The New York herald., 1922-05-29
Common LaDor Glasses.

cision. will be 44,5 per cent. over the
purchasing power of their wages In 1917.
Common LaDOr Classes.
Under the terms of the decision the
classes designated as common labor,
and estimated TO number some ls7,4sO
were cut five cents an hour. Labor OF
similar class employed around shops.
round houses, yards and terminals
numbering 91,249, also was cut fve
cents an hour Drawbridge tenders and
assistants, pile drivers, ditching and
hoisting engineers, firemen. &C., We're cut
five cents an hour. They number 2s,74s.
Section, track and maintenance foremen
and assistant foremen were cut three
cents an hour.
Among other slashes We're mechanics
in the maintenance of way department.
except those under the shop crafts
agreement. who were cut four cents an
hour Mechanics helpers In these same
departments. except those under the
Hhop crafts agreement. were cut one
cent an hour. 1t was emphasized. how
ever, that all OF these were minimum
rates and will not apply In uniform
manner throughout the country. but VIII
be affected by local conditions.
The decision was reached. II was said.
before the announcement OF the cut In
freight rates. but was neld up 10 permit
the completion OF the minority decision
SO that both could be issued simultane-
ously
Railroad labor organizations listed "a
parties to the dispute include. besides
the United Brotherhood of Maintenance
or Way Employees and Railway Shop
l.aberers, the Railway Employees De-
partment. American Federation of La
Dor; Maintenance OF Way Foremsn's
Association, International brotherhood
ofStationary Firemen and Oilers, Broth
erhood of Railway and Steamship
Clerks. Freight Handlers. Express and
Station Employees and the American
r deraton of Railroad Workers
was stated, however that prac-
tically all the men involved belonged TO
fne maintenance of way organization,
Of the other organizations only
1g certain groups affected and these
only few roads.
Cuts by Classes.
The classes of employees and the cut
authorized I'm each case follow;
Bridge. building. painter construction,
mason and concrete, water supply ana
plumber foremen, except certain water
supply and plumber foremen--eoming
under the provisions OF the cut authof-
hour.
Assistant bridge, building, painter
construction mason aHd concrete, water
supply and plumber foremen and for
ccal wharf, coal chute, and fence gang
foremen. pile driver, ditching and holsc
ing engineers and bridge inspectors ex-
cept assistant water supply and plumber
foremen coming under certain provisions
Of the cut OF last Juiy-decrease OF
b cents an hour.
Section, track and maintenance fore
men and assistant section, track and
maintenance foremen--decrease of Is
cents an hour.
Mechanics in the maintenance OF way
and bridge and building departments.
except those that come within the scope
OF agreements with the federated shop
crafts--decrease OF cents an hour.
Mechanics helpers In the maintenance
of way and bridge and building depart
ments except those that come within tie
scope OF agreements with the federated
shop crafts-decrease OF ! cent an hour
Track laborers and all common Ia
borers in the maintenance of way de,
partment and In and around shops and
roundhouses not otherwise provided for
decrease OF 8 cents an hour.
Drawbridge tenders and assistants,
pile drivers. ditching and hosting fire
men, pumper engineers and bumpers,
crossing watchmen or fiagmen and lamp
lighters and tenders decrease of five
cents an hour.
Iahorers employed in and around
shops and roundhouses, such as engine
watehmen and wlpers. fire builders. ash
pit men, flue borers, coal passers, except
those coming under certain provisions
of the decrease OF last July. and coal
chute men--decrease OF five cents an
hour
For miscellaneous classes of foremen
and other employees not specifically
listed, IL is provided that an amount be
deducted equal to the decrease specified
for the respective classes to which the
miscellaneous classes referred to are
analogous.
Dissenting Opinion.
The dissenting opinion was sigTed by
the three labor members of the board.
A. C. wharton, Albert Phillips and w.
j. McMenmen. The opinion gives ex-
tended tables and testimony on which
the labor group bases its decision that
the wage cut is not justified.
"rhe rates Of pay established under
/ this decision" the dissenting opinion
said. will merely perpetuate the low
level OF purchasing power possessed by
this large class OF workers in pre-war
years.
'"The rates OF pay established under
this decision will mean annual earnings
far below any minimum standard of sub
sistence which hae been formulated. even
below those OF most conservative en-
ployer groups"
These rates. the opinion declared. "are
not based upon the human needs OF the
hundreds Of thousands OF families in