ARKANSAS DEMOCRAT-3 Monday, June 29, 1959 EXHIBIT No. 1 Our pledge to the public Among the costs you pay for travel and transportation on the Nation's railroads is a hidden charge of $500,000,000 for which you get nothing. This is the cost of work paid for but not performed or not needed. This is what is known as Featherbedding. Featherbedding arises from old and useless work rules which restrict the advancement of employees, increase the cost of service to the public and impair the efficiency of railroads. It is confined to a minority of employees, many of whom were not born when these rules were made. "Make Work” does not make Jobs Everyone loses by Featherbedding, most of all railroad employees. These "make work" rules do not make jobs. Approximately 1000 railroad jabs a week have disappeared in the past decade, and an even greater loss is Inevitable if the rules are not modernized to provide the public with better service. For a generation, railroad management has sought the cooperation of the rail operating unions to end these wasteful and costly practices-but without meaningful results. Four months ago, management suggested that the matter be submitted to an impartial commission for an objective study in the public interest. The operating unions not only refused to join in this step but warned that they would oppose any move by management to establish such a commission. Refusal to cooperatedoes not solve the problem This callous disregard of the public's interest and this continued refusal to admit that there is anything wrong in charging the public $500,000,000 for work not performed or not needed leave the railroads no alternative but to seek a solution by some other means. Accordingly, the management of America's railroad industry pledge that they will continue to strive, by whatever means are proper and hopeful of success, to obtain some correction in these inflation-producing, job. destroying, outmoded work rules, so that the country may have the modern and efficient railroad service to which the public is entitled. $200,000,000 to stoke non-existent fires Unlike steam locomotives, Diesels require no fires of any kind. Yet the public still must pay more than $200,000,000 a year for the obsolete job of fireman. -this is Featherbedding! 9 days' pay for a 16-hour tun Fast New York-Chicago trains make the run in 16 hours, yet the railroads pay 9 basic days' pay for each engine crew position on the trip. - this is Featherbedding! A day's pay for one switch operation A "road" engineer pulled a freight train into a yard but had to back it up the length of 40 cars. For this he was able to claim an extra day's pay as a "yard" engineer. - this is Featherbedding! AMERICAN RAILROADS RAILROAD FEATHERBEDDING $500,000,000 LOSS TO THE NATION-INCLUDING YOU-EVERY YEAR The great Chicago Fire of 1871 rates as the most costly disaster of its kind this country has ever known. Property damage reached the staggering total of $196,000,000. Yet America's railroads pay out this much every five months for work not performed or not needed. This is known as featherbedding and it costs the American shipping and traveling public the shocking total of $500,000,000 every year. Featherbedding is a drain on all of us. It produces inflation by contributing to higher prices and higher living costs. It No-nation is rich enough to afford such That's why the forthcoming negotia- And that's why the railroads will seek OBSOLETE WORK RULES are responsible for featherbedding - -this is featherbeddingi AMERICAN RAILROADS RAILROAD FEATHERBEDDING $500,000,000 LOSS EVERY YEAR-AND IT'S YOUR LOSS, TOO The explosions and resulting fires that devastated Texas City, Texas, on April 16. 1947, stunned the nation and caused property damage in excess of $50,000,000. Yet the railroads of America are forced to pay out this much almost every month ten times this much every year - for work paid for but not performed or not needed. That's the annual loss to the American public for featherbedding on the railroads more than $500,000,000 - all waste and a drain on everybody. Everybody pays for this loss. The railroads. The workers. You. Because featherbedding is forced payment for work not done or not needed. When so No nation, however rich, can afford the That's why the soon-to-begin negotia- OBSOLETE WORK RULES - this is featherbedding! AMERICAN RAILROADS ! Cleveland Press- September 28, 1959 Cleveland Plain Dealer - September 29, 1959 A THREAT TO SAFETY .....another result of railroad featherbedding Far from being necessary for safety, average. Does "make-work” make for greater safety on the railroads? Not so you'd notice it. Available evidence suggests that just the opposite is true. Fact is, despite the excellent safety record of the railroads, featherbedding can be a hazard to safety. For example, 23 states have "featherbed" laws which force railroads to hire unDeeded train crew members. These 23 states have 57.4% of railroad employees, 51% of railroad mileage – and 66% of railroad accident casualties! Railroad featherbedding – work paid for, but not performed or not needed - claims a shocking toll of $500,000,000 from the American public every year. In every But it hurts railroad employees worst of That's why the forthcoming negotiations bedding burden from the American publio -so that our country may have the unexcelled rail service a dynamic economy demands. OBSOLETE WORK RULES are responsible for featherbedding-not On the New York to Washington AMERICAN RAILROADS |