Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1922-06-08
RAILROAD UNIONS
TAKE STRIKE VOTE
AFTER WAGE Slice
Workers VIII Overwhelming
Iy Favor .WaIkout by Elev-
on Brotherhoods in 0pin-
ion of Leaders.

CINCINNATI, Ohio, June THE
strike vote ordered by executives OF
eleven railroad unions affected by
$109 100000 wage cut wiz - over
whelmingly in favor of strike z
the opinion of labor leaders assem-
bled here
Though the iead6rs declined to
make any public forecast of the out
come of the strike poll, privately
they forecast tFeugyndous resent.
ment against the v~age cuts ordered
by the United Sta&Ss labor board in
a strong demand CDR a strike.
CHICAGO, JunH 6.-By the Asso-
ciated Press. pOvSr the strong pro.
test Of the three labor representa-
tives on the United States railroad
labor board, a new wage cut Of
cents and over for railway Shop me.
chanics and nine cents for freight
carmen cutting 100000 shopnnen APP
proximately $6O,0o0,000 year was
ordered by the board today.
The new wage reduction brought
an estimated added saving of $780,.
669,347 annually to the railroads,
following on the heels Of a $50 ,000,-
900 cut in the wages Of maintenance
of way laborers last week. The shop
crafts decision becomes effective
July I, the same date as last weeks
! order.
The minority report Of the labor
members pointedly stated that the
majority decision was made with
no consideration Of human needs"
and charges that it fails to carry out
the function of the board to set q
"just and reasonable" wage.
"The tendency Of this decision In
to vindicate the propaganda Of the
railroads and consequently condemn
such statements as the employees
have been able to bring to public
attention" the minority opinion said.
ID was sigg3d by Albert o. Whar-
ton, w. l.. McMeninen and Albert
Phillips, the three Sskss- representa-
tives. ,A l,sti
Supervisory forces of the railway
shops were not decreased. Aft&
due, consideration, the decision said
it was felt that the duties and ree
sponsibilities of such forces waA
ranted maintenance Of the presena
rates.
Mechanics Reduction
. The reduction for the mechaniO
averaged little more than pes
cent, all machinists,f boilermakere,
blacksmiths, sheet metal workers.
electrical workers. carmen Except
freight carmen), moulders, oupoia
4 tenders are coremakers and the reg
ular and helper apprentices receiving
a cut of seven cents an hour. Freighk
carmen, commonly known as "caIc
Knockers" and the object OF soma
of the heaviest assaults by the road%
| in their battle for lower wages, weExt
| cut nine cents. 80.
| The larger cut was ordered for the
"car knockers" because the board
said it believed that their work did
not require the same skilled service
as other branches of Garments work.
This heavier reduction for the freight
carmen came under especially severe
criticism in the minority report, the
labor members declaring there was
no Justification for discrimination in
| car work.
| Car cleaners, vino now receive an
| average Of 1918 q day, were cut five
cents an hour, or forty cents a day.
The mechanics, whose daily rate
now averages from $6.11 for electri.
'cal workers 10 1928 for blacksmiths.
will lose fifty-six cents a day un.
der the new decision, bringing their
daily wage to approximately $50.
The boards latest decision, which
is to be followed shortly by reduc-
tons for railway clerks, telegraph.
pliers and all other classes Of railway
employees except the train service
men, was brief and offered no ex.
PLANTATION of how the new rates were
arrived at.
This omission brought more fire
from the dissenters, who declared
the majority decision did not consid.
er human needs" ignored the pleas
Of the employees for a living wagep
and made mo attempt to show that
mechanics are not entitled to such
a standard"
The decision affecting telegra-
pliers, the next class Of employees to
be dealt with in a wage ruling, will
not be available for some time, and
Undoubtedly will not be issued in
time to become effective July 1, the
date the maintenance Of way and
shop craft decisions take effect.
The reason for this, it was ex-
planned, is that the chief questions
in the telegraphers' case is not how
much money shall be paid, but how
inequalities of pay on different roads
shall be settled.
The decision. however, contained
numerous tables prepared by the
boards statistical department, de-
signed to show that, although wages
were reduced, they had not been re.
duced more than the reduction in
the cost Of living, and that the pur-
chasing power Of the present day
was higher than the purchasing
power of the higher wages paid dur.
ing the years since 1917.
1t also said that the board believed
that, even with the ordered decrease,
shop employees would be receiving a
wage greater than the average wage
paid for similar work in other indus
| tries.
Citing machinists and car men.
the decision said that, the purchas-
ing power of the former under tho
new wages would be 1873 per cent
greater than in 1917, and the latter
would be able to buy 45.7 more with
the new pay than with the 1917 rate.
The decision declared it believed
the wages fixed to be just and rea-
sonable.