Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1921-03-03
A., B. & A. RECEIVER
REDUCES WAGES Of
UNSK|LLED LABOR
Colonel Bugg Declares Dis
patch From Fitzgerald En-
roneouS--Men Call Mass
Meeting for Wednesday

The first indication of the extent
of the reduction in wages paid I'M
skilled laborers on the Atlanta, Bir-
mingham and Atlantic railroad, un-
der the order of Judge Samuel II.
Sibley, of the federal court, came on
Wednesday in dispatches from Fitz-
gerald, Ga, where the A, B. & A.
shops are located, and where most
of the unskilled labor is employed.
The reductions announced in these
dispatches were incorrect, however,
according to Colonel B. l.. Bugg, re-
ceiver for the road, who quoted fig
ures showing the wages now being
paid to unshilled laborers in that
territory.
According to the Fitzgerald dis
patches section hands have been GU
from $3.50 per day to $I.1O; baggage
handlers from $3.50 per day to $1.1O
call boys from $40 per day to $1.4O
The section hands and baggage han
dIers are negroes. while the call boys
are whites.
Colonel Bugg, denying the accuracy
of these figures, declared that the
following scale for rnskilled labor
is now being paid in the Fitzgerald
territory:
Section Hands-Old scale, $2,92 pei
day; new scale, $50 per day; scale
in 1917, 81 per day
Baggage Handlers - Old scale
1876 per month; new scale, $6S.2t
per month; 1917 scale, $3S.75 pei
month.
Call Boys-Old scale, $138.75 pei
month; new scale, $S9.2S per month
1917 scale, $40 per month.
Employees Mass Meeting
Under the terms of Judge Sibley''
order authorizing the wage reduction
the road may pay such wages tt
common or unskilled labor as are de
manded by the conditions in the re
spective communities where such la
Dor is employed.
The Fitzgerald dispatches also an
nounced that mass meeting of the
white employees of the A, B. & A
was scheduled for 2:30 o'clock Wed
nesday afternoon. although the pur
pose of the meeting had not beer
publicly indicated. About 400 white
employees of the road are located a
Fitzgerald.
Telegraphic information received
during the day indicated that large
number of the negro section hand:
working between Waycross and SEES
sions, had quit work in protes
against the wage cut. No announce
ment of this Walk-out had been re
ceived at the offices of the road II
the Transportation building, 1t was
said.
representatives of the thirteen
brotherhoOds whose members are at
scheduled to occur shortly after
noon Wednesday at the Terminal no.
tel, where the unions have esta6 b,
lished temporary headquarters. Al
phases of the situation were to be
considered at this gathering, will
the probability that some decision
would be reached as to the next ster
to be taken by the employees in the
wage controversy.
Bugg that the employees viii con-
tinue at work under protest" de-
spite the wage reduction of approxi
mately % per cent ordered by Judge
Sibley. the prospect of a strike WIS
considered negligible according tC
views expressed Wednesday by Of
ficers of the road and leaders of tho
union organizations whose members
are affected by the wage cut.
At a conference held Tuesday aft
ernoon between the receiver and thir-
teen brotherhood representatives the
latter indicated that the employees
would accept the wage reduction for
the present, at least, although it was
made plain that the unions are not
by any means complacent.