The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1922-05-24
THE CASE OF THE ENGINEERS.

The T. Railway Board now in session Chicago
giving hearings spokesmen of the roads and the labor oganza
determine whether the application of the carriers for fur
ther reductions should be granted The public is va
interested in this matter in more ways than one and is there
fore important understand both sides OF the question is
the contention of the roads that the demand for reduction of
cannot he met unless their labor bill correpondnpy cut Par
cuar is being laid upon the necessity for lowering the
of the highly paid employees To meet the arguments
OF the roads the representatives of the railroad broherhood
presenting facts and figures support of their contention that the
present scale cannot be reduced without injustice the
poyes and dment transportation system In order to
give readers idea of the argument from the point OF
view of the employees quote from bulletin issued by the
Brotherhood Of Locomotive Engineers, follows:
n order determine whether the engineers eceiv
than their share income have taken the auhora
tive figures recently compiled by the u Railroad
Labor Board the data collected by the Interstate Commerce Com
mission and the rule for determining Just and reasonable wage
laid down the Transportation Act passed by in 1920
and still in force According the carefully compiled figures
the Railroad Labor Board the average daily earnings OF engineers
follows:
Through freight engineers ---------------------z zO5
Local /41
"The Labor Board the that these are average
daily earnings and include overtime well regular pay They
engineer since July l. 1921 when Decision No l of Labor
Board imposed "a percent cut totang $SS2645 annm
on engine % service employees In the same report there is also
dcates that them do work full time In fact the high
est average stated but $lS593 month which ape down
$96 for yard and local engineers As matter of fact
engineers receiving less than this because the prevalent
industrial depression has deprived them OF steady employment
the point where they receive but few days week
with income of under 500 per month This is
than the dollar hour standard compensation paid skilled
practically all of the well organized trades. is
than the u Bureau of Labor Statistics claims that the average
American family have to maintain decent standard Of
living!
I'VE believe that it is fair ask the question: What are
locomotive engineers worth socety The Transporta
ton Act lays down rules by which Just reasonable
wage shall be determined by the United States Railroad Labor
Board In brief, they
H. Wages paid for similar work in other industries
y Relation between wages and cost of living.
"3 Hazards of employment.
a. Training and skill required.
IS Degree of responsibility
o Character and regularity Of employment.
~ Inequalities of present wages treatment the result of
previous wage adjustments
obviously, there similar work in other industries with
which the labor OF locomotive engineer be compared nor
should skilled worker be held down subsistence
based the bare of living What then the hazards
the Skill and the responsibility exacted of engineers? We doubt
the public realizes the risks daily by engnenan
active service According to the mortality tables based upon
years OF actuarial experience by the Brotherhood of Locomotive
Engineers Insurance Department. the average duration of life Of
railroad engineer but IL years and days No engineer
when he steps the engine cab whether through fault of
his his life will be snued before the run The
safety appliances which railroad employees have secured only after
prolonged struggle reduce but they eliminate the risks
incurred by engine service employees"
The official