Evening star., 1948-12-17
40-Hour Week,
Raise Of 7Cents
Voted dRai|Group
Non-Qperotine Union
Boost Proposed Now,
Time Cut Next Fall
BY the Assoeiotsd Press

A presidential board today
recommended that the railroads
give their incorporating" en-
ployes a 7-cents-an-hour wage
increase Immediately and put
them on a 40-hour week next
September without loss in pay.
The incorporating employes-the
clerks and mechanical workers who.
do not operate trains-now work 4s
hours week.
The board proposed that the i
cent increase be retroactive to Oc.
tober /.
Under the proposal, the shift to
the 40-hour week would be made
without any change in take home"
pay. The board calculated that IL
would take the equivalent of a 20
per cent increase in base rates to
preserve the take home" pay un-
changed.
$40 Million Cost Seen.
The board estimated its proposals
would cost the railroads $34O, 900. 900
in 1s49. This would include $780,.
100000 for the cost of the 40-hour
week from September to the end Of
l94s, plus the 7-cent increase for
all of 1949.
The workers had asked a cut in
the work week to 40 hours, without
any reduction in take home" pay,
and-on top Of that-a 25-cents-an.
hour wage increase.
The boards recommendations.
made today to President Truman,
are not binding on the carriers or
unions. But such recommendation
made under terms of the Railway
Labor Act usually form the basis
for dispute settlements.
First reaction on the union side
was a comment from George M.
Harrison, head Of the Brotherhood
Of Railway Clerks. that the recon-
mendations. ION the whole afford a
good basis for negotiation OF q set
tlement Of the dispute"
Mr.. Harrison added:
We're disappointed that the
shorter work week has been de-
ferred until September /, 1e4s.
Otherwise it is step in the right
direction. We also are disappointed
that the board saw fit to recommend
only 7-cent pay increase. We had
asked for rs cents"
Meeting Set Next Monday.
Union leaders and railroad repre-
sentatives will meet in Chicago next
Monday to go over the report.
The board was headed by William
NJ. Leiserson, with David L. Cole
and George Cook as members.
The board said 1t felt that non
operating rail workers should get
the 40-hour week because all other
interstate industries have had the
40-hour week since 1888. when the
Fair Labor Standards Act was
adopted" The board said the 40
hour week "is now firmly a part OF
our national industrial policy"
The board recommended that the
railroads be given until September
l, 1949, to prepare for Inaugural
ton of the shorter work week.
The immediate 7-cent hourly
wage increase would be consider
ably lower" than the general pat
tern of third-round wage increases
in 1948, the board said.
The five operating railroad unions,
composed of approximately $50, 600
workers who actually run the trains,
settled for a 10-cent hourly in
crease several months ago.
Staggered Week Proposed.
The board denied requests of the
Is incorporating brotherhoods for Q
Monday through Friday work week,
with penalty overtime and a guar
antee Of eight hours pay for Sat-
urday, Sunday and holiday work.
It :c~c~omended staggered work
weeks of five days with two of days
in seven, according to the method
in vogue in other around the clock
industries.
Railroads must operate every
day" the board noted.
The board said that it was deny
ing a number of union demands for
changes in working rules and other
concessions so as not to put too
heavy cost increase on the car.
riers at this time, along with a 40
hour week.
When estimating the costs of its
(See RAILS, Page A-3)