Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1921-12-19

locomotive repair work, track q
The action in each case was brought
by employees organizations, whose
members formerly did the work now
being done by outside firms under con-
tract. In most cases, the wages paid
by the contracting firms are less than
those specified for railway employees
a situation which, the unions contend,
mt once throws their men out Of work
and removes wage and working regu-
lations from the jurisdiction OF the
labor board.
What is regarded as typical test
case is that of the Federated Shop
Crafts against the Erie railroad,
which has leased its repair work on
cars and locomotives at Hornell, n. T.,
to the Hornell Construction compony
The shop unions contend that wages
have been arbitrarily reduced by the
construction company below the scale
set by the labor board.
Against Great Western.
The shop crafts have also brought
action against the Chicago Great
Western railroad over the contracting
of car repair work ~ South Park,
MINI. The road has notified the shop
unions that unless they would agree
70 establishment of piece WORK sys-
tenn of pay. it would be necessary TO
Mace the repair work under con-
tractual basis. Such action was not
permissible under the natlonai agree
ment, by which the carrier was bound
until the recent new shop rules were
promulgated by the board, according
TO the employees contention. The road,
however. declares it is fully within It's
right and says the question cannot pc
made a subject of dispute under the
transportation act.
Nearly year ago, the lndlana
Harbor Belt railway contracted with
the Burnham Car company 70 take
over and operate its repair tracks, tne
railroad company retaining the car IN
snectors under their supervision. The
shop crafts unions now bring oo3ec,,
tion because wages were reduced and
some of the work placed on piece
work basis. The unions also claim
that II men were dismissed as re-
suit of the contract.
On Gulf Coast.
Coach cleaning on the Gulf GoasI
lines at Brownsville, Tex, was placed
on contract basis April l, 1921, to
which the unions bring objection
They claim that the workers employed
by the contracting company are WORK
ing 10 to IA hours for $1.50, less than
half or the wage IIAcu Loi Ao'Aioeu
employees by the labor board.
Several cases will also be heard on
actions brought by the United Broth
erhood of Maintenance Of Way EN-
ployes and Railroad Shop Laborers, in
yolyine the Colorado & Southern, the
Indiana Harbor Belt railway, the st.
Louis-San Francisco railroad. and the
Chicago, Milwaukee & st. Paul.
bumpers at six pumping stations nave
4. l,Y
tion agents. who have taken over the
work at $12 and S15 month The
union claims that this action was in
violation of the national agreement.
The. st. Louis-San Francisco case
also involves bumpers.
Fifty track laborers of the Indiana
Harbor Belt were laid off and the
work turned over to a Chicago con-
tracing firm. according to the speci-
fications of another case. The con-
tracing firm pays the men 3S cents
an hour, the employees say, about 10
cents less than the rate at which the
railroad hired it's men.
Over One EmpIoye.
The St. Paul dispute developed over
single employe at Montgomery.
Mimi, who had worked as coal
passer at 4S cents an hour, and who
was displaced by man who contract
ed for the work at S10JO year. The
union asks that the former employc
be reinstated and paid for all time
lost.
Two cases have been brought by the
American Federation of Railroad
workers and the international Broth
erbood Of Eiremen and Oilers, the
first over Contracting of track labor
on the Pittsburgh &. Lake Erie at Con-
nelsyille. Pa, and the other involving
the contracting of unloading coal at
coal shutes on the Great Northern
railroad.
Characterizing the cases regarding
contract work as the most important
10 the employees. the integrity of the
labor board and the public, that have !
ever been submitted for a decision, !
Frank p. Walsh, counsel for the shop
crafts organizations in statement |
Sunday night said that if the railroads
we're successful in their contention it |
will mean the destruction of the rail-
road labor board.
Charges Conspiracy.
1.-THE railroads are in nation wide
conspiracy to avoid the provisions of |
the transportation act SO far as it |
safeguards the rights of the railway
employees and the public by pretending |
that they are contracting and leasing |
out to sub-contractors and padrones