Paragould soliphone. (Paragould, Ark.) 1918-1950, 1921-06-03
ARE
GRANTED HUGE
CUT IN WAGES
Board Lops OFF $4,000
GOO A Year From The
Pay Rolls-Effective July
First.


100000 coo will be slashed from
the nations railway wage bill when
an order cutting wages an average
of 2 per cent, to be handed down
today by the United States Rail-
road Labor Board. becomes effective
July L. The order affects members
of 10 labor organizations employed
on 104 railroads. While the de-
crease is specifically applied only
to the roads whose cases have been
heard by the board, the decision says
it may later be applied to any
other roads asking a hearing under
transportation act.
Percentages OF reductions com
puted by members of the board gave
an average of IL per cent, and the
same source estimates the annual
reduction in wages at approximately
$500. 000, 600.
The decision grants reductions
varying from ) to 13 cents an hour.
or. from $ to Is per cent. and in the
case of section laborers wipes out
the increase granted that class of
employees by the $500. 100000 wage
award OF July 20. 1920. For sec
ton men the reduction is approx
mately is per cent, Switchmen
and shop crafts are given a nine
xxrhi ha t,.ni u,
service men are cut approximately
seven per cent: ear repairers about
10 per cent
Common labor pay. over which
the railroads have made their hard
est fight, is to be reduced six to
s 1-2 cents an hour. cutting freight
truckers average monthly wages to
1910 and truck laborers to $77.11.
The new schedule gives section men
an average daily wage OF $3.02 for
an eight-hour day, although cOnsid-
cradle testimony offered by the
roads, particularly in the South,
showed common labor wages as low
as $3.50 for IA l0hour day. Shop
crafts and train and engine service
service. are reduced eight cents
a nhour Construction and section
foremen are reduced 10 cents an
hour.
Passenger and freight engineers.
who were given increases of 10 and
13 cents an hour by the 1920 award
are to be cut six and eight cents an
hour respectively. Passenger and
freight conductors, who received in
creases of IL 1-2 and Is cents in
1929. are cut Z 1-2 and eight cents
respectively by the new schedule
Train dispatchers and yardmasters
whose monthly earnings at present
average $3.50 to $270, are cut
eight cents an hour.
The smallest reduction will apply
to office boys and other employees
under S. who will receive five cents
an hour less after July L.
Clerks are reclassified. so that
entering clerks. usually young men
and women of rs to 20 years Of
age will receive a monthly salary
of $3.50 for the first six months
and $3.50 for the second six
months of service. Clerks with
less than one years experience
now receive $120.
n1nnthlN Srha6 N la for f1Aot-
ing equipment employees on ferries
tugs and steam lighters gives cap
tains $500, engineers $3.50, firemen
and oilers $l40. On lighters and
to S150, engineers $140 to .$160.
and mates 500.
The attitude of the railway unions
toward the decreases ordered re-
mains to be determined. The hig
date.
brotherhoods are expected to meet
her July l to consider the boards
decision. which is Elective on that
Contending they We're hard hit
by the winter slump in business,
railroad arrangements have been
clamoring for several months for
lower wages, and the decision today
will mark the first relief granted
by the board since it set the ad-
yanced scale more than 10 months
ago.
The decision today will say that
since the 1920 wage award there
has been a decrease in the cost
Of living" and tho scale of wages
for similar kinds of work in other
industries has in general been de-
creased"
These two points were the chief
contentious of the railroads before
the board The board believes"
the decision says. that based on
the elements shown. the decreases
are justified and required"
Whatever may be said as to-
the origin of contributing causes,
there has been and is marked de-
preston in industries affecting the
entire country, and some lines OF
production most seriously the
board says. AS result heavy