The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1922-05-29
INTERNATIONAL NEWS sERvlcEl


CHICAGO, May 2s.-Railroad la
Dor was preparing today for a "hgnt
to the finish against wage cuts an
nounced by the United States rail-
way labor board.
This decision of the railway Ia
Dor board is indefensibie and un-
doubtedly will be rejected by rail-
way employees when submitted to
them for a vote in accordance with
the laws OF their organizations,
was the declaration of B. u. Jewell.
president of the railway employees
department OF the American FEEDER
alton OF Labor.
The decision of the board. an
nounced Sunday. cut swages of 400
600 members OF the brotherhood Of
Maintenance OF way Workers from
l TO cents per hour. It is esti-
mated that it will mean an annual
saving to the railroads OF approx
mately s4s.o0o.ooo.
The decisio although effecting
only the maintenance of way men.
who are for the most part unskilled
laborers, was believed to fore
shadow wage reductions for prac-
tically every class OF railway en-
ployes in future dealings of the
board. Even the wages of the
Big Four" Brotherhoods. IL was
believed will be reduced in future
dealings.
The labor members OF the board
wages established in the new award
needs OF the families involved
They are insufficient" the dis
sentinE opinion SAID. ITO provide
htese families with absolute essen
tials The earnings of this large
group of railroad employees will not
provide the father of a family with
as much food as is allowed convicts
in the Cook county. ILL. jail"
In the decision the classes refer
red to as common laborers. number
ing about 10000 men. are cut 5
cents an hour. Drawbridge tenders.
pile drivers. ditching and hoisting
engineers. fremen and similar class
es OF laborers must sustain a like
cut. Section and track maintenance
forennen. assistant foremen will
take a cut IF cents per hour. Me-
chanics In maintenance OF way de-
par-ment were reduced 4 cents an
hour and mechanics helpers / cent
an hour.
Wages of maintenance of way en-
ployes, which now range from %
TO 40 cents an hour. will range from
% to 55 cents per hour. Under the
new scale. The cuts are effective
July l.
IT is expected that wage reduc-
tion awards involving all other
classes of railway labor. excepting.
train service and yard employees.
will be issued in time to become
effective July i. These additional
cuts. 1t is estimated will further
reduce the payrolls OF the railroads
Of the country by at least 100000
900 annually,
Chairman Ben w. Hooper and the
members OF the board who support
ed him in ;he wage award decision.
emphasized the fact that their ac-
tion was uninfuenced by the recent
reduction in freight rates ordered
by the interstate commerce com
mission. The decision pointed out
that even with the coming de-
creases. common labor on the rail
roads will be receiving higher pay
than the scale prevailing for similar
labor in most other industries.
In devising its ruling the board
gave heed % Department Of Labor
statistics tending to show that the
purehas' nG power Of the wages now
given effect will be AS per cent
greater than those Of December.
1917. The dissenting opinion of the
labor group contend that the in
creased purchasing power Is only
15.e per cent The new wage award
amounts virtually to a return to the
scale in effect February 20. 1920.
when the roads were returned to
their owners after the period OF
government control.