Evening star., 1938-10-04
WAGE STATISTICS
BRING RAIL CLASH
Labor and Management at
0ddS-Carriers Claim
$1,871 Average.
ny the Associated Press.


by the Associated Press.
Railroad labor and MANAGEMENT dif-
fered today on the average annual
wages paid last year to workers who
have voted to strike before accepting
Is per cent wage reduction asked by
the roads.
j. Elmer Monroe, statistician for the
carriers. said rail workers averaged
$l,78l last year and quoted as his au-
thority data collected by the Federal
Railroad Retirement Board.
Earlier, spokesmen for workers
placed average 1887 earnings at s1.ll5
and quoted the same Government
source.
Both sets of figures were offered to
the emergency board named by Presi-
dent Roosevelt in an attempt to pre-
vent the threatened Nationwide rail
strike.
Mr.. Monroe said the Sl,115 figures,
less than sos month, resulted from
including all railroad employees. He
said 1t included men who worked onlv
few days and that the 81, 7s5 average
represented real railroad men," who
worked throughout the year.
Presenting the Emergency Board
with sheaf Of charts and statistics
the railroad spokesman said average
hourly earnings OF railroad employees
reached an all-time high in the FIRST
half of 1888"
75.s-Cent Hourly Wage.
He said hourly wages averaged II. s
cents last year and 759 cents in the
first half Of this year.
The statistician said this compared
with an average of 27.5 cents in 1915,
66.6 cents in 1920 so cents In 1923.
68.4 cents in 1881 and 62.6 cents in
1888.
While average hourly wages mount
ed, Mr.. Monroe said the average rate of
return on railroad property investment
had steadily declined to but two
thirds of per cent"
In other words" he said, while, in
the first six months of 1898, average
hourly earnings OF the employees in
cluded in these proceedings showed an
increase Of l54 per cent over the De-
riod lsl6-l7. the rate of return earned
on property investment showed q de-
crease Of SO per cent in this same
period"
Charles NJ Hay. counsel for Is of
the railroad brotherhoods. stressed
the marked decline in total employ
ment by railroads as he cross-exam-
ined Mr.. Monroe.
Speedier Trains.
Mr.. Monroe agreed with the BROTH
erhood counsel that some Of the in
crease in average hourly wages in re-
cent years resulted from speedier
trains that increased pay for train
crews.
The railroad spokesman presented
to the board a table showing average
earning of $9l8.83 for rail workers in
the first six months of this year, or
an annual rate Of $1.83766.
This compared, Mr.. Monroe said,
with an average Of s87l83 paid work.
ers in the industry for the first six
months Of 1897 and an average Of
$l,78l21 for the year.
The statictician's figures showed,
however, that despite the higher aver
age pay per worker, the roads total
pay rolls for the first six months of
this year were s126,l93,57o under
the $977 697, ,399 paid in wages in the
Arcf civ he of ~.
accomplished by reducing the number
of employees from 1,121, ,426 to o26, ,688.
In testimony yesterday, A. F. Cleve-
land said the Government was largely
responsible for financial dificulties
of the ailroads-dif1icultie which the
carriers have contended make a pay
cut necessary.
Mr.. Cleveland, vice president Of
the A. A. R., in charge of the traffic
department. told the board that Gov
ernment production of hydro-electric
power, its shipments at half rates and
its improvement of waterways had
worked to reduce railroad revenues.
Increased hydro-electric power re-
duced shipments of coal, while Gov
ernment expansion in the field OF
business took much full-rate revenue
away from the roads, he said
Rail revenues have declined, Mr.
Cleveland continued, as air, water,
motor truck shipping and travel and
pipe line transportation have increased.
This condition, he said, has convinced
the carriers they must trim expenses
If they are to be in position to bid
for the trafic they are best equipped
to handle.