Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1921-06-02
r R. WAGE CUTS
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Continued from Page one)
Realizing the futility of attempting
separate hearing on each dispute,
the board combined all the cases for
the hearing which resulted in todays
decision.
After only one days elaboration,
the board made public resolution on
May II stating that prevailing con-
ditions justified a readjustment
downward and that a new wage order
would be issued on or about June l,
to be effective July /. The decision,
however is not as comprehensive as
| that which granted the 100000, Ooo
wage increase to railway workers on
July co. 1920. Reductions under to-
days decision will be effective only
for the classes of employees named by
the railroads which filed disputes
prior TO April IS and which appeared
in the hearing beginning on that
date. The increase last year affected
all so-called Glass roads, including
nearly 200 of the larger rail systems
of the country.
A new hearing will be begun June
the board between April Is and June
6 and a speedy decision is anticipat-
ed in the new case, members of the
board stating that today's decision
would set a precedent for subsequent
decisions
Under the Transportation Act. sew
en- factors are prescribed for conSid-
Grafton in determining Just and rea-
sonable wages" of railway employees.
The boards wage increase decision
declared all these factors had been
| rates established were considered
just and reasonable. The decision at
that time said:
The Board has endeavored TO fix
/ such wages as will provide a decent
living and secure for the children of
! the wage earners opportunity for ed
ucation, and yet to remember that no
class of Americans should receive
preferred treatment and that the
great mass of the people must ulti
mately pay great part OF the in
creased cost OF operation cntailed by
! the increase in wages. 1t
which adds substantial amounts to
present wages will he felt to he just
and equitable under all circum-
stances and railroad employees will
accordingly render the best service of
which they are capable. If they will
do this, it is believed the American
people will receive benefits far out
weighing the cost of the increases.
Baslng their argument upon the
boards declaration that wages as es-
tablished by this decision were just
and reasonable in July. 1920. the
railroads presented volume of tes-
timony to show that living costs had
declined and that wages in outside
industries had dropped. The railroad
representatives declared wages
should be cut in proportion.
The employees while giving figures
combating the railroads argument
Of lower wages and cost of living,
made their main plea on the princi-
pie of the living wage. The labor
men declared railway workers were
underpad and attempted to set up
so-called living wage" budgets to
substantIate their fight against any
reductions.
Fifteen labor organizations, includ-
ing the Big Four brotherhoods. to-
Sethcr with the affiliated members Of
the Railway Employees Department,
! American Federation OF La Dor, rep
resented the employees involved in
the present case. All of the roads
asked reduction of the common labor
wage scale and numerous carriers
asked reductions in several other
classes, Il few of the roads filing pc
titions for reductions of wages of ev-
, cry employc.
The following are the 104 roads:
ST. Louis. San Francisco: Chicago
Great Western; Denver 4 Salt Lake:
Boston & Albany; Boston Terminal
, Pittsburg q Lake Erie; Lake Eric &
Eastern; Delaware. Lackawanna &
Western; LehiGh Valley; Rutland
Gulf Coast Lines: Houston Belt &
Terminal Buffalo Rochester &
PittSburs; Toledo 4 Ohio Central
GAINESVILLE x Western; kanawha &
Michigan: kanawha Il West Viz
ginia: Staten Island Rapid Transit;
Atchison. Topeka II Santa F'e: Gulf.
Colorado q Santa Fc: Beaumont.
Wharf 4 Terminal: Ann Arbor: New
York New Haven & Hartford: Cen
trail New England; Erie and subsidi-
aries; Central Union Depot & Rail-
way of Cincinnati; Lehigh Il New
England; Chicago Il North Western;
Indiana Harbor Belt; New York Cen
trail: Maine Central: Portland Ter
minal; Cleveland. Cincinnati, Chicago
& St. Louis and subsidiaries: Chi
caso. Peoria q st. Louis; Southern
Pacific Co.; Southern Pacific Lines in
Texas and Louisiana; Grand Trunk
Illinois Central and subsidiaries;
Chicago. Rock Island q Pacific; Chi
cago, Rock Island & Gulf: Central
Railroad of New Jersey; Cincinnati.
Indianapolis & Western: Boston d
Maine: New York. sOntario & West
ern: Chicago, Indianapolis & Louis
vile; Texas Midland Detroit Termi-
nal: Mononsahela Great Northern:
Buffalo d Susquehanna: Philadelphia
& Reading and subsidiaries: Norfolk
q Western: Northern Pacific: Min
neapolis & St. Louis: Michigan Cen
trail; Nashville, Chattanooga & st.
Louis; Bangor & Aroostook: Union
Pacific; st. Joseph & Grand Island:
Oregon Short Line; Oregon Wash
ington Railroad q Navigation Co;
Hooking Valley; Pittsburg & West