Evening journal., 1922-07-03

were s.3s5 In 1914. making the in
crease over 1914 OF the estimated
new earnings SO per cent. The index
OF actual hourly earnings divided by
the index OF the cost of living, which
was 1919 on June LIST, and which
will probably change but slightly in
the next few months, gives an index
of real earnings or purchasing
power OF actual earnings. based on
the average hourly earnings. of 11S,
and based on the average weekly
earnings. the real index is 10. In
other words, the economic status OF
the skilled mechanics of the shop
forces when expressed in purchasing
power Is 10 per cent. higher than
in 1914.
ed at the hospital on Friday. How
For the car men. computing the
figures in the same manner, It is
found that since the signing of the
National Agreements reducing the
working hours. the average number
or hours OF employment per week is
1859. Thus. car men whose rate
has been reduced SOC from the
present rate of SIG will have aver
age weekly earnings OF s31.15, which
is a 1O6 per cent. increase over the
average weekly earnings OF $500
in 1914. Their average hourly earn
ings OF S.641 under the new rate
show an increase OF $50 per cent.
over the 1914 average hourly earn
ings of $3.50. Their real earnings
after July LIST based on their average
hourly earnings, will, therefore. be
81 per cent. higher than in 1914.
and based on their average weekly
earnings. SO per cent. higher than
in 1914.
The average number Of hours Of
employment per week Of unskilled
labor since the signing Of the Ma
tional Agreements has been 1856.
The rate OF pay OF unskilled labor
varies somewhat from ono part OF
the country to another and IN the
case Of negro laboc IN some of the
States. was as low rs s.2s
Ler hour before the isaisioD rem
dered D. the Labor Board. How
ever, the rate paid 10 unskilled
white laborers in the Northern and
Western States. including the great
majority of the railroads Of the
country. has been $40 per hour.
This rate, reduced sos per hour
by the Labor Boards order. Will
therefore be s.35 per hour after
July 1st. Working 1856 hours per
week. the average weekly earnings
of unskilled labor will therefore he
S17.45 per week, which IS an increase
OF So per cent. over the 1914 earn
ings. The decision rendered by the
Labor Board on December 16. 1924.
while recognizing the principle OF
the eight-hour day, provided that
track laborers should be paid over
time only after the expiration Of the
tenth hour of continuous service.
The 1.S6 hours over the regulation
4s-hour week cannot therefore be
computed at time and one-half in
figuring the weekly earnings of this
class of employees. The average
hourly earnings Will therefore be
s.35. or the same as the hourly rate
Of pay. This shows an increase in
actual hourly earnings of III per
cent. over the average hourly ear.-
Ings OF S.161 in 1914. The real
earnings based on the average hour
" earnings show an increase OF 40
per cent: while real earnings based
on average weekly earnings show
an increase OF 10 per cent.
The clerical forces of the rail-
roads since the Clerks National
Agreement was signed early in 1920
have worked an average of 48.1S|
hours per week. and. as Is the case
with unskilled labor. the Is extra
hours over the regulation 4S-hour
week cannot be computed at time
md one-half because of the decis-
on of the Labor Board of January
%. 1922, which ordered that cleri-