Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1921-07-27
800 ADDITIONAL men
FORpENNA. R. R. SHOPS
Will be Employed August I on
Piece Work Basis; Shop Men
to Consider Offer.

tendent OF the Southern Grand Divt-
| sion OF the Pennsylvania railroad, am
nounced this morning that 300 adj
ditional men will be employed in the
| Wilmington shops beginning August l.,
provided they accept the piece work
ba sis Of pay. The majority of the
present employees have voted to accept
the new system of payment. He de-
MED that any threats had been made
to close the shops and transfer all
work To the Altoona shops in the
event of a refusal. Whether a re-
fusaI on the part of the men would
have any effect on causing cess-
ton of activities in the local shops
Mr.. Latrobe said Is still an open
question.
Mr.. Iatrobe asserted the proposed
piece work rate basis will serve to
Increase the earning of the shop en-
ployes. He denied that there had been
any attempts to coerce the men on
their vote for or against the piece
work basis and declared that any
were absolutely false. He said that
the mems vote was the expression of
their own free will.
MIR. Latrobe was asked IL in the
event the men refuse the piece work
basis would conditions continue at the
shops as they are at the present time
and he replied that Mt least for the
present they would. but he was unable
TO state what the future might de-
velope.
The railroad shop men will have
mass meeting in the basement of Odd
Fellows Hall. Tenth and King streets.
next Friday night beginning at 7.3o
o'clock. The announcement of the
meeting sets forth that NO man es-
pecially IL coming under the head Of
the six shop crafts, can afford 10 fail
in attending this meeting"
A. ]. Berger, of Harrisburg, Pa.
general chairman of carmen. II. j..
McWalters. of Harrison, n. r., presi-
dent OF District No. 40. and others
will address tho meeting. Its pur-
pose Is TO inform the men OF condi-
tions generally, including efforts,
such. as that being made here, to
change the system of pay.
The labor men claim that an hourly
rate based on twentr-siS graded work
ella ssifications, ranging from so to
30 cents. which is included in the
piece-work plan, would also serve
to lower wages, that the average rate
would be about SIS cents, nine cents
less than the present minimum rate.
These rates would be effective on
operations where piece-rates are inn
practical.
Mr.. Batrobe issued the following
statement today:
In accordance with Decision No.
l41 of the United States Railroad La
Dor Board il was provided that work
ing agreements to suppiant the Ma
tionaI Agreements in effect during the
War should be negotiated between the
various classes or groups of employees
and the Railroad Arrangements. In ac-
cordence with this decision. the Penn
sylvania railroad has been negotiating
such agreements with its employees
and under date of July -, 1921 an
agreement was reached between the
Management OF this railroad and rep
resvntativcs of the various shop crafts
covering employees in the shops and
at enginehouses and will be made ef-
fective as of August i. 1921.
Prior to the war. the piece work
system for payment for work per-
formed in shops and enginehouses COW
ering repairs and maintenance Of To-
comotives and cars was in effect gem
orally in the shops of the Pennsyl-
vania Railroad Company but during
the War this system was discontinued
under the Railroad Administration.
With a view of returning TO the piece
work system TO vote was taken Mon
day and Tuesday of this week of the
employees at Wilmington shops to de-
termine whether the employees desired
to return to the piece work system
and as result of this poll, majority |
Of the employees voted TO return to thel
piece work system and the Management
has agreed to do so effective as of |
1st at Wilmington shops.
The management has further an
that effective on August l or
as soon thereafter as the necessary /
can be made. 800 addi-
tlonal men will be returned to the
service. this force to be engaged on
locomotive repairs or the piece work
aasis."