Evening star., 1921-05-18
RAILROAD DPAY CUTS
!. HIT ALL CLASSES
Boards Ruling Now Expect
ed to Reach Far Beyond
p UnSkiIIed Workers.
By the Associated Press

BY the Associated Press.
CHICAGO. May 1S.-A general re-
duction of wages for unskilled rail.
road employees. effective July /. which
was forecast by the Railroad Labor
Board in an announcement last night
will be made the basis of reductions
extending to all classes of railroad
employees. it was understood today
Although only the Chicago Great
Western, the Chicago and Alton and
few other carriers have requested
that the wage reductions be extended
to all classes. provision was made by
the board in its announcement for the
ming of other petitions up TO June g.
and 1t was believed others of the $50
class A roads would amend their ap-
pilcatlonS to include shop, train Scrv-
ice and other classes of employees. The
new applications filed up to June 6.
the boards announcement sal i'd would
be decided to take effect also on
July !.
Order of Further Decisions.
a decision on Jun. |. it WAS an
nounced. would cover applications
flied prior to Apr.l II. and those filed
since will he decided June D. all to
take effect July /.
IN the country filed their disputes III
time to have them docketed before
April Is, but only a few requested
that the wage decreases apply TO all
classes.
No intimation was given in the
boards announcement as to the prob
able extent of the cut. Last July the
board increased wages of uaSkilled
labor and some other classes 20 per
cent. making II retroactive to May l..
1920.
Delay In Track Work Seen.
'The general effect of the decision
Will be to retard track work" said s.
NJ FELTON,, president of the Chicago
Great Western. Railroad executives
said track maintenance and repair
crews had been kept at skeleto IN
strength, hoping for wage cut ef-
fcctive April /. disappointment was
expressed that the cut was to be de-
layed until July 1, as by that time. il
was said. the heaviest part of track
rehabilitation work is generally COM
pleted.
The decision last July affected ap-
proXima tely 2.N0o 400 men and grant :
ed increases totaling nearly $500, 600 :
"no Il year The average raise then
was 20 per cent. The normal num-
her of unskiiled employees on class a
roads. railroad executives said was
100000. but in anticipation of a wage
cut the number of maintenance en-
ployes has been kept considerably be-
low that figure.
Full Text Of Announcement.
The text of the boards announce
ment follows:
Whereas. under date of April S,
1927, the United States Railroad La
Dor Board adopted a resolution which
recifed. among other things. that in
the Judgment of the board i, is de-
e,rable to hear at one time and de-
eide in one decision. so far as may
be possible. tht question as to what
may constit ate Just and reasonable
wages for all classes of employees OF
carriers parties to decision No. - as
TO whose wages there may be dis
putes: and
Whereas the board has now heard
the evidence and arguments of both
parties to all such disputes which
were filed and docketed prior to April
is. 1921. bu, since said date large
number of applications for decision
on similar disputes have been filed
and there are reasonable grounds to
believe that still other such applica-
tions are about TO be filed; and
Board has this day, by formal resoIu-
non. declared that. in its judgment.
based upon the evidence before it
in the disputes already heard. pre-
vailing conditions justify TO some ex-
tent. yet to be determined. read
jusimcnt downward Of the wages Of
the employees of the carriers, which
are parties 10 the disputes already
heard by the labor board: Therefore,
be il resolved:
Il. That this board will on June
]. 1921. announce its decision. cover
ing the disputes as to wages between
carriers and their employees, which
have been heretofore heard by the
board. TO become effective July /.
1921.
"a. That Monday. June s. 1921. be
set as the date when this board will
hear the representatives of the
parties 20 disputes filed since April
Is. 1921. or which may yet be flied
ing the purpose of the Railroad La
Dor Board to make its decision of
the disputes heard June s. 1921, ef-
fective July !. 1921"
New Classification Plan.
The Railroad Labor Board has an
nounced new and comprehensive
cIassitcat ion of railroad labor TO be
used as the basis for the collection
of data for the settlement of dis
putes that may come before the
hoard in the future The new ciassi-
fication. The board announced. has
heen filed with the Interstate Com
me-ce Commission and became eff
teciive April Is.
Under the classification, the posi-
fions on steam railroads are grouped
IN seventeen mai JOr services. sub
divided into lIe groups. and with n the
groups are distinctive class tit.rs and
separate grades
The occupational ella ssification' e
The board said. is not considered by
the board. nor should il be considered
by the railroads or other Interested
PARTIES setting up jurisdictional
lines for occupations limiting
The kind Of work which employees
may perform. or the duties which
they may assume.
The submission of wage statistics
and other Information for hnmogene-
Gus groups Of positions Will give the
Interstate Commerce Comm lssion and
the United States Railroad La Dor
Board uniform. definite and usabl.
data Th" us" of standardized no
menclaturr "as.d on duties vii! also
enable the board to make comparisons
with similar occupations outsid" of
the railroad servir" and to detect and
measure inequalities in wages be
tween positions IN IN. railroads and
outside organize tons
CALLS RULING ENCOURAGING.