New-York tribune., 1921-05-18
Common Labor on 100
Lines Affected; Amount
of Reductions Will Be
Made Public ON June /
Rest of Workers
May Come Later
New Hearings VIII Begin
June 8; RecIassifyillg
of Employees Ordered
specinI pianntch 70 AK Trtbnne

Special Dispatch to The Tribune
CHICAGO, May 17.-An announce
ment issued by the United States
Railroad Labor Board to-day fore
cast reduction of the wages Of
common labor on the American rail-
roads. The decision was reached
after one days consideration of the
case.
The board announced that deci-
sion on the wage question effective
July 1 will be handed down on June
for all railroads whose wage dis
putes were presented to the board
prior to April 18. These cover ap-
proximately 100 roads, including the
larger trunk lines, in the country.
About 100000 employees will be
affected by this revision.
AS a forerunner to this decision
the board announced new and com
plete occupational classification of all
railroad labor to be used as basia
foI the settlement of future disputes.
The new classification has been filed
with the Interstate Commerce Com
mission to be effective from April 1S.
Hearings Of disputes filed since that
date or ones that may be fled be-
tween now and June l will begin Oh
June 6. These hearings viii con
Germ employees other than common
laborers, so that if the board decides
to revise their wages also, virtually
all of the 100000 railroad en-
| pioyees of the country will be at
fected by the two orders.
The boards announcement of its
attitude toward wage reduction
was unexpected.
The railroads closed their case on
May z, but it was not until Monday,
after B. NJ. Jewell, president of the
railway employees department of the
American Federation of Labor, had pre-
sented final arguments for the en-
ployees, that the board began formal
consideration of the case.
Text of Announcement
The announcement follows:
Whereas, Under date of April s,
1921, the United States Railroad Labor
Board adopted resolution which re-
cited among other things that, in the
judgment of the board, it is desirable
to hear at one time and decide in one
decision, so far as may be possible, the
question as to what may constitute just
and reasonable wages for all classes of
employees of carriers, parties to de-
cision No. 2, as to whose wages there
may be disputes; and
Whereas, The board has now lreard
the evidence and arguments of 10th
parties to all such disputes which were
filed and docketed prior to April Is,
1921, lut SINCE So id date a large num-
Der Of applications for decision on
similar disputes have been filed, and
there are reasonable grounds to believe
that still other such applications are
about to be filed; and
Whereas. the Railroad Labor Board
has this day. by formal resolution. de-
clared that, in its Judgment. based on
the evidence before it in the disnutcs
already heard, prevailing conditions
Justify to some extent, yet to be Gq4
termlned. readjustment downward OK
the employees of the carriers which
are parties to the disputes already
heard by the Labor Board;
Therefore, Be it resolved,
"(1) That this board will on Jnnc
!. 1921, announce its decision, covering
the disputes as to wages between carl
r1ers and their employees which hava
heretofore been heard by the board. To
become effective July /. 1921.
20 That Monday, June 6, 1921. be
set as the date when this board will
hear the representatives of the parties
to disputes filed since April 1S. 1871
or which may yet be filed and docketel
PRIOR to June 6, it being the nurnoea
of the Railroad Labor Board to maxi
It's decision of the disputes heard June
., 1871. effective July /. 1921"
win sinplify Ratings
Under the new classification TO ba
| used as basis for future wage cpts
or or otherwise modifying the $500 00c-
voo anhuai increase IN wages granted
last July, each group and grade nf
e. pioyees is given a standardized na,n.
enclature which Is expected tS simnlifv
the work of both the Labor Board and
the Interstate Commerce Commission
Lack OF uniform classification has
| been the cause of bitter clashes in the
past. Recently executives of tha Perc
Marquette Railroad charged change in
Iitie Oh Tour of their empioyees-al
though there was no change in duties.
cost them over $4,000 in back paw.
The use of standardized nomencla-
| cure, based on duties," the board stat
| ed, will also enable the board to make
comparisons with similar occupations
outside of the railroad service and TO
detect and measure inequalities iii
wages between positions in the rail-
roads and outside organizations. With
! this establishment foundation is laid
/ for securing comparative information
Such information will obviste the me-
cessity for special explanations being
made concerning the precise nature Of
the data which are required, and viii