The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1926-01-22
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o. plan? Recognition of the union
officials as the agents Of the employees
and perfection OF the machinery
for efficiency of the road plus the
empty promise that both sides shall
share in the consequent benefits. OF
course there are some differences
which bring about struggle between
the company union and the b. and o.
plan, namely competition, which takes
the form of struggle to see which
can best serve the interest of the en-
ployer.
Whom has the B. and o. plan bene-
fitted, the workers or the bosses? The
operating expenses of the Baltimore
and Ohio Railroad dropped from 50
per cent to rs per cent from 1922 to
1923 while net profits increased from
$23,00O,000 to $43,0O0,00
The operating expenses was further
reduced to n per cent in 1924. What
did the workers receive in return to
giving up seniority and other protect
i've rights and helping the company to
weed out the brothers who were not
efficient enough? What was the work
ers' share of the increased profits?
Nothing, with the exception of the re-
cognition of our officials. This kind
of cooperation can easily be accepted
BY the railroad owners because itworks
even better for their profits and is not
a bit dangerous for capitalism.
How About Unemployment?
Another achievement gained for the
workers by this wonderful scheme
was the loss of employment and in
crease in layoffs. In May, 1925, the
speed-up system had worked so we'll
that the railroad announced a reduc-
ton of shop forces. This operation
was repeated in August, when 1000
men were laid off at one time. Our
officials assured us that more employ
ment would result by the adoption Of
the "B. & o." plan, but have failed
miserably to prove this claim. What
has been the effect upon the. members
Of our unions? Has this plan done
anything to strengthen the morale of
the membership? On the contrary, it
has helped to destroy all the interest
in the unions affairs due to the fact
that the men are now only thinking
of how to run the shops upon more
efficient basis. We are paying eff
cheney experts out Of our own treas
uries to help make more profits for
the bosses.
Naturally, such plan can easily
be accepted by the railroad carriers
who are interested in killing the I'M
ions as effective instruments to fight
for the workers. Let us ask our off,
Gals the question:: If our efficiency
experts discover that so men can do
the work of 100 men in certain de-
partment, what are we going to do
with the remaining 80 brothers? They
are naturally going to be laid off.
The business of our unions is to
fight for the elementary needs of the
workers and not to become speed-up
experts. This plan is nothing less
than a company union in disguise and
the railroad workers must defeat it.
Defend the Right to Strike.
Now we are asked to endorse the
so-called Watson-Parker bill, which
has been agreed upon by the officials
of the unions and the railroad execu-
tives presided over by the notorious
President Atterbury of 1.-THE Pennsyl-
vania." This proposed legislation
means that the railroad workers give
up their right to strike and leave their
grievances in the hands of mediation
and arbitration boards selected by the
"Strikebreaker" Coolidge and should