The New York herald., 1921-03-16
LABORERS ACCEPT
. rs PER CT. CUT ON
LONG BRANCHR0A
First Rift in Wage COntro-
versy Occurs on Division
OF New Jersey Central.
STRIKE TALK SUBSIDIES
Union Men Willing to Abide
by Decision of Federal
Labor Board on Pay.
ROADS SHARE SAME IDEA
Pennsylvania Sets Dates for
Parleys-Reading Gives
Notice to 5000 Men.

The first signs OF agreement upon
the wage question between railroad
managements and SO called common
labor were seen last night when the
New York and Long Branch division
of the Central Railroad of New Jersey
announced that its employees had
agreed to accept the new pay scale.
To be sure the New York and Long
Branch division OF the Jersey Central
is but small fraction of the system
to which 1t belongs. and in itself Is
one of the smallest, II ry no means
the poorest, lines in the country. But
yesterday the employees of this short
road ct is about 3S miles long) con
ferred with Lee ". Berry, general
manager, and accepted the new sched-
ule. This new wage rate entails an
average cut of from 10 to IL cents an
hour. or about % per cent. for all
labor up to the four big brotherhoods.
The decrease becomes effective April /.
The New York Central Railroad was
notified formally yesterday by its
freight house. track amt other un-
skilled labor that they would not agree
TO any wage reduction as suggested
by the railroad Moreover. the repre-
sentatives of the men refused the rail-
roads invitation TO go before the
UT YoJ n yyI
with the representatives Of the road.
The labor men told the Central Of
ficials 10 take the matter up with the
board, present It's side of the contro-
put IN their side OF the case.
Lackawanna Cut Rejected.
Subsequently officials OF the Delaware.
Lackaw wanna and Western Railroad
Company held conference with repre-
sentatives OF the unskllled labor em-
ployed by that system. About 1900 men
are affected. E NJ. Rine. yice-presdent
and general manager of the Lacka-
wanna. handed the union representatives
the roads proposal--that wages should
De cut . = 10 ~ cents 3li IouI. lHc
men we're asked to agree to accept this
reduction in pay starting April l. They
refused. The labor men suggested that
Mr.. Rine put the proposal in writing and
that they would retire TO take the vote
Of the men they represent. returning
with the result of the plebiscite March 20.
The Pennsylvania Railroad announced
April 20 as the date on which II intend
ed 10 put into effect the wage cuts
ordered recently by the board of direc-
tors.
The Reading Railway announced that
It had put before representatives OF the
5000 OF It's $4,000 workers (so-called
urskilled laDorers) a proposal for wage
reductions ranging from 10 to 20 per
cent
The date on which the Pennsylvania
intends to put reduced wage scales Into
effect was Incorporated in a notice pre-
pared for display on all Of the roads
bulletin boards not later than tomorrow.
The notice Is dated March IL and Is
intended as the thirty days advance
notification demanded by the Transpor-
tation act of 1920. 1t affects many
classes OF employees.
II also outlines the procedure which
will be followed In giving representa-
tives OF the workers. including subordi-
nate officials opportunity TO air their
views on the new schedules. The dates
for a series OF conferences are an
nounced the object OF which Is stated to
be that Of reaching an agreement az To
what constitutes just and reasonable
rates Of pay In the light Of present con-
ditions."
Dates of Pennsyivania Confabs.
The schedule OF Pennsylvania meet
inga. which VIII be held In Pittsburgh.
follows:
March Sl--Maintenance of way ana
structures and unskilled forces.
April 2--Signal department employees,
except signal foremen, assistant signal
foremcn and signal inspectors
April 4-Shop employees. except super
visory forces.
April photographers. telephoners,
lever men, &c
April s-Stationary engine (Ftean)
and boiler room forces.
April 9--ClcrIcal and station forces
April li--EnEine service employees.
April l3-Traln service employees
April l5--Traln dcspatchers. yard
masters and assistant ynrdmasters
April i6--Shop supervisory forces. sig
nal foremen. assistant signal foremen
and signal Inspector.
At the end Of She five hour meeting
between the workers representatives and
officials OF the Reading In Philadelphia
yesterday the labor men said the actual
Figures OF tho reductions proposed were
higher than those given out BY the COM
pany. They protested that the reduc-
tions put before them were from eight
70 thirteen cents an hour Oh present
scale OF twenty-seven to sixty-three
cents, or from about 2i TO 30 per cent.
The union men had no hesitation In
saying that they rad voiced strenuous
obicctiona to The r,ductlons. They said
ii vas verS l,kciy the men they repre-
sented would reject tho company's pro-
posaI ana that eventually L would fini
its Way to thc Railroad Labor Board. a
high officials ~ the company gave X as
his private opinion that tho matter would
certainly reach that board.
From Cincinnati came word that the
Cleveland. Cincinnati. Chicago and st.
Louis Railroad Company had set April
l6 as the date upon which sil WAGES Of
Continued III Seventh Page.