
the case of general class of mainte-
nance Of way laborers, the entire in
crease of 8 " cents an hour was with
drawn, while in others of the classes
having the larger number OF employees
the cuts ranged from 13 to 8, and 10
to cents an hour as compared with
the award of last July.
VIII Affect All Roads.
Altho the wage cuts are to apply
only on the 104 roads which had
filed petitions for the decreases, the
boards announcement said that applf-
cation of other roads would cause
the same reductions to be placed in
effect on those lines.
The decreases, it is estimated. even
tually will affect two million men.
The general average decrease is placed
at II per cent, as compared with an
average of 21 per cent increase grant
ed last July
Union leaders withheld comment on
the boards decision, but it had been
freely stated at sessions of the rail-
way employees leaders here during
the boards hearings on the decreases
that cuts of 10 to IL per cent would
meet little opposition.
Unions Call Meeting.
Leaders of the four big railroad
brotherhoods have called a meeting
creases are effective, to discuss the
award.
In a supplemental memorandum,
the board points out that during gov
ernment control the wages of railway
employees were increased from an
average of SIS a month, in December.
1917, to $116 in January. 1920, and
to $141 by the increase of last July.
About 10 per cent of the railway en-
ployes, chiefly those unskilled, the
board said, had received increases ap-
proximately 100 per cent. The aver
age increase with the July, 1920,
award, over the pay prior to federal
control, was 81 per cent.
The board estimates the present cut
would mean IAN average monthly
salary of about $125 for all employees,
but such an average means, of course,
lAldI WLllS SOIIlo WOuIu earn
a sum considerably in excess of this
many thousands would fall far short
of that figure
/ r. r. Chief Disappointed.
Railroad executives here today de-
clared they were disappointed in the
decision of the railroad labor board
cutting the wages of all classes of rail-
| road employees IL per cent, slashing
s400,000,o00 from railroad payrolls
annually.
I'VE had hoped that the decision
! would wipe out in it's entirety the
! $500, 100000 increase of last year.
said President H. E. Byram of the
| Chicago, Milwaukee & st. Paul. 1--WE
will have to find out how much this
decrease will reduce our operating
costs before attempting to predict any
thing about rate decreases to follow
| this wage cut. This is a step in the
| right direction, however, and will helr
business and unemployment on rail-
roads"
Affects 100000.
| The decision of the board affects
! (CnuffuUad nm Do GO Trvo