New-York tribune., 1921-03-17
,Jer sey Central
Men Deny Pay
Cut Agreement
Final Conference Set for
March "a, When Workers
VIII Give Their Answer.
Uninn Leaders Declare
Labor Board Plea Hinted
n. Y. e. Petition for Reduc-
ton To Be in the Hands
of u. 5. Mediators Soon

Repolts that the 500 workers on the
New YORK. and Long Branch division
of the >ssw Jersey Central Railroad
had acce p'.ed proposed wage cut of
about IS >per cent were emphatically
denied yes terday by representatives Of
the employees.
Leslie Il Her, of the United Brother
hood OF Maintenance of Way En-
rloyees ;nid Railroad Shop Laborers,
declared ar was present at the confer
ence on Tuesday between the en-
ployees ss-d officials of the line and
that no ssg reement whatever had been
reached The proposed wage rcduc-
ton, ran,r ng from 10 to = cents an
hour, he s aid, was submitted by Lee
" Berry. head of the road. The
workers &c cided 70 withhold their an
swer pending the decision of the main
body Of TIL employees on the Jersey
Central. ! final conference was ar
ranged fo- March "a, when the men
arc to give their answer.
SoliG Opposition Claimed
Both NH Ter and Anthony ]. Snajr
the district leader for the brotherhood.
asserted tiAat the employees all along
the line have so far shown q solid
front agairs any proposed wage reduc-
tions at thts time and believe thev will
be able to convince the United States
Railroad Board, to whom the question
IS to be referred, that the proposed
cuts are U 7 justifable.
Interest IN the situation. generally
eentered W sterday in the appeal which
the New York Central Railroad is to
make to tn, Labor Board for authori-
zstion To duce the wages of it's $4,000
unskilled and semi-skilled laborers.
The worke - had formally rejected the
proposed c Is at Il conference with the
railroad -. Ids OF Tuesday. The com
panys peti tlon is expected to be in
the hands q the board by the end OF
this week or the first part OF next
week
The ae-i'' on. st is understood, will
Set for'a "a at the road has exhausted
every effort 10 reach an agreemen. with
the workers and. because Of their re-
fusal n Join lng the railroad III request
ing az adj j stment OF wages, the road
is compeles TO make an ex parte ap-
peal. In 3rr the circumstances the
company mot plead inability TO pay
as one of the reasons for the desired
wage cuts. but can plead prevailing
lowes rates in other lines OF industry
for the san class of labor.
The worl ie rs viii submit their reply
to the boa n soon after the railroad
ac,s. The <, " York Central case prob
ably VIII be the first of the wage ques-
tons To COZ = before the board, and IS
being locke d upon as d test by both
sides. Jnd. i no circum stances can the
railroads pl nc a new wage schedule IN
effect befor dacNion Of the matter
by tne Fedels body. This was definite
ly decided i'll the case of the Erie Rail
road. whose attempt 10 place reduc
ton n effect al once was prohibited by
the labor bp ard. The procedure may
take about L rec months
Ma r me Workers Pay
Following the recent announcement
o. nropos.d d reduction in the pay of
the four thousand marine workers en-
ployed on iioating craft of the rail
roads cnter = z this harbor Jersey Cen
trail Rairo I'd officials yesterday met
repreSeutati YES of it's marine en-
ployees on the question. According to
!. - Fairb5 rks, secretary Of the Geu-
eaal Manag, is Association OF the rail
Dad the znen were told that the
P rpose of the meeting was to en-
oesvor So grrivc at d mutual under
standing wh ereby matters Of wage re
edjus'ment might be settled be
tween rhe ompanv and It's employees
directly vii 1out reference TO the Labor
Board
The railroad proposed that the men
accept the rate of pay prevailing on
April 90. IT,. el-in effect, looping off the
last increa e granted by the Labor
37ard. The road represented that six
ncrcases I'd been given the marine
workers sin, . December 1915, and that
these irero; 1ses on April 80, 1920. to-
tailed l02.0I per cent. The wage re
ductioa sgg fcsted, il was held by the
railroad hea ds would bring the men to
schedule IN parity with wages paid
NY indepenC mt boat owners and indus
'ral concern for work requiring equal
skill and ao ity
Tho mon took the proposition under
AMUSEMENT and are TO meet the Off
Gals Of the railroad again o-day, when
they VIII q 'ye their final reply. From
previous eNn ressions Of Thomas Healey,
~2A4k ~>A 4