Norwich bulletin., 1922-05-29

most Of the other organizations only hay-
ing certain groups affected, and these on
only few roads.
Glasses Of Employees Cut.
The classes of employees and the cut
authorized in each case follows:
Bridge. building, painter, construction,
mason and concrete, water supply and
plumber foremen, except certain water
supply and plumber forennen coming un-
der. the provisions of the cut authorized
last July-decrease OF FIVE cents an hour.
Assistant bridge, building, painter con-
struction mason and concrete. water
supply and plumber foremen, and for coal
wharf coal chute and fence gang fore
men, pile driver ditching and hosting
engineers and bridge inspectors, except
assistant water supply and plumber fore
men coming under certain provisions Of
the cut of last ast-July--decrease of five
cents an hour.
Section. track and maintenance fore
men, and assistant section, track and
maintenance foremen-decrease Of three
cents an hour.
Mechanics in the maintenance of way
and bridge and building departments. ex-
cept those that come within the scope of
| agreements with the federated shop crafts
| --QeCTe4S6
Mechanics helpers in the maintenance
of way and bridge and building depart
ments, except those that come within the
scope of agreements with the federated
shop crafts-decrease Of one cent an
hour,
| Track laborers and ali common labor
/ ers in the maintenance Of way depart
ment and in and around shops and round
houses not otherwise provided for--de.
crease Of five cerHi an hour
Drawbridge ten0ers and assistants piie
| driver. ditch!ng and hoistine fremen
pumper engineers and bumpers. crossing
watchmen OF fagmen. and lamp lighters
! and .tenders-decrease OF Ave cents al
hour.
Lsborers employed IN and around shop
and roundhouses. such as engine watch
men and wipers, IRE builders, ash pi
men, hue borers coal passers, excep
those coming under certain provisions o
the decrease Of last July, and coal chut
nnen-decrease of hve cents an hour.
For miscellaneous classes Of foremeI
and. other employees not specifically listet
II Is provided that an amount be deductei
equal to the decrease specified for the re
spectfve classes to which the nisceilane
Gus classes referred to are analogous.
Dissenting Opinion.
The dissenting opinion was signed b
the three labor members Of the board
A. c. Wharton Albert Phillips and w 1
McAfenimen. The opinion gives extende
tables and testimony on which the labo
group bases its decision that the wag
cut is not justified.
THE rates OF pay established unde
this decision" the dissenting opinion salt
will merely perpetuate the low level {
purchasing mower possessed by this laTg
/ class Of workers in pre-war years an
! will mean ANIMAL earnings far below an
minimum standard Of subsistence whie
has been formulated, even below thos
| OF most conservative employer groups
The decision was expected 10 usher
| a long delayed era of expansion for til
! carriers. as they were said to have bee
, ! deferring needed maintenance work for
long time because of the high cost
! labor. The number of men now employe
, in this work has been estimated at abol
| 100000 below the number employed VI
I der prosperous traffic conditions. 1t va
I the contention Of the roads in the wae
hearings that the wage reductions the
asked would reduce Unemployment.
Labor men. while they are reluctant
be quoted until they had full time
study the opinion. pointed out that viii
] H. eb9i4E0 " Allt CldSS Ol IdlNlDd
employees, the total Of the maintenani
{ men being more than 20 per cent Of Ii
. whole. the amount of wages pad to tn
, group, which usually ranks as "unskillet
labor, was smaller in the total than th
; paid any Of the other great groups who
wages are also to be passed upon by Il
board.
: II today's decisic2 It was said, we
8 applied to all employees, the general lev
5 Of railroad wages would have declined
d the level in effect before the $500. 00O, o.
8 increase granted by the board in 1872
! OF this increase. S4o0, 600 900 was wipt
z out by last years decision, which VI
followed by a strike crisis, wafko
e being sverted only after long negotiatio
i between union leaders and members
= the railroad board.
= In its first decision. increasing wag,
IS the board asserted that it had e
'e deavored to "fix such wages as vou
II provide a decent living" and that it HI
found that generally the scale of wag
Ie paid railroad employees was "substanti;
:" ly below that raid for similar work
e outside industry" Just year later t
l. board, after long hearings, at which t
J. roads asked a general decrease becau
g OF the drop in living. expenses. cut a
?. proximately $400, 900, zoo from the rais
? previously given. These cuts ranged fri
$, Ave to thirteen cents an hour and ;
r. fected all classes OF employees