Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1921-12-19

n Chicago, Dec. 1S-The right of
railway companies to contract work
to firms or individuals removed
from the jurisdiction Of the United
States railroad labor board will
came up for federal investigation
when disputes on nine railroads are
heard before the board tomorrow
The controversies involve car and
locomotive repair work, track and
common labor jobs.
The action in each case was
brought by employees organizations,
whose members formerly did the
work now being done by outside
firms under contract. In most
cases, the wages paid by the con-
tracing firms are less than those
specified for railway employees, a
situation which, the unions contend
at once throws their men out of
work and removes wage and work
ing regulations from the jurisdic-
ton of the labor board.
Typical Test Case.
What is regarded as typical test
case is that of the Federated Shop
Crafts against the Erie railroad,
which has leased its repair work
on cars and locomotives at Hornell
N. ", to the Hornell Construction
company. The shop unions contend
that wages have been arbitrarily
reduced by the construction COM
pany below the scale set by the
labor board.
The shop crafts have also brought
action against the Chicago Great
Western railroad over the con-
tracing of car repair work at South
Park, MINI. The road has mott
fled the shop unions that unless
they would agree to establishment
of piece work system of pay, it
would be necessary to place the re-
pair work under contractual
basis. Such action was not permits
sable under the national agreement,
by which the carrier was bound
until the recent new shop rules
were promulgated by the board, ac-
cording to the employees conten-
ton. The road, however, declares
it is fully within its right and says
the question cannot be made sub
ject of dispute under the trans
portation act.
Nearly q year ago, the Indiana
Harbor Belt railway contracted
with the Burnham Car company to
take over and operate its repair
tracks, the railroad company re-
tanning the car inspectors under
their supervision. The shop crafts
unions now bring objection be-
cause wages were reduced and
some of the work placed on a piece
work basis. The unions also claim
that seventeen men were dismissed
as result of the contract.
Coach Cleaning.
Coach cleaning on the Gulf Coast
lines at Brownsville, Texas, was
placed on a contract basis April 1,
1921, to which the unions bring OBJ
lection. They claim that the
workers employed by the contract
ing company are working ten to
fourteen hours for $3.50, less than
half of the wage fixed for railroad
employees by the labor board.
Several cases will also be heard
On actions brought by the United
Brotherhood of Maintenance of
Way employees and Railroad Shop
laborers, involving the Colorado
and Southern, the Indiana Harbor
Belt railway, the st. Louis-San
Francisco railroad, and the Chicago,
Milwaukee and st. Paul. bumpers
at six pumping stations have been
displaced by section men or station
agents, who have taken over the
work at $12 and SIS a month. The
union claims that this action was
in violation Of the national agree
ment. The st. Louis-San Francisco
case also involves bumpers.
Fifty track laborers of the Indi-
ana Harbor Belt were laid off and
the work turned over to a Chicago
contracting firm, according to the
specifications of another case. The
contracting firm pays the men SO
cents an hour, the employees say,
about ten cents less than the rate
at which the railroad hired its
men.
The st. Paul dispute developed
over single employe at Montgom-
cry, Mimi, who had worked as
coal passer at 4S cents an hour,
and who was displaced by man
who contracted for the work at
$1,000 a year, Tho union asks that
the former employee be reinstated
and paid for all time lost.