Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1922-05-29
ABOUT 100000
MAINTENANCE Of
WAY employees
HIT BY RULING
Readjustment Of Wages Has
Been Made in Accordance
With Decrease in the Cost
of Living.
FIVE CENTS PER HOUR
WILL BE AVERAGE CUT
New Schedule Will Become
Effective on July |; La
Dor Group Members File
Dissenting Report.

Chicago, May % (by the
Associated Press. - More
than S48,O00,000 was slash
ed from the wages of 4OO,-I
900 railway employees in a
decision by the United States
railroad labor board tonight.
The decrease, which aver
aged five cents an hour in
the majority of cases, fol-
lowed cuts of $400,000,0 900
made last July By the boatd.
Today's decision, however,
affected mostly maintenance
of way workers, although
decisions are pending affect
ing other classifications.
II the wage cuts made in the
latest decision are extended to
other decisions expected soon. ii
was pointed out IN railway circles,
that much of the 100000, 900 in
crease given by the board in 1920
would be wiped out and wages re-
stored to level which railway
officials had told the board would
lead to a new era, OF development
and open the way to the employ
ment OF 100000 men.
Labor Group Dissents.
,acicion traa Sippp1 hU the
three railway members of the
board and the three members rep
. resenting the public. A dissenting
opinion was filed by the three
members representing the labor
group The majority opinion said
that the wage cuts, effective on
July /, were made in accordance
with decreases in the cost of liv-
ing. The minority opinion con-
tended that the wage scale pro
vided in the decision was insuffi-
cient to sustain life on the basis OF
American standards.
Differentials continued
All of the former differentiais
we're continued in the present
decision, it being stated that the
wages of this class OF employees
have not been standardized and
made uniform throughout the
country and will not be made 81
under the decision. The wages OF
track laborers at present rates
range from 2S to 40 cents pei
hour. Under the decision they will
range from 23 to So cents pei
hour.
The decision asserted that un-
dor the new scale, common labor
on the roads still will be receiving
a. rate higher than that paid SIM
liar labor in most other indus
tries.
In a. statistical table based or
the figures on wages and the cos'
Of living by the department OF
labor. which is incorporated IN
the decision, the board declared
that while the cost of living II
March. 1921, Clast available gov
ernment figures) was approxim
ateIv 17.2 per cent more than tha
or December, 1917, the hourly
rate of pay for maintenance o
wav employees under tho presen
decision will be 69.4 per cent abov'
the hourly rate of December, Isi1
and the purchasing power or TN
wages of employees, affected by thu
present decision, will be 44.5 mor'
than the purchasing power OF thei
wages in 1917.
Other Wages Slashcd
Among other wages slashe'
we're those of mechanics in thu
maintenance OF way except thos
under the. snop crafts agreemen
who were cut four cents pc
hour. Mechanics helpers in thes
same department, except thos
under tho shop crafts agreement
were cut one cent per hour. ]
was emphasized, however. that al
OF these were minimum rates an
would not apply in uniform man
ner throughout the country, bu
would be affected by local con
ditions.
Labor men, while they were re
luctant to be quoted until they ha
full time to study the decision
pointed out that while 1t apple
TO the largest class of railroad EN-
Continued on Page Two.