New-York tribune., 1922-05-29
BoardBegins Slashes With
Common Labor: Furth-
er Reductions Of 500.
100000 Are Coming
DroiI1erE,oo Face
Decrease in Wages
Pre-War Scale Expected
Before Economy Pro-
gram is Comple etc d
speoioi Dispotoh 70 TIC Tyi5gn.

SpfciCi DfSP0f IN 70 ! fsc ffiouHc
CHICAGO, May 28.-Wheels Of
industry, speeded az by the s4oo,-
100000 freight rate reduction Or
deHed by the Interstate Commerce
Commission last week, are expected
to Gain further momentum through
a decision Of the United States Rail
read Labor Beard, announced to
night. siashing nearly 55o,0oo.ooo
from the annual pay roll OF the coun
try's railways. effective J1Iy ].
The decision announced affects
approximately 100000 maintenance
of way employees and directs re-
duction of 132 per cert in the pre-
vailing pay.
Other Labor Board orders, now
pending. probably viii add at least J.
s1000O0,000 to TINS saving. Wage
reduction orders involving all other
classes of railway labor excepting
the train service and yard employees
will be issued in time TO become eff
fective July / also, it was said.
If predictions are fulfilled these
pay cuts. taken with the $Aoo, 100000
wage reductions of July, 1921, will
all but put the scale back to where
it was before the 5000, 5000 in
crease of May, 1920.
Wages Of maintenance Of way en-
pioyecs, now ranging from % 20 80
cents an hour, will after July / range
from 23 to 80 cents an hour.
Brcti,crhoods Come Next
Although. pending settlement Of
their working rules. the Big Four
brotherhoods and the Switchmen's
Union of North America are not yet
parties TO any dispute before the La
Dor Board, it is generally conceded to
be inevitable that they soon must face
a wage fight. Any ensuing reduction
would tip the scales in favor Of the
carriers, so far as the rates of pay IN
effect prior to the 5000 1000 900 increase
is concerned.
The impending decisions, which may
to the 900 railway shopmen and
about 100000 clerks, telegraphers.
station employees and other small
classes.
The latest decision OF the Labor
Board, of which Ben ". Hooper is
chairman, was concurred in by the
three public members and the three
railroad members of the board Append
ed was a dissenting opinion signed by
the three labor members-A o. Whar-
ton, Albert Phillips and ". L. McMini-
men. They objected on the ground
that the pay now prescribed does not
constitute the 'iust and reasonable"
wages guaranteed under the transpor-
tation act; that, in fact, it does not
represent Il living wage.
Affects Common Labor
The prevailing opinion, however. bas-
ing conclusions on Department OF La
Dor figures, contended that the pur-
chasing power of the wages now to be
given effect will be 445 per cent great
er than those Of December, 1917. These
conclusions are attacked in the dissent
ing opinion, which maintained the in
creased purchasing power is 15.9 per
cent.
The majority report, signed by Mr..
Hooper, points out that common la
Dor on railroads, even with. the com
ing decreases, will be receiving higher
pay than similar labor in most other
industries. 1t says in this connection:
"The board is Of the opinion that,
after the reductions made under this
decision, common labor on the roads
still will be receiving, as a rule, wage
in excess of that paid to similar labor
in other industries. and that the same
will be true Of all other classes Of la
Dor covered by the decision.
"The board is OF the opinion, how
ever, that the hazards and tie hard
ships OF the employment, training and
skill required, the degree OF RESPONSE
bility to the public and other elements
mentioned in the statute (transporta-
ton act of 1920, combine to Justify
payment of a better wage to these en-
ployees than is paid to similar labor in
outside employment"
Balanced against this statement is the
dissenting opinion, which reads in part,
The rates of pay established under
this decision are not based upon the
human NeeuS OF the NuisQTeQS OF tnOu-
sands of families involved. They are
insufficient to provide these families
with the absolute essentials"
Glasses referred to as common labor
and numbering about $4,000, are cut
cents an hour by the decision. Men
doing similar work around shops, round
houses, yards and terminals. numbering
about $1,000, face like reduction.
The 5-cent cut also applies to draw
bridge tenders and assistantyt pile driv-
ers, ditching and hosting engineers.
firemen and the like Section. track
and maintenance foremen and assistant
foremen will take a Scent reduction.
Mechanics in the maintenance of way
department not under the shop crafts
agreement were reduced four cents an
hour and mechanics helpers one cent
an hour.
The minimum rates. the decision ex-
pressly stipulated, are not to be given
uniform application throughout the
country, but only where local cond;-
tions seem to warrant them
At the Labor Board offices in the
T~c ,,%o