Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1922-03-07
ROADSASK FOR
NEW CUTS IN
WORKERS PAY
From 4 to q Cents an
HOur-S10 TO S14
a Month.
PLEA is SWEEPING
Virtually All Except
Men i'm Train Serv-
ice Included.

CHICAGO, March Railroads of
the country today requested the
United States railway labor board
again to slash wages of their en-
ployes.
Cut ranging from to q cents an
hour for employees on an hourly basis
and from $1,000 to s14.2S a month
for those on monthly pay basis
were asked Of the board.
Practically all railway employees,
except those in train service, ace af-
fected.
Two hundred and five railroads and
twenty-five unions are involved in the
wage hearing before the board. Some
of the roads, in the hands OF receivers,
have asked for separate hearings.
a few Unions are seeking wage in
creases for the employees. The shop
crafts. It is understood, will make such
a plea
THE railroads are not asking for low
level Of pre-war wages" said John W.
Higgins, executive secretary Of the Asso-
citation Of Western Railways. who made
the opening presentation Of the roads,
fling an immense amount Of tabulated
evidence
For track and common laborers, IN
skilled work, the railroads asked that
they ne authorized to pay the prevailing
rates for such labor In the locality Of
employment.
Mr.. Higgins presented voluminous data
wac nj
formly higher than those paid in similar
Industries, factor which the transporta-
ton act requires as a bisis Of cOlsidera-
ton OF a wage scale.
INDUSTRIAL
SURVEY.
The survey prepared by the roads COW
cred 1927 industries in twenty eight
Western States. OF the BIS S93 employees
OF all classes in comparable industries.
2I7-See or 7T73 per cent, were getting
lower wages in December, 1921, than the
railroads were paying for similar service.
The investigation disclosed, according
10 the railroads figures, that in Arkansas.
Arizona. Kentucky. Michigan. Mississippi
and Tennessee more than 80 per cent Of
other industries are paid less than rail
road wages. In Ill'p"is 50 to 90 per cent
OF the employees are being paid less than
the railroad scale Several Western States
show less than 30 Pc cent of the en-
pIoyes at less than wages paid railroad
men.
THE railroads rish to be fair on this
wage question" said SIT. Higgins; but !
do not believe that the Transportation
Act intended a far rate Of wages to pre-
vail throughout The country. Outside in
dustries do not now ray 4 fat rate.
THE wages I have read into the record
show that for the most classes the rail
roads propose 30 per cent to 100 per cent
higher than those paid in 1915. and from
80 TO 40 per cent higher than the level Of
1917. We are not asking for the low
level OF pre-war wages"
SAYS RAILROADS
PAY HIGH RATE.
The railroads, Mr. Higgins commended,
are being obliged to pay higher rates
than in outside industries for similar
work and, therefore, are under a great
disability which subjects them to
criticism"
1.-THE board should not compel the
roads to continue this disability, pay
ing higher artificial scale in some COM
munities," he declared. 1T places the
carriers in the embarrassing position of
fixing rates for manufacturers and the
public. The roads are being forced to
defend a condition for which they are
not responsible and with which they are
not IN sympathy"
The present controversy before the
board may require considerable time
Mr.. Higgins is representing the West
ern roads, John G. Weber the Eastern,
and W. A. Northcott, the Southeastern.
The cases will be held in the following
order:
Shop crafts, maintenance OF way, clerks,
signalmen, dispatchers, firemen and
oilers and teIegraphers.