Twin city review. [volume] (Champaign, Ill.) 19??-1929, 1921-03-25
|, C. RAILROAD
TOCUT WAGES
TO25CHOUR
IlnskilIed Workers Notified
OF Reduction On
April II

--s.. illinois Central is asking the
--.t5fiad portion Of its employees TO
- me burden of the roads pro
"a disability TO make profit
...ss of a slump in business; il is
sing the men 10 donate part OF
80 mat wages TO meet condition
A-oYght about mainly by the railroad
..seIf In IFS wild scramble to force
49,. omen shop upon its employees, II
80 thousands of them OFF. cutting off
~ purchasing power altogether In
49,, ,.fd scramble of the rest of the
"a. niz bunch 10 install the open"
=, and lower wages (which they
-. ~ as reconstruction eight
..,,liap men are out of work. and al.
.I.,,,gh there are vast stores of goods
..t-..av manufactured. there is no de-
I'D because ths people out of work
- m money. and those who have
.gore are holding on 10 what they get
....spse IL NAV be their turn next.
THUS being unable to buy, the mer-
heats are unable to SELL and the
,sirnads lose the freight hauling
business they enjoyed while work and
wages we're good.
And now the Central is asking the
noor unskilled. unprotected tfor the
r7ost parU iaborer to be the goat.
Read his:
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD
COMPANY
Chicago March II. 1921.
All Employees Concerned:
~, pe,er,ber goth and February 2sth.
1921 the President appeals To all Officers and
.7rDloy.es urging them to assist In securing
- economy increasing efficiency and
s-;rging in new business because of the
ssay, decline in traffic. resulting from the
husipess depression.
IL wa. only through extraordinary
r,tion that the company at that time
80 II might continue 70 pay the present
~ scale Of wages without impairing the
sarcty Of the property and the character OF
our service 10 the public
The economies have not been sufficient tn
,rf.et the heavy decreases in revenue brought
sb,1t by the traffic slump. IL is impossible
~ rsdnce forces further and maintain the
nropertv as to give adequate service. The
sasscn is near at hand when the great bulk
~ The maintenance of our property must be
performed and the company will find IL nee
.s,ary to employ additional men. In order TO
perform this work Il will be necessary for the
Connauy 10 pay a wage more in keeping with
Tho decreased cost of living and rates paid in
other lines Of industry.
IN, United States Labor Board in Decision
No. . dated July Goth, 1920. fixed certain
rates NJ nay for laborers of railroads, which
in the opinion OF the board at that time con-
.,ituted a lust and reasonable wage. Since
July 2Oth 1920 conditions have materially
changed and the rates then established are no
longer Just and reasonable when. among
other relevant circumstances, there Is taken
into consideration the relation between wages
and the cost of living and the scale of wage
paid for similar kinds of work in other indus
tries.
The Illinois Central Railroad Company, the
Yaaoo Mississippi Valley Railroad and the
Chicago Memphis & Gulf Railroad Company
hereby propose to its employees OF the SOL
lowing classes
Class /: Track laborers and all common
aborers in the Maintenance of Way Depart
ment and in and around shops and round
houses including engine watchmen and wip-
ers fire builders, ash pit men, flue borers,
coal passeE and coal chute men, etc.
Class Freight handlers or truckers and
all common laborers in and around stations.
stcrehouses and warehouses, including JAM
tors and watchmen, that effective thirty days
from date Of this notice. April 18th
1921. a scale of wage shall be made
effective by agreement between the manage
ment and the employees of their representa-
tves prior TO that time to what are Just
and reasonable wages based on the present
cost of living and the scale of wages paid
for similar kinds of work in other industrie.
and other relevant circumstances. A scale of
wage with minimum of Zoe per hour now
appears 10 just and reasonable.
This is to advise that the management of
this railroad will meet any representatives of
the employees named in Glass | designated
and authorized TO confer at 10 80 on Monday,
March 2sth, 1921 and any representative OF
the employees named in Glass designated and
authorized to confer at 10 80 n, m. Tuesday
March 29th, 1921, in Room 70l Central Station
Chicago, Illinois. for the purpose of confering
in accordance with Section 301 of the Trans
portation Act
A. f. Cliff
General Manager.
Think of it! This great American
railroad company. which said Uncle
Sam hadn't enough brains to run
railroad, now declares it must reduce
wages to % cents an hour or bust,