Evening journal., 1921-08-20
HOLIDAY PAY
ON RAIL PAID
Rules of National Agree
ment Approved Except
For Sunday Overtime
DISSENTING REPORT
ALSO PRESENTED

CHICAGO, Aug. 20.-Presenting q
dividend opinion for the hrst time
since its formation a year and half
ago. the United States Railroad
Labor Board, in a majority deci-
sion. has cut the overtime pay OF
certain classes Of shop craft work
ers. while a labor member dissenting
declared the majority opinion docs
not appear either just or reason
able"
The dissenting opinion was by A.
d. Wharton, former president OF
the railway employees department
American Federation of Labor
which with the six federated shops
crafts was involved in the dispute
Two labor members Joined the
majority in signing the decision.
Those concurrlng were Judge r
M. Barton, chairman; G. w. Han
ger, and Ben w. Hooper, represent
ing the public; Albert Phillips and
Walter L. McMenimen, for the
unions, and Horace Baker, j. II
Elliott and Samuel Higgins, railroad
representatives.
The dissenting opinion was a sur
prise, for the boards rule has been
to thresh out disputed points, issu-
ing the majority decision unani-
mously.
Seven rules affecting the overtime
pay of the shop employees on 1S7
roads are involved in today's de-
cision. The roads appealed for
-
ment rules, entered into during war
time railroad administration, and
the majority modified certain ones.
Among the changes the majority
ruled that:
Employees regularly called for Sun
day and holiday work and perform
ing tasks absolutely necessary for
continuous operation Of the roads
shall not receive time and half, but
only pay on the same basis as fol-
weekdays. No work not absolutely
necessary is to be performed on Sun
days.
Employees at the completion o.
eight hours work may be required
to work two hours overtime befor,
being released for meals instead OF
one hour, as now provided.
Employees called for work and no
working. or called for work and
working two hours and forty min.
utes or less will be paid for -four
hours overtime, instead of five
hours under existing rules.
Employees called one hour or les.
before their regular time will bs
paid time apd one-half for the over
time, instead of the present five
hours allowance.
Men called away from home will
not be allowed overtime for houri
spent sleeping, provided they re
ceive at least five hours relief out o
every twenty-four.
Employees regularly assigned t
perform road work. and paid on ;
monthly basis, will compute thei
salaries on the basis Of 243 hour
month, instead Of the present 26.
hours, with no overtime allowed fo
hours worked in excess of eight pc
day, and no time deducted for les
than eight hours work, unless tn,
employe lays off Of his own accord
It was this last rule to which MI
Wharton took particular exception II
his minority report. He presentei
figures TO show it would reduce roa'
employees Approximately SIS montl
and give them an average month";
salary 50 below that paid for tn
same class of work on May 1, 1915
At that time they were gettin
S1S9 a month. Mr.. Wharton sail
on April 80, 1920. the board raise
them to s223.5O. and on June 80 {
this year reduced them to S2O2.5l
Today's decision, he said, means
further reduction to S1S7.