New-York tribune., 1921-06-07
Executives Stand Pat ON
Demand for Reduction
That Will Wipe Out
Last Years Increase
Maintenance Men
Threaten Strike
Referendum Vote Being
Taken ON Action to
Follow in Wage Award

CHICAGO, June 6.--The railway
situation broke into renewed uncer-
tainty to-day with activities in three
widely separated camps.
Representatives of 15O railroads de-
clared before the Railroad Labor Board
here their determination not to rest on
the IL per cent wage reduction in cer-
tain classes Of railway labor, but to
stand squarely on their request for a
cut which would wipe out the entire
$600,000,000 increase granted last year.
A referendum vote was begun by
100000 maintenance Of way employees
and members OF the six shop crafts
brotherhoods on whether or not the
men would accept wage reduction or
ders issued on ninety-three railroads
last week by the Railroad Labor Board.
The results will be made known late
this month. The wage reductions are
scheduled to 60 into effect July /.
Twelve thousand employees of the
Pullman shops threatened to cripple
sleeping car service, in strike ballot,
to be returned next Friday.
The attack by the railroad represen-
tatives on extra pay for overtime and
uniform wages for the same classes of
railway employees over the country was
the outstanding feature of the days
developments.
Pro Rata Payment Asked
NJ
board in the second wage reduction
drive this spring. Over the objection
of w. S. Carter, head Of the Enginemen
and Firemen, John G. Walber, repre-
senting the Eastern railroads, asked
for substitution of pro rata payment
instead of time and one-half pay, the
present rate, for overtime in freight
and yard service. Carter declared such
q proposition was matter of rules
rather than wages, and had no place in
the present hearing. Walber, however
insisted that time and ne-half was
injected into the wage schedules as
a pay increase measure" and the rail
roads felt. that it should receive atten-
ton now.
"The Standardization of wages for
all classes of railroad employees which
disregard local conditions is serious
violation of economic laws" Walber
continued. "Continuation of such a
policy would be in violation Of the
transportation act. In any crcum-
stances the largest area to be con-
sidered by the Labor Board in deter
mining wage scales should be the rate
regions as established by the Inter
state Commerce Commission
Walber presented brief statements
on behalf of the Ann Arbor, Bangor g.
Arostook, Baltimore G. Ohio, Boston g.
Albany, Buffalo & Susquehanna, Cen
tral of New Jersey and the Bessemer
& Lake Erie, Buffalo, Rochester &
Pittsburgh and Central Of Vermont,
which asked that the wage increases
granted by the board in July, 1920, be
wiped out and that overtime in many
classes be paid on pro-rata basis.
Pullman system federation, an
nounced to-day that the strike ballot
now being taken probably would result
in tie-up of the sleeping car service.
The st. Louis shop workers are al
ready out, he said. and the enormous
shops at the south end of Chicago may
be closed
''The strike ballot was ordered.'
said Smith, because the Pullman
Company would not obey the decision
Of the Railroad Labor Board, which or
dered the company and the employees
to confer with view to an agreement
on rules and working conditions to
take the place of the national agree
ment. The company simply refused
to engage in such conference. That
leaves US nothing to do but strike"
Smith, in his statement, accused
the railroad wage board OF holding up
its decisions until the company could
smash its labor organizations.
The Pullman Company has laid off
IS per cent of it's mechanical employees
since January l." he said. Cars are
rotting in the shop for want of repair
men Every time Pullman car returns
from trip it must be repaired. The
result of neglect is accidents"
The projected strike will affect lock-
smiths, machinists. sheet metal work
ers, electric men, car men, helpers,
apprentices and car cleaners in some
eighty shops throughout the country,
according to Mr.. Smith.