The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1935-02-22

n. Complete coordination in
Toledo, the report said, should
produce IAN even greater economy
than that obtained by the New
York Central which resulted in
savings Of s750,OO0."
On the lookout for the profits Of
the railroad barons, Eastman points
out to them that there are seven
more lines operating independently
and making independent inter-
changes in Toledo" Mr. Eastman
further explains that restrictions
in reduction in railroad employment
which were imposed by the co-ordi-
nation act. has been a leading OBJ
Stacle in putting the economies into
operation"
Yards Abandoned
It is interesting to note how the
savings" made by the New York
Central were effected. In Toledo
the Michigan Central and the Ohio
Central yards we're merged. The
switching formerly done in the
Michigan Central yards was trans
ferred to the Ohio Central yards
and the old Michigan Central North
Toledo yards were practically aban-
doned. The increased volume Of
business in the Ohio Central yards
necessitated putting on additional
men, but not anywhere near as
many as were formerly employed
on the Michigan Central
The additional men required we're
not transferred from the Michigan
Central. but new. younger men
were hired. men who did not have
any equity in pension rights. En-
gines that formerly worked the
North Toledo Michigan Central
yards were shunted to the grave
yard" and were put in white lead
and so were the men who worked
them, along with carmen, clerks,
hostlers, etc. and the New York
Central pocketed an additional
$75o,0o0 in dividends.
What Eastman Means
What the railroad owners plan
here is one big terminal. one gigan-
tic yard, one big car shop round-
house, etc. The numerous yards,
shops. roundhouses. etc, around To-
ledo would be eliminated. All trains
would pull into the big Yard
where they, would be busted, up and
switched out on a modern hump.
No more hump riders, the automatic
car retarders would take care of
that. No, more puller crews, the
road crews would take their train
right out of the outbound yard.
Thousands of conductors, switch
men, brakemen. engineers. clerks,
car inspectors, switch tenders, yard
masters and many others would
take their places on the bread line.
Thus Wall Street would effect more
Savings"
The rebuff suffered by Eastman
at the General Chairman's Con-
ference on Jan. IL in Chicago does
not mean that consolidation plans
have now been dropped. On the
contrary, they will now be pushed
more vigorously than ever. An ex-
ample of how these things are
done, was the putting across of the
wage cut in 1881. Up until three
days before the wage agreement
was signed, press releases were be-
ing sent out that "the unions will
not stand for a wage cut being
damned down our Threats" And
that eve are going to fight to a
finish"
Pressure Needed Now
How the Grand Lodge chiefs
fought" is now a matter Of history.
In accepting the wage reduction,
D. 3. Robertson. of the Brotherhood
of Locomotive Firennen and Engine
men, made the lighting" statement
that: Thousands Of men will be
employed in the next IL months.
who would not have been employed
if railway labor had not agreed to
the 10 per cent reduction" March
issue of their journal0 How this
was carried out can be seen by the
fact that $4,000 more railroad
workers lost their job during the
first wage cut year
The same methods will, no doubt,
be used to put across the consolida-
ton and layoff plans. Do not be
fooled by Eastman's talk of dis
missal wage. It amounts to moth
ing. Their plans can be stopped
by the united efforts of the mem
bers of the Railway Brotherhoods.
Adopt resolutions in your lodges let
ting the Grand Lodge Chiefs and
others know that we railway en-
ployees will resist consultations and
their accompanying layoffs to the
last ditch. Form anti consolidation
committees in your lodges. Support
the Associations for the Prevention
of Consultations, which are being
formed in various places.