Southwest Washington labor press. [volume] (Hoquiam, Wash.) 19??-19??, 1925-02-20
LABOR BOARD POWER
ON WANE AS WAGE
SETTLEMENTS MADE

CHICAGO, Feb. 19-There is
great weeping and gnashing of teeth
in the camp of Ben W. Hooper, chair
man of the United States Railroad
Labor Board, over the fact that the
managers of more than 30 Western
railroads have made individual wage
settlements with the Brotherhood of
Locomotive Engineers and Brother
hood of Locomotive Firemen and
Enginemen, totally disregarding the
recent decision" of the board as ap-
plying to 43 Western railroads.
Hooper and his fellow board men,
bers are in sackcloth and ashes, as
they see their bright envisioning of
the future dissipated. They now see
the end of their autocratic reign over
the lives and destinies Of the railroad
workers of the country. Totally dis
credited in this wholesale manner,
their chasing rainbows. Ger, they
see their finely upholstered $4,000
a-year jobs vanishing along with the
spending of 100000 a year that it
costs the Government for the up
keep of the Railroad Labor Board.
Hooper Sought Courts Aid
Hooper and his board projected
themselves into the Western railroad
wage negotiations last May, and
summoned the officers of the two
brotherhoods. to appear before him
and submit testimony. This they de-
clined to do, setting forth various
legal reasons why Hooper had no
fight to take hand. Following
this, Hooper appealed to Federal
Judge James H. Wilkerson, who be-
came notorious during the shopmen's
strike of 1922. Wilkerson complac-
emily lent hand and held the broth
erhood officers in contempt.
Attorneys for the brotherhood ap-
pealed the two cases to the United
States Supreme Court The hearing
in the first case in that court was
set for Tuesday, February 4. The
case has been moved up on the cal
endar to Monday, March 2, but Il Is
not likely to be heard until after the
presidential inauguration.
Hooper and his board handed down
a decision" based on testimony
offered by the railroad managers at
hearings before the board at which
the officers of the employees absented
themselves, that there should be q,
per cent increase in wages, but
ordered" several outrageous changes
in the working rules that more than
offset the supposititious increase" IN
wages.
Workers Ignore Decision
The employees refused to recognize
this decision" and went ahead with
negotiations on the individual prop
critics. They gained first blood
when they obtained settlement with
the Southern Pacific of q per cent
increase in wages and no changes in
working rules. The settlements on
the other Western roads are based
on the Southern Pacific agreement.
And that is not all of the woe that
is in store for Hooper. Information
al Labor News Service has learned
ON high authority that the managers
of several Western railroads are ser
iously considering the advisability OF
ignoring another decision" of Hoop
er in reference to the wages Of con-
ductors and trainmen. Hooper did
not like the working rules as apply
ing to this class Of employees and pro-
ceeded to emasculate them. Some of
the more fair-minded railroad man
ayers now say that the old working
4 Al u =
should be restored in order to avoid
discrimination in favor Of the engi-
neers and firemen.