The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1922-05-29
Decision Which Will Affect 4O0,-
900 Workers Was Made by
u. S. Railroad Labor
Board.
LEADS TO EMPLOYMENT
OF 100000 MORE MEN
Labor Group Said Scale Provid-
ed Was insufficient to Sus-
tain Life on Amer
lean Standards.
az Th. A..eolatso &C.,

CHICAGO, May G6~~M0fe thah @os-
100000 was slashed from the wages OF
100000 railway employees in decision
by the United states Railroad Labor
Board tonight
The decreases which averaged five
cents per hour III the majority Of cases,
followed cuts Of s4o.oOooOo made last
July by the board Today's decision
however affect mostly maintenance or
way workers although decisions are
pending affeetins other classifications,
II the wage cuts made IN the latest
decision are extended to other decisions
expected soon. it was pointed out in rail-
way circles much Of the s6Oo.oOoooo in
crease given by the board in 1920 win be
wped out and wages restored to a level
which railroad officials have told the
board viii lead to new era Of devel-
opment and open the way to the em-
rioyment of 200 900 men.
The decision was signed by the three
railway members Of the board and the
three members representing the public
a dissenting opinion was filed by the
l three members representing the labor
group The majority opinion said that
the wage cuts. effective on July T. were
made in accordance with decreases in
the cost OF living. The minority opinion
contended that the wage scale provided
ia the decision was insufficient to sus-
tain life on the basis Of American stan
dards.
Under the terms Of the decision the
classes designated as common labor
and estimated to number some 1S7 400
were cut five cents an hour. Labor OF
a similar class employed around shops,
round houses. yards and terminals,
numbering 91.249 also was cut five cents
an hour Drawbridge tenders and as
slstants. plledrivers ditchlng and hoist
ing engineers. ffremen, etc, were cut five
cents an hour They number 29749.
Section. track and maintenance foremen
and assistant foremen We're cut three
cents an hour.
Among other slashes were mechanics
in the maintenance Of way departments
except those under the shop crafts agree
fnent. who were cut four cents an hour
Mechanics helpers in these departments
except those under the shop crafts
agreement were cut one cent an hour. II
was emphasized, however. that al Of
these We're minimum rates and win
mot apply in a uniform manner through
out tho country but viii be affected by
local cor ditions
The decision was reached. It was said
before the announcement Of the cut IN
freight rates. but was held up TO permit
tho completion OF the minority decision
so that both could be issued simulta-
neously.
The dissenting opinion was signed BY
tho labor members OF the board. a. Q.
wharton, Albert Phillips and w. L. Me-
AlaHImen The opinion gives extended
tables and testimony on which the labor
group bases its decision that the wage
cut is not justified.
"The rates OF pay established under
this decision" win mean annual earnings
said. win merely, operate the low level
of -fSrchaslng power possessed BY this |
larre class or workers IN pre-war years. =
'The rates Of pay established under
this decision" the dessenting opinion
continued win mean annual earnings
far below any minimum standard OF sub
slstence which has been formulated. even
below those Of most conservative em-
rioyer groups"
These rates, the opinion declared. care
the hundreds Of thousands of farailies
involved They are insufficient 70 pro-
vide these families with the absolute es-
sentials."
The pre-war standard Of wages per-
petuated by the decision. the labor group
said was the product OF ineduitable
wage bargains The dissenting opinion /
also gave figures IN an effort To show
the statistical study Of comparative pur-
chasing value for labors for the class af- |
fected ia December 1919. and az present
to be unfair and misleading
The decision was expected to usher IN
q long delayed era Of expansion for The
carriers as they were said to have been |
deferring needed maintenance work for
q long time because Of the high cost Of /
labor The number of mea now employed |
under prosperous traffic conditions, II |
WAS the contentious 81 the roads IN the /
wage hearlngs. that The wage reduction I
taey asked would reduce unemployment.