Evening journal., 1921-11-01
Rail WAGE-CUT
NOTICESOO
Announcement Expected to
Be Made by Carriers
Within 3 Weeks
ISSUES ARE
NOT SETTLED

NEW YORK. Nov. The first
proposals for further reductions IN
the pay OF all classes Of railroad en-
ployes will be announced within the
next week. il was learned here yes
terday. Although many manage
ments have not decided upon the ex-
act time for their announcements.
the preparation OF data necessary TO
drawing up new wage schedule Is so
near completion that II is safe 10 say
notification to employees OF the pro-
posed cuts win become general with
In the next two or three weeks.
In keeping with the decision taken
by the member roads Of the Associa-
ton OF Railway Executives in Chi
cago. October IA. the carriers will
ask their men to submit to pay re-
visions which will wipe out the re-
mainder OF the 22 per cent increase
awarded by the United States Rail-
road Labor Board in the summer OF
1920. Substantially - per cent OF
that increase was eliminated by or
der OF the board on July /, and after
having been in effect almost four
months precipitated the recent threat
OF walkout by train service en-
ployes.
This means that the new wage
proposals OF the managers win carry
10 per cent decrease for engineers.
firemen, conductors, trainmen and
switchmen and that others workers.
including such classes as shopmen.
machinists. boiler1nakers, sheet
metal workers. repairmen. telegraph
ers. clerks. station employees. main
tenance OF way men and common
laborers, will be cut to the going
wage rates now paid for those work
ers In non-transportation industries.
Eastern railroad officials admitted
yesterday that the walk-out OF train
service men was averted without set
tlement OF its genuine issues. In
/ brief, these issues revolve around the
effort OF the railway managers to get
out from under the wartime wage
scales and away from the uniform,
standardized working agreements
which have carried over from the
period OF Government operation
From the outset. their position has
been that the lower transportation
costs deemed necessary by shippers
OF many classes cannot be granted
without a corresponding revision oi
railway operating costs.
Thus, even during the strike crisis
railroad arrangements we're pressing
on with their preparation OF new
wage schedules. The approaching
notifications to employees will beai
the usual thirty notice and vii
be followed by conferences between
the managers and representatives o
their employees. in an attempt q
agree upon the size OF the cuts. A
provided in the transportation act
resulting disputes will be certified q
the Labor Board for decision.
when that stage OF the procedur
is reached. railway officials here be
lieve the Labor Board will be unwill
ing TO disregard the necessity 10
lower railroad wages and rates an
TO assume the responsibility 10
keeping up tram portation costs
while the liquidation OF wages Il
other Industries outstrips the car
D riers in the return to normal bust
ness conditions.
Even with the July 1 wage cut 4
effect II is pointed out by officials O
roads in the Eastern territory, com
mon laborers are being paid an aver
age Of 40 cents an hour by the car
0 riers, compared with 25 cents and
cents an hour as the going rate 70
& unskilled workers in other indus
tries. Similarly, the railroads ar
now compelled TO pay machinists a
average Of n cents an hour, or /
cents higher than that paid by non
transportation concerns.