The New York herald., 1921-05-18
Amount of Decrease for
Unskilled Workers to Be
Fixed June 1, Effective
a Month Later.
NEW CASES UP JUNE 6
Decision on Pay OF Skilled
Workers Will Be Effec-
tive Same Date-2,000,-
900 Men Affected.
-1 nr-rnY,r
DECISION UNEXPECTED
Prevailing Conditions Justify
a Readjustment Downward
Says Announcement Made
in Chicago.
BIZ ne Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
CHICAGO, May 17.--The United States
Railroad Labor Board late to-day an
nounced its intention Of revising down.
ward the wages of more than 100000
unskilled rail workers. effective July l.
The amount of the decrease will he
made public on June /.
At the same time the board an
nounced that ii would hold hearings
on June s regarding proposals by the
roads to decrease the wages of other
classes of employees and would also
make it's decision In these cases cf-
fective on the same date. A similar de-
cision in the case of skilled workers
would mean a cut in the pay of prac-
tically every railway worker in the
country on July I and would affect
approximately 100000 men,
The announcement to-day, which
said that prevailing conditions justify
to some extent. yet to be determined,
readjustment downward of wages" was
entirely unexpected. and came only
few hours after the close of the
[
since early in April Neither the roads
nor the representatives of the unions
had expected any announcement Tor
| several weeks.
t. Wages Raised Last July.
Only July 90. 1920, the board rem
dcred decision increasing the pay OF
all classes Of railway employees ap-
proximateiy FL per cent, or about $780,
| 600. 900 a year.
Several months ago several roads an
nounced that they could no longer op-
| crate under this wage award and an
nounced reductions averaging about 90
per cent. for unskilled employees. The
workers appealed to the board, which
decided that the roads could not make
summary reductions. but must first hold
conferences with their men and then. II
no agreement could De reached, submit
the case TO the board for decision.
Practically every large road in tho
\ country then held conferences with its
uns4iilcd employees regarding reductions
! and when the employees refused TO ac-
cept cuts carried the case TO tie board.
Nearly hundred cases IN all thus were
appealed, and the board finally decided
10 hear them as unit instead Of sep
arately.
In presenting their case the roads
pleaded that they were being forced to
pay more for labor than they could
employ IL for In the open market: that
reduction In the cost of living Justified
similar reduction in wages that they
were being forced TO operate In many
cases at loss. and that they wished to
4 - <T-~
public but could not do SO while forced
70 pay war time scale to labor.
Reply OF Employees.
The employees in their reply charged
that the financial embarrassment OF the
roads was due 10 gross misranagement.
that increased rentals had practically
nuliiaed any decreases in other neccs-
sites. and that the wages paid rail-
workers wore still below those paid In
other lines OF industry. Employees
maintained worknen should receive q
living wage. an1 introduced statistics 70
determine such a wage.
Tc-day's announcement that the board
selt that "preVailing conditions" just!-
fed revision downward in wages was
the first indication OF its attitude on the
wage question. Railway officials to-
nigh, expressed themselves as being
e
expressed the opinion that the same con-
ditions which II was found applied 10
unskilied labor would also be applied 10
skilled workers. Representatives OF tho
employees refused 70 comment on the
boards announcement until they had
time to study Il carefully.
Tho statement Of the board follows
Whereas undcr date OF April S. 1921
tho United States Railroad Labor Boo M
adopted resolution which recited
among other things. that IN the judg-
unent or the hoard I; IL desirable 10 hear \
al one time and decide IN one decision.
50 far ss may be possible. the question
as TO what may constitute juet and rca-
sonable wages for oil classes Of en-
ployees OF carriers parties to decision
No. . as to whose wages there may b
disputes: and
Whereas the board has now heard
the evidence and arguments Of botis
rarties TO All such disputes which were
slied and docketed prior 70 April -,
1921. but siuco said date 4 large ntrn-
ber Of applications FOR decision on sirli-
lar disputes have been filed. AMI there
arc reasonable grounds - believe tnac
SIN other such applications arc about
g pc flied aud
Evtcut to ne DcicrmtocJ.
Whereas. the Railroad Labor ISoard
has this DAY b. formal resolution de-
eiarcl that In 10 Judgment based upon
tae evidence before u ln tle d's3utrs
already heard. prevailing conditions
justify 10 some extent, xct ID no deter
mined. ? rcsdjustiuent downward ~
the wages OF the employees OF the car
rors which are parties 10 the disputes