The Washington times., 1928-01-31

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This throws interesting light
on the complaints which nave
been published from time to tune
in this column from railway EN-
ployes about being compelled 70
work every day of the week ana
every day of the year.
President StOrey's View
President Storey writes:
Dear Mr.. Forbes:
.'Due tor the necessity OF con-
tinuing operation of railroads, II
is inevitable that certain classes
OF employees shall work seven
days g. week. Teiegrapners, s
Watchers. the trainmaster's forces,
men in yard service, those IN SHOP
service who look. after running
repairs, and some station en-
ployes. comprise the general group
of those who work seven days
week. At one time the teie2ra-
piers sought relief from the seven
day week, their object being to
secure punitive rates for WORKING
on that day, but they have made
no complaint for some time.
Actually. men in six.day yard
and sfop service try hard to DID
in the seven-day jobs because OF
the extra days pay.
ssAll OF these employees take lay
oFfs occasionally when their ser.
vices can be spared, and they are
excused from Sunday and holiday
work 40 far az the requirements
of moving our trains Will allow.
"Eng;nemen and trainTnen. al
though working Sundays and hoil-
DAYS as their turns may come,
do not work every day.
I'VE have no modification OF
our present practices in contems
plation and do not see how mucn
change can be made.
yours very respectfully,
"W. B. STOREY.
Few Work Seven Days
President Hale Holden, of the
chicago. Burlington & Quincy,
points out that they cannot COM
mel men TO take a day off to
make up for having worked on
Sunday. He writes:
Dear Mr.. Forbes;
Very few railway EMPLOYEES
work seven days a week and prop.
ably the majority of those few
that do, do 30 under schedule rules
negotiated by employe organizaa
fions.
al Ieas tmo.tairds OF the rail-
road employees ordinarily do not
at all work on Sundays or on holt.
DAYS. The remaining one-thtrd
who are liable III varying degree
to service all days Of the week
are those performing duties imme-
diateIy connected with the move
ment of trains, most or which, In
response to public demand, oper-
ate every day in the year. For
this reason train and enginenen
are subject to call az trains are
required to move, but 1t must pc
remembered that they nave SUD
stantiaI lay.overs between trips
which offset the necessity or hoio
inn themselves continuously avall-
able for duty.
Can't Lay Off Week Day
Certain clerks and baggagemen
ara privileged under their schedule
seniority rules to select by Lner
own choice seven.day positions
that are necessary on account Oh
the movement of trains. The pro-
norton of these seven-day posi-
lions is small, however. ana, I'M
der the schedule of rules, the com.
pany cannot arbitrarily lay OH
such an employee on another DAY
in the week for rest purposes
when he has worked on Sunday.
About one-duarter of the en-
ployes engaged in the malnte-
nance of locomotives and cars
work on Sundays. but they are
Maid time and one.half and the
amount of this service is naturally
kent at a. minimum; again, the
working rules prevent the coinT
pany from laying off on week
days those employees who nave
worked on Sunday.
"In addition, the rules provide
for a call list for Sunday service
which means that only those VINO
desire Sunday service enter ther
names on this list, and they are
called in their turn so as to dlVloe
SUNDAY work equally among those
who desire such work. and TINS
usually avoids working the same
individual successive Sundays. (
This company has continuously
addressed itself to the problem
and it has made marked strides ~
the direction Of the elimination OF
seven-day service. That portion. OF
the seyen-day work which remains
ia due to two primary, reasons
First, the inherent nature OF the
business, or, secondly, the restrlc-
tions imposed by the schedule
agreement negotiated with the or
sanizations representing the sew
eral classes of employees. Yours
truly. HALF HO4i1tAN'
1t is to be hoped that all roads
will keep at this problem until II
is solved to the satisfaction or the
employees and pubic alike.