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Show 553,689,347 15, . STRONG PROTEST BY LABOR REP. RESENTATIVES; BOARD MAKES CUT IN SHOP, WORKERS PAY Just And Reasonable, Wage Is Not Established by Majority Declares;' Minority Opinion on "' ; Decision ; " ' t Cliicago-yOver the strong protest of the three labor representatives on the United States railroad labor board, a new wage cut of seven cents an hour, for railway shop mechanics and nine i cents for freight car men cutting 400,-' 1 000 shop men approximately $60,000,-. I 600 a year "was ordered by the board ' I Tuesday. . . ; I The new wage reduction brought an II estimated added saving of $59,609,347 If annually to' the railroads, following on the heels of a $50,000,000 cut in the 1 wages of maintenance of way laborers I last week. The shop crafts decision I becomes effective July I, the same H dnte as last week's order. y "The tendency 'of the decision is to I vindicate the propaganda of the rail. II roads and consequently condemn such statements as the employees have been, able to bring to public attention," the II minority opinion said. It was signed U by Albert O. Wharton, W. L. McMenl- I men and Albert Phillips, the three la- I bor representatives. I The reduction, for mechanics aver aged a little more than 8 per cent, all machinsts, bollermakers, blacksmiths, sheet metal workers, electrical work, ers, carmen (except freight car men) moulders, cupola tenders and core-makers core-makers and the regulur and helper apprentices ap-prentices receiving a cut of 7 cents an hour. Freight car men, commonly known as "car. knockers" and he object ob-ject of some of the heaviest assaults by the roads in their battle for lower wages, were cut 9 cents. The lirger cut was ordered for the "car knockers' because flie board said it believed that their work did not require re-quire the same skilled service as other ' brandies of carmen's work. This heavier reduction for the freight car men came under especially severe criticism in the minority reiort, the labor members declaring there was no justification for discrimination in car work. Car cleaners, who now receive an average of $3.19 a day, were cut 5 cents nn hour, or 40 cents a day. Thp ne; hnnics whose daily rate now averages from $0.11 for electrical worn-era worn-era to $0.'.'8 for blacksmiths, will lose 50 cents a day under the new decision, bringing their daily wage to approximately approxi-mately $5.70. The board's latest decision which is to be followed shoitely by reduction for railway clerks, telegraphers and nil other classes of railway employees execept the train service men, was ' brief and offered no explanation of how the new rate,s were arrived at This dismission brought more fire fro the dissenters who declared ths tint. Jority decision did not consider "human "hu-man needs," ignored the pleas for a "living wage" and made "no attempt to show that mechonlfs are not entitled en-titled to such a standard." Suggestion for "some recognized ! standard" to be worked out by the 'I oonrd and used as a basis for future 1 -age adjustments was contained In '.he' minority report, which consumed several times the number of pages in g the majority decision. The labor mem. Ders felt, they said, that the board 'should Initiate a study which shall j determine the nmount necessary to aieet some recognized standnrd and It must use its results ns a busis for Its decisions and that It must, through those decisions transmit this informa- Hon ,b the public." The decision, the minority report ontlnued, tended "to substantiate the position of the railroads that wages need not be established with reference to the needs of the family," contending contend-ing that a minimum wage for the shop irafts should be CO cents an hour, would mean a rate of 87 cents for Skilled mechanics. |
