The daily worker., 1934-02-24


talk Of back wages being restored.
Negotiations this year, scheduled
Tor some time between Feb. 18th and
June 30th, when the present agree
ment expires, may again be post
poned, due to President RoOseYelt's
intervention. Such an extension can
IN no way be considered an advantage
for the railroad workers.
With ruthless design the roads are
everywhere abolishing and reclassify-
ing Jobs to the end that the higher
rates of pay are enjoyed by fewer
men. In many branches Of service
wages are far below the possibility Of
decent living. The president Of the
Maintenance Of Way Workers Union
recently made public a statement that
wages as low as cents an hour
were being paid On many roads
trackmen earned So a week while
the SO a week wage was quite COM
mon. At the same time living costs
are going up.
The postponement Of negotiations
is aimed to close the door to a ma
tional airing Of grievances which have
become so unbearable that strike
votes are occurring on many Of the
most important roads It is intended
70 close the door to the agitation
for the return of the 10 per cent
cut for which there is widespread
sentiment.
Break Union Agreements
tt Was a recognized fact that the
question of "a wage cut was not the
only question to. be decided in the
next wage negotiations The roads
nave repeatedly indicated that what
Ehey want above all is to rid them
selves Of all protective schedules in
the various working agreements be-
tween them and the 81 standard labor
Unions.
The initiative in this campaign to
aullify conditions won through long
years of struggle was taken by the
Delaware q Hudson railroad under
the open shop leadership Of L. P.
toree. Having smashed the shop
craft unions, Loree instituted what
ne ealls the .elastic day" This is
4 combination Of piece work and lay
offs under which the d. g. II. reduces
Jobs by 8 per cent each year and
at the same time increases prOduc-
ton IS per cent through the pur-
chase and use OF labor saving
machinery. For the train crews,
who were able TO keep the shell of
their union organization, Loree had
a different scheme. The union lead
ership accepted without a struggle
ais proposal to give up the mileage
basis Of pay. abolish time and one
half for overtime and ignore senior
Ety. The Engineers journal admits
that the d. < H. plan amounts to
an additional 20 per cent wage cut
The D. a. H plan has since been
sxtended to the Louisiana, Arkansas
y Texas and more recently to the
1ansas City Southern, a Loree road
Strike Votes Show Temper Of Men
During the vast year strike votes
lave been taken on three Glass ]
Dads, in addition to the Kansas City
Southern strike action. In each in
tanee the President appointed an
Emergency Board to head OFF the
trike
On the Mobile g. Ohio q double
@age cut has been in effect since
august 1882, in direct violation Of
he national wage agreement. The
oad is IN bankruptcy, but that die
OF prevent the receivers of this
ankrupt road from getting over q
liilien dollars in government loans
nth which to make bond and in
crest payments After the additiona'
per cent wage cut had been taker
.'om the pay envelope Of the M. &
Z. workers for more than a year. &
rike vote was finally forced on thf
MON officials by the men. and wa,
aiTled in November 1888. AS statec
aoye, the President stopped the
rike through the appointment oi
4 Emergency Board and the Boarc
ave as its opinion that ways anc
cans must be found for paying tllt
tablished wage rate. Nothing wa
id about refunding wages ALREADY
st through the robbery of the NJ
o. Now the road has declared
at. beginning March 7th, 6ls O.
additional 10 per cent wage GU
Il be returned! What a sell out
1874 per cent cut in the face B
ing living costs and a deliberate
cal of 10 per cent OF the men
ages for a year and a half Thl
otherhood leadership have, O
urse, made no preparations fo
rrying out the strike mandate O
e rank and file and will probabl,
ank Roosevelt and his Emergencl
ard for taking only an additiona
-
On the Southern Pacific (Atlanti
aesl, strike vote was taken ant
srwhelrningly carried, to force th
tlement of 108 grievances listed al
nples of an accumulation of owe
90. The Presidents Emergenc
ard found no basis for strike ac
a, as machinery existed for other
.e settling these grievances. Bu
grievances are still not settled
hough the strike has been sue
sfully countered by the road, tn
on officials and the government
similar strike vote against &C
nulated grievances has been takei
the Denver & Rio Grande anC
in an Emergency Board has beer
lointed to waylay organized ac
D. At the present moment CFeb
a so-calIed strike ballot is beinl
ulated on the Chicago & North.
tern to divert the growing in.
hation Of the men against ia.
BIT disregard on the part Of the OF.
rs of this road for all unior
vance machinery.
he officials Of the p standard
n unions have shown to the road;