Minneapolis spokesman., 1962-01-26

Richard w. Smith, Secretarytr
Dining Car Employees, for the
predominantly Negro, had been
Of walters, cooks and sleeping CT
Smith said that the loss of
predominantly Negro, had been
greater than any other group in
the railroad industry because all
of them work in passenger train
service which the railroads have
continuously curtailed since 1945.
The union spokesman said at one
time there were approximately
10000 persons employed as wait
ers and cooks on railroads but, ac-
cording to latest government fig
ures, the total number of walters
and cooks currently employed in
the country is about 5000.
He said the government report
also reflected that there were only
about 5000 sleeping car porters
currently employed and less than
that number working regularly.
Smith said there was a possi-
bility that in the event of merger
as many as 400 of an estimated
1900 cooks, walters and porters
could be thrown out of service,
most of whom would be over As
years of age. This, he said, would
make it extremely difficult for
them to secure new employment,
both because of age and continu
Gus practice of discrimination by
some employers on the basis of
race.
Workers must now be in the
service approximately 25 years
to hold a regular job on either Of
these railroads, Smith said.
He pointed out that the recent
merger of the Erie and Lackawana
railroads caused a loss of jobs to
dining employees. However, Smith
continued, the union was able to
secure the best rules and rates Of
pay in both Of the agreements for
those who remained in the service.
and so per cent Of the employees
pay for up to five years for those
who were adversely affected by the
merger or a separation allowance
of up to one years pay.
Nevertheless" Smith said, be
cause of the age of dining car
workers at this time, this did not
compensate them for the loss Of
their jobs"
He said that the Railway Labor
Executives association, which rep
resents most of the other employees
in the railroad industry and with
which his organization, the Hotel
and Restaurant Employees Interna-
tional union, is affiliated, had al
ready taken steps to prevent the
merger and that no stone would
be left unturned to prevent the
elimination Of jobs.
HIT ALSO
Eugene e. Frazier, international
president of the United Transport
Service Employees, AFL-CIO, (Red
Caps union), Chicago, said the
proposed merger of the New York
Central and the Pennsylvania rail-
roads would have much the same
effect on red caps as it will on
the rest of the industry.
1T would be disastrous" Frazier
declared.
He said various cutbacks on the
part Of management in the rail-
road industry over a period Of
years have had a tremendous ef-
/ feet on the labor force. He cited
as an example the Grand Central
Station in New York where at one
time 900 red caps were employed.
But today, he said, there are only
100 employed. Frazier said a sim
liar situation exists at the Penn
sylvania Station.
Most Workers Are Negroes
Most of the workers involved in
this loss Of jobs were Negroes,
Frazier said.
Meanwhile, 1t has been noted
that If the merger goes through,
1t is unlikely that both stations,
Grand Central and Pennsylvania,
would continue operation. If serv-
ices at either station are discon-
tinued, this would cut further into
the number Of red caps required,
as well as workers in the other
industry jobs.
Observers point out that many
services might be eliminated or
| limited under terms Of the prop
Osed merger.
An undetermined number of
track workers, car cleaners, laun-
dry workers, baggage and freight
handlers, red caps and others
might lose their jobs.
In Chicago, for example, the
Englewood Station of the Pennsyl-
vania railroad has already been