The Connecticut labor news., 1922-10-06
RAIL LABOR BOARD
 TURNS DOWN RAISE
 ASKED BY WAYMEN
Public Group Favors Two Cents In crease But Others Vote Against
 Any Booct Now.

Chicago, Oct. GA proposal for two cents an hour increase for the track and common laborers of the Maintenance of Way Union, number ing about 3oo,ooo, was temporarily refused this week by the United States Railroad Labor Board. Only seven of the nine members have taken part in the discussions, which opened Tuesday, Albert Phillips of the labor group and Samuel Higgins of the railroad group being absent.
 The public representatives, Chair man Ben w. Hooper, R. M. H. Bar ton and G. w. w. Hanger, it was authoritatively reported, sponsored the rejected increase It was under stood that their order was based up conditions since last March, when the evidence upon which the last cut of the track and common laborers' wages, amounting to five cents an hour, was presented. This decrease became effective July I last.
 Evidence offered before the Labor Board at the recent plea for an in crease made by E. F. Grable, presi dent of the Maintenance of Way Union, the public group was under stood to have held, showed that de- creases in wages and living conditions predominated over advances until June this year. Since then, they held, there hac been a slight upward trend
 Last Monday the maintenance of way organization, representing more than 100000 men, went into conVen- ton at Detroit, with it's president rep resented as impatiently awaiting de cision on his plea for an increase to- explain his action on July I in hold ing in abeyance a strike vote and re- fusing to accompany the shop crafts in walkout
 At that time w. L. McMenimen, labor member of the board, was gen orally credited with being the media President Grable not to call a strike. He is now reported as against the propositoin offered by the public group, holding that the proposed in crease of two cents was not sufficient. A. o. Wharton, the third member of the labor group, also was said to have stood by MT. McMenimen in this at titude. They were reported to have proposed large increase, which was rejected.
 According to information from au- thentic sources, the two railroad members present, Horace Baker and J. H. Elliott, declared themselves as opposed to any increase at this time.
 Although the deadlock was said to be only temporary and will end in evitably in a decision probably grant ing an increase, some doubt was ex- pressed as to whether the Labor Board would again consider the main to, If h sent members return. Both are ex- pected by the middle of this month
 It was stated as probable that the maintenance of way convention will adjourn before the board reaches a ] decision
 The present minimum wages for the common laborers and track men, un- der the recent decision of the Labor Board, range from B to 35 cents an i, hour. If the public groups offer should be accepted the new rates would be 25 to 37 cents an hour, re- troactive to July I last l
 In his plea before the Labor Board, i President Grable asked for a Ascent an hour minimum, and a definition of l living wage. At his request the 1 board at once took up the question of living wage and refused to de- | fine it, declaring that the terms of the Transportation Act were sufficiently | clear on that subject
 Maintenance of way employees are divided into six classes, the largest of which is the common and track la borers' group. The question of an in crease for this group, it was under stood, was taken up for considera- ton first, because if the board failed to agree on the new rate for this class it was considered as useless to pro- ceed with discussion on another.
 The average rate of pay for com mon and tracek laborers, according to figures compiled by S per cent of the railroads of the United States, are s cents an hour for the East, 26.7 cents an hour for the Southeast, and 32.2 cents an hour for the West Be LII