Grand Forks herald., 1922-04-20
Raj ROADS l IN
NORTH DAKOTA
PAY ] ! ] HIGH WAGES
Same Class Of Work in Other
Industries Brings Small
er Pay.

Or wages than practically every 9TH
er industry In the state, and it IS
largely because Of these higher
wages that the present freight and
passenger rates arc necessary. These
facts were disclosed recently during
tho hearings before the railroad labor
board on the requests of the railroads
ofsthe country for lower wage scales.
The transportation act names, as
the first of the factors to be consid-
cred in the determination of just and
reasonable rates of pay for railway
4mplpyes, "thc scales OF wages paid
for silnilas kinds Of work in other in
dustries." A committee OF North Da-
kota railroad men accordingly made q
survey OF the present rates of pay OF
industrial employees in that state who
are performing work comparable to
that performed by certain classes OF
railway employees. The results OF this
survey were summarized by J. l..
Cochrane. assistant to the vice presi-
dent of the Great Northern railro Dad
rs follows:
Results Of Survey.
'-Of the employees in other indus
tries performing work such as is per-
formed Oh the railroads by assistant
xoremen, pile drivers or hoisting en-
gineers and bridge inspectors, 54 per
cent Of those covered in our investi-
cation were found to be receiving
lower wages than are being paid by
the railroads for comparable services,
and AZ per cent were found to be re-
.ceiving higher wages than the pre-
vaihng railroad rates, but practically
all OF the latter group were higher
grade foremen in the building indus
try. handling all classes of work on
buildings. Furthermore, SO per cent
of these employees receive no extra
compensation whatever for overtime
services, while the railroad employe
has the opportunity to earn extra pay
for overtime work.
I 'tOnly 23 per cent Of the employees
in other industries who were doing
work analogous to that done by a
department were receiving higher
wages than are paid by the carriers,
and these employees were all found
among the higher skilled building
carpenters. We found that II per
cent OF the employees performing
work Of this character in other in
dustries were receiving less than the
railroads are paying for the same
services, and 18 per cent Of the, COM
receive no extra pay whatever: for
overtime services.
practically the same conditions
prevail with respect to mechanics'
helpers; % per cent of the comparable
workers in other industries receiving
higher wages and 78 per cent receiv-
ing lower wages than are paid by the
railroads. OF the men covered In ouE
Investigation 7S per cent receive nc
extra compensation whatever for ov-
ertine work.
t"As for common labor employed in
other Industries our investigation
disclosed that 18 per cent Of these
employees received lower wages 62
per cent the same wages and 20 per
cent higher wages than are paid by
the railroads for comparable services
Practically all of these men in other
industries who are receiving higher
wages than the prevailing railroad
rates require practically no supervi-
sion in their work because Of their
efficiency and experience. In addition
80 per cent of the common labor en-
I ployed in other industries receive nc
I extra compensation whatever for ov-
ertime work..
i "Of the employees in other indus.
, tries in the state performing work
similar to that of railroad draw
bridge tender Or crossing fiagman. no,
one covered in our survey was receiv-
ing higher rate of pay than is be.
ing paid by the carriers for services
of that nature"
All Of this evidence has BEEN laid
before the labor board as part OF the
railroads case for lower rates of pay
for employees engaged in maintenance
of way work. The savings that may
accrue from further wage reduc.
tions have already been promised tc
the public in the form Of lower trans
portation charges.