162
DISCIPLINE
The exact amount of “irritation” in loss of money to employees for one month has been figured out by one railroad, as follows:—
Engineers | |||
Discharged | 4 | Merits | 0 |
Demerits | 455 | Amount saved to the men | $1706 |
Firemen | |||
Discharged | 2 | Merits | 10 |
Demerits | 1265 | Amount saved to the men | $263 |
Conductors | |||
Discharged | 4 | Merits | 10 |
Demerits | 485 | Amount saved to the men | $1523 |
Operators | |||
Discharged | 10 | Merits | 0 |
Demerits | 310 | Amount saved to the men | $514 |
Trainmen | |||
Discharged | 21 | Merits | 0 |
Demerits | 696 | Amount saved to the men | $1553 |
That is to say, a certain number of men had been awarded “demerits” for offenses instead of suspension with loss of pay, which in one month would have amounted to $5559. Of course, most of this amount would have been earned by spare men, but this consideration by no means allays the “irritation” of the regular men.