RATES OF WAGES AND IN STEAM AND ELECTRIC RAILWAY SERVICE IN MASSACHUSETTS INTRODUCTION. Heretofore information relative to rates of wages and hours of labor in those occupations which are peculiar to steam and electric railway service, in that they pertain primarily to the operation of rolling stock, has been included in our Annual Reports on Union Scale of Wages and Hours of Labor. At this time, however, it has been deemed advisable to issue a special report covering more comprehensively the entire railway service in Massachusetts as respects rates of wages and hours of labor, by including, also, a considerable fund of information, previously omitted, having reference to those occupations represented in construction, maintenance, and repair work, most of which are common to other branches of industry such as building, machine, and metal trades. The information presented in this report was obtained chiefly from printed or typewritten "Rules" or schedules furnished by the officials of the several steam railroad and electric railway companies, and of the several labor organizations concerned. Steam Railroads. The data for the steam railroads are as of the date May 15, 1916, having been brought up to that date in order that the numerous changes which have become effective since the first of the year might be included. The nature of these changes is explained in general notes to matter having reference to the several branches of service and by specific notes to such occupations as were affected by other than the usual increases in rates granted on any single railroad. 1 Annual reports of this Bureau having reference to union rates of wages and hours of labor in Massachusetts have been issued during the period 1910 to 1915, the last having been recently issued under the title "Union Scale of Wages and Hours of Labor in Massachusetts, 1915," as Part II of the Annual Report on the Statistics of Labor, 1916, and separately issued as Labor Bulletin No. 114. Special reports on particular industries selected for special study have also been issued from time to time. Attention should be called to the fact that the rates of pay and hours of labor applicable to steam railroad employees are not confined merely to those portions of the several railroad systems which are within the confines of the Commonwealth, but are applicable likewise throughout the entire systems. Conductors, trainmen, locomotive engineers, and locomotive firemen receive compensation based on mileage covered, but certain minimum rates of wages per hour, day, or month are guaranteed, and it will be observed that the rates of pay and hours of labor applicable to these employees are quite uniform for three of the railroad systems considered. For these occupations and for telegraph operators the hours of labor are regulated by Federal statute. Except in the case of telegraph operators, no recent changes in the rates of wages or hours of labor for employees engaged primarily in the operation of trains have been made, but in other occupations on steam railroads important changes in the rates of wages have occurred on three of the principal railroad systems in the State. Nearly all of the changes in rates of wages for occupations on Railroads1 A and B, tabulated in this report, were made during the first four and one-half months of 1916. On Railroad C changes were in process during the Winter of 1915-16, when rates were readjusted, a few were abolished, and several occupations were transferred to similar classifications, to meet new conditions. For this reason it has been almost impossible to state for Railroad C any definite per cent of increase in rates as has been done for the various divisions of service on Railroads A and B. No changes in rates of wages for occupations shown on Railroad D have taken effect since October, 1914; also, on Railroads A and B no changes have been made in rates in Boston since that date. Street Railways. In the case of street railways the data are as of the date October 1, 1915, and since that date no general changes either in rates of wages or hours of labor have occurred, although a readjustment of several important wage scales is now under consideration. It will be observed that the motormen and conductors are paid hourly rates of wages, based on length of service, and that this basis of payment has been adopted by all of the street railway companies from which returns have been received, although the rate per hour is by no means uniform for the several companies. 1 In compiling the information relative to steam railroad employees the Boston and Albany R.R., New York, New Haven and Hartford R.R., Boston and Maine R.R., and the Boston, Revere Beach and Lynn R.R. only were considered; and in the tabular matter (Tables 1-7) each of these four systems is designated by a capital letter, A, B, C, or D, in the order named. 1 Overtime is time in excess of 10 hours a day or 100 miles a day, except for extension circuit trips, so-called. Unless otherwise stated in the table it is paid for pro-rata. For extension circuit trips the payment is for not less than one-quarter of a day, for a round trip or fraction thereof. Special conditions apply to employees tied up on runs under the 16-hour law, or 14-hour law. The abbreviation "Reg." signifies regular rate or "pro-rata." : Emergency rates for all employees except as shown in the table are as follows: On Railroad A the rate for emergency service is one-half day's pay for less than five hours and not less than a day's pay for over five hours. On Railroad B rate for emergency service of more than 30 minutes and less than two hours is paid on hourly basis, 60 minutes or less to count as one hour; service of less than five hours or less than one-half of daily mileage -rate is one-half day's pay; over five hours or more than one-half daily mileage rate is full day's pay. On Railroad C rate for emergency service of 10 miles or less or one hour or less is as for 10 miles; over one hour or over 10 miles but less than five hours or less than 50 miles is as for 50 miles; over five hours or over 50 miles is a day's pay. 3 Weekly rate. ⚫ Hourly rates; paid different rates according to location of yard. Hourly rate. 1 Rates shown do not include rates paid for emergency service, so-called, or special rates for certain duties. On Railroad A engineers in train service when resuming duty on continuous trips, after having been tied up under the law governing hours, are paid from tie-up point to terminal on following basis: For 50 miles or less, or 5 hours or less, payment is for 50 miles; for more than 50 miles or over 5 hours, payment is for 100 miles. Engineers of road freight trains, when required in emergency to go with stock to certain yards, are allowed a minimum road rate of 2 hours after arrival at yard. If time exceeds 2 hours they are allowed 3 hours' pay; if it exceeds 3 hours, 4 hours' pay, etc. Engineers in switching service receive road rates for work in certain yards. On Railroad C, emergency service (extra work required between regular laid-out day trips or before registering off duty) payment for 10 miles is allowed for less than 10 miles, or less than one hour's work; payment for 50 miles is allowed for over 10 miles and less than 50 miles, or for over one hour and less than 5 hours; a day's pay is allowed for 50 miles or over, or for 5 hours or over. For emergency service in making locomotive repairs, payment is for one hour when employed less than an hour; 5 hours for over one hour but less than 5 hours, and one day's pay for over 5 hours and up to 10 hours. Passenger engineers who are required to heat trains, who repair engines at points where no men are employed for the purpose, or perform other extra service for which extra time is agreed to be paid, are paid 50 cents an hour. In switching service 29 minutes or less are not counted in paying overtime. For over 29 minutes payment is for one hour; for over one hour and less than 5 hours, payment is for 5 hours; for 5 hours or over, one day's pay. 2 Rates paid according to class of engine. Weekly rate. First 5 days, 9 hours; 53 hours a week. |