Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1921-12-01
RAIL LABOR BOARD
ACTION HAILED AS
CARRIERS | VICTORY
Handicap of Close Classifi-
cation of Workers Is {.
Fully Removed.
NOTIFICATIONS MADE
OF FEDERAL PRIVILEGES
Govcrnment-C Control Regula-
lions Long Held as Max 8.
ing for Inefficiency.
TAKE ur WAGE ISSUE now
Transportation Companies Give Mo-
tice OF 10 Fer Cent Wage
Cut TO Employees.
NOTIFICATIONS MADE
OF FEDERAL PRIVILEGES
TAkE Ur WAGE ISSUE NOW
TRANSPORTATION companies Give Mo- Z
tice OF 10 Fer Cent Wage
Cut TO Employees. s
By AIexender =. Jones.

~ - '''>N "a 49," ~ 'sstaH'SCOFTeSpOndent
CHICAGO, Nov. 3o.-Fifty million
uollars is trimmed from railroad pay
rolls by the decision OF the United
States Railroad Labor Board. made
public tonight. announcing the new
Working rules for six shop-craft fed
erations.
While the decision is, in the main,
a pronounced victory for the carriers.
as II greatly modifies the majority
or the working rules granted tho
shop crafts under Federal control
not all OF the requests OF the car.
ricrs are granted and some of tho
Older rules sanctioned By long Sex9
perienee yura5retained practically suul
chanEcd. Thc now rules go into seq
feet imnediately, Sfd
nlsEsst Achievement to Date.
This decision is regarded by the
railroad board as the most sisn,n-
cant work it has done to date. These
rules. and others about to be an
nounced, hadto he formulated before
wage considerations could be taken
up.
Ben ". Hooper, vice chairman of
the board, announced that the board
is now In position to take up wage
matters. and the controversy be-
tween the transportation heads and
ihc big ave brotherhoods, which re-
Gently nearly resulted in wide
spread strike. Is expected to be re-
sumed almost Immediately.
railroads hurried to notify en-
ploycs that 10 per cent cut Is con-
,emplated. This question Will be be-
fore the board formally within six
weeks.
Revive Wartime Privileges.
The hulk OF the modltlcatIops IN
shop craft working rules were made
on privileges granted by the govern
N'heht during theF%nr These rules
have been bittetfy nssailcd by the
carriers as the cause Of ineTicient
management Machinists were for
hidden TO touch anything but repairs.
They could not disconnect wiring.
This had 10 be done by electricians.
Ihey could not touch pipe connnec-
tions because this was the work OF
sheet metal workers only.
unskilled laborers could not dis
mantle wooden freight cars. This
was the work OF carmen.
No employe could touch an engine
crate except a boilermaker.
IL was this condition that caused
the protests OF the railroads.
Working IInndicapn Removed.
pnuer the new rules. much of this
condition is done away with. The
classification OF tho work OF cleo
.rlciahS: carmen. sheet metal work
ers, boilcrmnkers, biacksmiths. ma
chlnists and iron shipbuilders. Is so
oroadcncd that any employe can step
In and do most any Job that re-
quires attention.
Some OF the rules are discontinued
aItosether and the complaint OF tho
railroads that lit takes ten mon tn
do four mems work" Is removed.
Thus. controversy OF eighteen
months ends with victory i'm the
hands OF railroad managements. tho
tart that the decision was filed with
no dissenting opinion OF labor mem
bers of the board Is taken as nc
quiescense on the part of the shop
craft union leaders TO changes In
rules they did not hope to main
tain.
viii Seek Wage Increase.
hut the shop crafts arc making
ready TO ask for a per cent wage
increase. This move is interpreted as
a counterattack on the requests for
aecrrases in wages among this class !
Of employees CT from 10 TO % per cent
which the railroads are preparing to
push Z
As this decision cuts shop craft paw 3
rolls at least s50,oo0.00U. according to
amor board statisticians. and tho first
TWO sections OF the rules. in former
iecisions. cut an equal amount from
The shop pay envelopes. the carriers
have won more than 500, ,000, 900 In
rules CONCESSIONS from the board
within the past six months. 80
LARGE EC0NONIEs COME
WITH NEW WORKING VIrLES
tRy Associated I'ress,l
CHICAGO. Nov! 30.-- Eeoitomies In
)neratInn and incrcnand .ninIan...