Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1921-01-11

| apiy -iup0tT tuS elilCient anu ecVitothi-
cal operation of the properties, of
which responsibility the managements
cannot civest themselves, and which
responsibility is specifically placed
upon them by the provisions of the
Transportation Act. 1920, in the fol-
lowing language:
The Commission - shall give
| due consideration among other things
| to the transportation needs of the
| country and the necessity tunder
| honest, efficient and economical man
agement of the existing transporta-
| ton facilitiesl of charging such ia
eilities in order to provide the people
! of the United States with adequate
| transportation
| THE responsibility upon the indivi-
dual properties, and the variable con-
| ditions which are encountered in the
different sections of country so
| large as the United States, we hold,
| makes impracticable the universal
application of the provisions of the
so-called National Agreements We
| hold also that many of the rules are
so worded that they are capable of
various constructions and have re-
| suited in so-called interpretations
which are in fact new rules; others
| are impractical of application with
| out mourning excessive penalties.
| Experience in trying to work I'M
| der the rules has demonstrated that
they have resulted in extraordinary
numerous questions from both the
! employees and the arrangements.
This in itself, makes the rules par
ticularly Objectionable. We respect
fully ask therefore, that this Board
leave the individual roads free to
negotiate their own schedules, so as
best to meet justly the widely vary
ing conditions on the different roads.
We hold that this principle is recog-
| niZed in Section 301 of the Transpor-
tation Act itself, which provides that
the railroads and their employees
shall negotiate directly with each
other to the fullest extent before re-
! ferring questions at issue to other
tribunals.
THE so-called National Agree
ments' covering the shop crafts pro-
vides that the rules contained there
i'll apply to all employees of any par
partment in which employed. Under
these conditions portions of; gangs
are necessarily governed by one set
of rules and other portions of the
same gangs by another which is OBJ
viously wholly wrong in principle and
practice. Employees of each depart
ment should be separate and distinct
from the employees of any other de-
partment. and should be governed
entirely by the rules or schedules of
the department in Which they are
employed. There should be no divi-
sion of Jurisdiction.
1T is true that certain mechanical
work is required in the maintenance
OF way department. Nearly all of it
is road work performed under en-
trely different conditions than pre-
vail in shops and shop rules are not
applicable. The employees who per-
form this work must be trdined. su-
pervised' and promoted by the Off
Gals of the department in which
they are employed, in order to secure
that efficiency, economy and dispatch
! whlch is essential to good manage
ment and the proper discharge by
the railroads. of their duties us com
mon carriers. Rules agreed upon by
the individual railroads with their
employees can be so constructed as
to give employees who are members
OF me same craft, but employed in
dlfferent departments, all of the pro-
lection to which they are justly en-
| titled.
those roads. represented by this
committee, which have been working
on the eight-hour day basis, will con-
tlnue to do so unless changed by NUT
ual agreement with their EMPLOYEES
but they must have the right to re-es-
tablish more efficient and economical
practices. when it is found desira BILE
and practicable to do so. We refer.
among other things, to piece work
methods which were abolished. This
action has cost many millions of dol
| lars to the roads which had for years
successfully produced much of their
output by piece work methods
THE excess cost, which is really a
loss to railroads, is piling up day after
day, and will continue to do so as long
as the railroads are prevel.. ed from re-
establishing the piece work basis and
until the railroads are free to re-estab-
lish such former practices they will not
be able to comply wholly with the re-
quirements of the transportation act.
BY this method the output of the shop
is increased. and the workmen on ac-
count of their inability and skill are
afforded opportunity for receiving in
creased compensation over and above
what they would receive working on
the day basis.
THE piece work method is well rec
ognized as being the most efficient
method of operation and proof OF this
is the large number of manufacturing
plants throughout the United States
| which are working on piece, work
basis and further proof that many men
desire piece work, is that, when this
method of pay was abolished, a great
many employees left the railroad shops
and entered the service of car building
and other manufacturing plants where
the piece work system of pay was in
effect