The Connecticut labor news., 1922-06-09

Meetings of the shop crafts and other organized workers on the New Haven Road, who are affected by the recent reductions in wages an- nounced by the Railroad Labor Board vii be held tonight all over the sys- tenn and preparations made for taking the strike vote ordered by the gen. erA executive boards on Tuesday. While official orders to take the vote had not been received by the local boards up to press time today the officers have been advised by tele- gram that the orders are n prepara- tion and to be prepared to act imme- diately on receipt of the strike bal lots and general instructions. The vote must be taken and canvassed so as to have 1t filed with the general executive board by June 30 at the latest so that the united brotherhoods may be able to quit in unison on July I, if the roads go ahead with the wage cut.
 Officers of the unions on the New Haven system in statements to The Labor News last night declared that the sentiment of the workers all over the line IS one of determination to resist the wage cut by strike if neces- sary. The shop crafts are particular ly incensed over the cut, following the long layof given them by the road beginning last Christmas Eve, which the men are now beginning to look upon as lockout intended to starVe them out so that when the wage cut came along the men would be in such submissive and hungry mood that they would not resist. If that was the purpose of the Road 1t Is badly<fooled as the men, according to their officers, will not only object but enforce their objection by quit ting.
 Should the road endeavor to re- strain them by government or other interference on the claim that walk out would interfere witS interstate commerce the men are preparing to come back with the showdown of the long layof and show that If a four months shut down engineered by the road didn't interfere with public business, then a walkout by the men cannot interfer either.
 Railroad men everywehre are pre- pared to resist the wage cuts and those affected by the already an nounced scale will be supported by the other brotherhoods including the Big Four who are not yet affected, but expect they will be as soon as the roads get away with the present reductions. Meetings of the chiefs of all the railroad brotherhoods are now being held at Cincinnati and yester- day it was decided that an appeal should be made direct to President Hardnig to order a holdup of the re- duction plan until conferences before the Labor Board can be re-opened and protests filed A formal letter is bein gdrafted today by a special committee appointed by B. M. Jewell, head of the Railroad department of the A. F. of L., and will be forward ed to President Harding immediately.
 Nearly 400, ,ooo men are affected by the present wage cuts and approxi- mately $IIo,ooo,o ,ooo will be Topped off the payrolls of the workers if the reductions are allowed to go into ef- feet. The rates as established by the railroad board and to which the union representatives on the body bitterly objected but were overruled, range from 54 cents for mechanics helpers to 70 cents for skilled machinists and the like. Maintenance of way men and laborers are to be paid from B to B cents an hour These are classed as starvation wages and the fact will be impressed on President Harding
 The railroad situation will form one of the biggest questions before the Federation of Labor convention in Cincinnati next week and for that reason the headquarters of the rail road men will be continued in Gin cinnati during the convention so that the railroad leaders can be in con- stant touch with the A. F. of L. which will undoubtedly support the work CTS. The present situation may result in the big brotherhoods finally affili ating with the A. F. of L. a question that has long been in debate but which of late years has steadily been approaching conSumatiOn.