The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-09-03
RAIL BOARD BUSY
Reach Decision on Extra Time
Pay for Shop Men.
Grant Punitive OYertime-Drop
Sunday Time and Half.

Item by item, the United States rail-
way labor board is going thru the long
/ list of clauses which constitute the
national agreement" adopted during
the wartime control of the railroads,
and is reShaping them to fit current
needs. Within a month or so, possibly
less, the board will have completed its
task, and the result will be an entirely
new set of working rules and regula-
lions for the railroad men of the
United States. The task, of course,
| is tremendous one. 1t involves the
taking of evidence from both the
roads and their employees, the con-
sideration of the clauses from every
angle, and, finally the decision.
The two high lights of the current
decision are the granting of punitive
overtime to shop crafts employees and
the elimination of time and a half for
Sunday work. The next controversial
point to which the board will turn it's
work. A consideration of this is ex
pected as soon as the board recon-
venes after its present two weeks
recess.
In its decision to eliminate over
time on Sunday, the board said: 1T
| is not just to penalize the carrier for
that which it cannot escape" 1t was
stated that other classes of workers do
not get punitive overtime for Sunday,
and it was but fair that the shop
crafts likewise be treated impartially.
Another paragraph of the decision
which officials consider rather signifi-
cant is one which virtually vindicates
| the carriers in their long fight against
the national agreements. In discuss
| ing this the board said:
/ Carriers Complaint Just
The labor board does not deem it
necessary to enter further into a de-
| tailed discussion of said rules mere
| q Or11T n 31-ie bxy 7Iaio
! the rules adopted by the board and
| the corresponding rules embraced in
the national agreements, which were
proposed by the employees for readop-
ton by this board, is sufficient, the
| board believes, to convince that the
notifications are just and reasonable
and that the complaint made by the
/ carriers that the national agreem ent
rules were burdensome, unreasonable
and unjust were we'll grounded"
The decision of the labor board, in
l-brief, on each of the seven rules in
! the national agreements which apply
to the shop crafts in this decision, is
as follows:
Rule eliminates punitive overtime
| on Sundays and legal holidays for all
| employees whose work on those days is
necessary to the continuous operation
/ of the railroad.
Rule Z permits employees to be re-
! quiredI to work two hours overtime
| without going to meals; reduces from
| five to four hours the minimum with
pay, for services rendered by an en-
| ploye called or required to report for
| work, and also enables such employees
to be used on. other emergency work.
| 1t also allows employees to be called
| for extra work one hour in advance
OF the start fof the regular working
| period.
Rule 9 gives employees pay for work
\ required to be done during the lunch
period, such. pay for the regular dura-
5it1on of the lunch period instead of
i being for one hour, as under the ma
4 tionaI agreement.
Rule 10 gives employees only straight
! time for all time spent in waiting or
travelling when sent away from home
| station.
Rule IL applies to employees sent to
fill vacancies away from home sta
tons, the same provision as Rule 10
| in other words, it eliminates the pos
| sibility of time and a half compensa-
ton for time spent in travelling or
waiting.
Rule IA prevents employees regularly
assigned to road work collecting more
than straight time for any time spent
/ in travelling or waiting.
Rule is prevents employees regularly
assigned to road work and paid on the
monthly basis from collecting punitive
overtime on Sunday and holidays and
thereby reduces the annual compensa-
ton to the basis of 2,920 hours, instead
of the basis of 3,156 hours. 1t also
permits regularly assigned road men
to perform shop work at their home
stations, which was prohibited under
the national agreement