, 1921-12-01

they are qualified to perform. The
new rules thus allow train operatives
to perform repair work even though
1t Is ordinarily considered shop me
chanic's work.
Boilermakcrs' helpers undo the
new rules are given the job OF re-
moving and replacing crates. Under
h national agreement AL CRATE rig
ging work wins assigned TO Journey
men bailermakers.
The classification of the work OF
The sheet metal workers. electrical
workers and carmen has been
changed to allow some OF the work
previously performed by them exclu-
sfvely TO be done by their helpers and
to mechanics In other crafts. where
h needs OF the service require 1t.
Under the national agreement carmen
were exclusively assigned to wreck
ing crews. Under the new rules
wrecising crews exclusive OF egineers,
will be composed OF carmen where
sufficient men are available but when
needed. men OF any class may be
taken as additional members OF wreck
Ing crews.
al ILLAIk
carmen is that which allows common
lnborers to dismantIe wooden freight
cars hereafter. Under the national
agreement. only qualified carpenters
were allowed TO do this work. About
IS per cent of the country's freight
carr are quilt Of wood. The new rule
will permit employees getting s3.e5 to
S. a day to do work previously re
quired TO be done by carmen receiv-
Ing 1854 n day.
An entirely new rule promulgated
by the board. for the first time.
creates a new type of apprentice to
be known as special apprentice"
Previously there has BEEN only two
kinds OF apprentices in the skilled
shop crafts, regular and helpers APP
prentices. Regular apprentices are
youths entering the service between
| the ages OF. 16 and 81 years and serv-
ing four years. apprenticeship. and
helper apprentices are those appren.
tices selected from the ranks or the
helpers. Special apprentices are to be
selected from young men between the
ages of is and 26. who have had a
technical school education. and they
will be required to serve only three
years apprenticeship before becoming
journeymen mechanics.x
Rules which required certain stand
ards of force and equipment to be
maintained for doing certain kinds of
work have been modified and some
discontinued. thus eliminating the ex.
pense OF maintaining unnecessary
men on the rolls. Other rules have
been changed to allow the use of
forces assigned to particular classes
OF work on other work. when there Ia
no work of their particular class to
be performed.
Many OF the rules are highly tech
meal in character. Much time was
spent on the rules regarding electrical
railroads, which at present apply only
to n few roads like the Pennsylvania
and New York Central. but which viii
become of increasing Importance as
the classification of the steam lines
proceeds.
The six shop crafts employees in
volved are the carmen. sheet metal
workers.. machinists. blacksn.iths.
boilermakers and electrical workers.
They were represented at the rules
hearings by h following organiza-
tons: Brotherhood. Railway Carmen
OF America. international Alliance of
Amnlgamated Sheet Metal Workers,
international Association OF Machin-
lists. International Brotherhood of
Blacksmiths. Drop Forgers and Help
ers. international brotherhood of
B~oilermakers. Iron Ship Builders and
Helpers of America. and the Interna-
tional Brotherhood of Electrical
Workers. An these are AFFILIATED with
the American Federation Of Labor
and are enrolled in the railway en-.
p,oyes. department OF that orsaniza-
ton.
The national agreement. suppiant-
ed today by the new rules. was en-
tered into with the employees by the
United States Railroad Administra-
ton September 20, 1910. From the
frst It was strongly criticised by tho
railroad arrangements and others be-
cause they contended II imposed. UNI
economic methods Of operation on
tho railroads. limited the discretion
and control OF the management and
greatly increased the cost of opera
tion- The railroads also complained
that they had no voice in making the
national gureement which they de-
clared WINS wished on them by the
railroad administration. The m
ployes have maintained that G very
large part OF the national agreement
had been put into effect on various
railroads, prior to federal control, by