The Crittenden press. [volume] (Marion, Ky.) 1919-current, 1921-02-11
LABOR RULES COST
ROADS MILLIONS
Public Directly interested In
Effort 10 Stop Drain on
Carriers Income.
BIG SUMS FOR WORK NOT DONE
Railways Asking Labor Bosrd -
Abfossis wsstsfvl Agreements
hsds Under Federal Control.

railway employees themselves. are ~
recgly Interested with the railroads iu
cutting down railway operating ~
penses
This IL the keynote Of the case pre-
sentsd BY the railroads ~ the United
State, Railroad Labor Hoard nov 10
session 10 chicago
The railroads have submitted eyi.
dencs 20 the board 20 show Why the
National Agreements affecting railway
shop labor should b. ahrugnted. be.
lleylng that THE 10 q vitality Important
step In the process u reducing %.
Grating expenses
This step Il not only necessary 20
insure adequate earning power 90 tho
railroads but gill make possible an
ultimate reduction 10 futrs
The agreements we're made by me-
Railroad Administration Just before
the end % Federal control TIE sum
total % the rules and working cuui.'
lions provided by he National Agree
ments have Increased ths operating
expenses Of ne railroads by hundreds
~ millions. and have decreased the
efHcisncy sni output ~ the employees
IN other WAYS resulting iu 'ussss
which cannot be calculated ln dollars
and cents
For several weeks ne railroads
have been multiplying instances % ths
ahsurd and eItusaEant results ~ ne
labor rules fastened upon them hy The
National Agreements
IN one case cited before ne board .
machinisi Was paid 1914 hours wages
for work an performed within right
hours This case illustrated ths effect
o. the rule that Tor each "mi' the
worker IL 70 b. paid hve hours wages
even n 10 works only Ten minutes
The case o. car rcpaircr 0n ths
yirglnlan Railway. Nho vas recently
paid over 5000 Cor services which
we're never rendered. ani iu addition
the same amount Of overtime us va
made By bis Esng as another exam
pie
10 connection vith ihs rule that
none but mechanics or apprentices
shall 90 mechanics vort. ths foIios
Ing vas cited " indicate e. Unfair
ness
Five HevrT Pay ior 20 slny,ss wsrs
The ~ Paso A Southwestern Rail-
Rad recently bad 40 engine 81 1ui ~
Douglas and shout the time Dc uas
ready o. a. 70 its train o. developed
that window Hight vas brnkrn In no
cab u vas necessary f1f ihr foreman
20 call q carpenter Co a. ths uofk that
he could have performed hlm..lf ln q
Few minute. The train vas delayed
one hour snd ~ minutes. and che en-
ployes called % 40 The uofk uas paid
Eve hours Cor Wofs fsquir.ns $40 m'n
utes-
The lnsricisncy created ln infex'h's
application % he rules contained 10
the agreements IN question was Illus
traisd ln the folioeing SEXUAL rsse
which recently occurred un fhe Uafi
more a ohio Railroad
An engine VS. PLACED in ne
thops ~ certain vpaiw Because
o. the provisions ~ he National
Agreement. u VAS necessary that
members % nfs crafts perform
parts % this wofk formerly. The
entire operation Vas performed By
the members ~ bat two crafts
1850 900 fsf wors Net Psr'ormss
How the railroads ~ ths country
we're compelled 10 psy almost sg 'iu.
90 IN the hrst sit mouths NJ 1881 Or
service not rendered because 10 ths
ELECTS % bat one % he ~ rules In.
cluded IN the shop Crafts National
Agreement AS shown .n ihe tsal.
mnny
This punitive payment fot WORK nev.
81 psrisrmed VS. fegulrci by q clause
In the National Agreement which pro.
,iies that vhcn employees are ~.
CURED 10 CHECK 10 aud out GOO the.t
ovn time they vil be- paid one hour
srtrs 81 the CLOSE ~ each week
The ugld classlhcat'ous uf labor
Shsn taken IN connection with fhs
rule that requires that msu must
isys four PEARS experience before h-
nd employed 70 perform ans ~ ths
Fork listed IN them. result in rai.ns
'stss spplicabls ~ men Who sfe SUP
iosri 20 be fully qualified fur uula
sh.ch doet Dot require mrH ~ four
ears experience
10 illustrate hou ne iuf-tHHr.s
= mauy " thr rules Huu enfHrrf I'D.
rate 90 muiCi ths railroads uf nfes
ums flf fcrtIers which u fhe ab
sncs ~ these rules could b. uhia,n.i
1f relatively uuiefaie sums evidence
les lait before the labor Board show
ng that three men who were rm
loved 81 q small pumping Stallion Ia
iichigan. performing unskiilpi work
.ould. when CLASSIFIED under me rules
eceiye 90 excess ~ pas amounting
b more than the value ~ aII ihs wa.
,r pumped and current generated ~
bic station
The Chicago testimony contains No. {,
rails hundreds ~ Instance. such ~
,sse. all supporting the contention -
be railroads thst the labor rule. 700
" which thsy have been forced 10 .
ors are such ~ 10 prevent ihe ahun
b. efficient and ecuuomi,ui mnuars
ant HafnanI.N n a.. l...s :