The Penn's Grove record., 1888-04-14

-
The Second Annual Report OF the
State Board OF Arbitration for 1887
contains a valuable compilation of the
practical results Of arbitration in the
manufacturing districts of Massaehu-
sets. From this report we learn that
o little over a year ago the counties of
Suffolk, Essex and Worcester were
battle-delds of opposing forces, unable
even to confer together on account of
bitterness, born Of open and prolonged
hostility, obscuring the original points
Of difference. and a settlement could
only be attained by the exhaustion of
one or the other party.
In 1886 an act was passed which pro-
vided by law for . State Board of
Arbitration, without requiring 1t to
intsrpose In cases of difficulty, except
when application was made in writing.
either by employer or employees, or BY
both, but the law was amended at the
last session, which enabled the State
Board OF Arbitration to Interfere of
Its W motion. The act of 1887
makes it the duty OF the Board, when
a strike or lockout Is seriously threat
ened or has actually occurred, to COM
municate with the parties, and endeavor
to effect an amicable settlement by me-
diation, or persuade them to submit the
matters to arbitration. The applica-
ton OF this provision OF law has been
followed by good results in every case.
Even when the parties declined to sub.
nit TO arbitration, the Board, by be-
coming acquainted with the questions
involved, was enabled to point the way
10 a peaceful solution.
Whenever the Board has %interposed
without receiving application its first
aim was to induce the workmen to re-
sumo work, and the employer to re-
ceiye them back so that business could
be continued with the understanding
that the questions in dispute should be
submitted to arbitration. This being
acceded to. the work OF reconciliation
was more than half accomplished. The
difficulties were then discussed at
leisure. and by tue time the decision
was announced the relations of the
parties had usually become so inn
proved as to prepare the way for a re-
adjustment with little or no difficulty.
Tie Board has also been effective in
adjusting difficulties which did not re-
Quire al extended or formal inquiry,
by simply giving advice when con.
suited. For this purpose the Board is
In daily attendance at the office. IL
Beacon Street, Boston. In the sixteen
months of its existence the Board has in
v~estigated some of the minutest details
of the manufacture Of piano-actions,
boots, shoes, paper, cotton spinning,
wool sorting and spinning, stone-
cutting and other trades, and conf
ience in the ability of a State Board
10 deal with technical questions in
yolyed In the various trades, has been
established, and the municipal officers
and the press have rendered valuable
aid by sympathy and active co-opera-
ton. The recommendations of the
Board have been accepted and acted
upon in all cases regularly submitted, |
and although the binding force Of a
decision is limited by law to six months, |
the status of the parties has usually
remained the same after the expiration
of that period and in the two cases
where the required notice of sixty days
to end the obligation has been given, no
such action Was taken and the decision
OF the Board remained in force. Every
decision received the concurrence OF
three members of the Board. ,
, Parties have been reminded in every
instance OF their power to select a Local
board instead of the State Board, but
only one instance occurred wherein this
power was exercised and after several
weeks were spent in the attempt to
agree on a local tribunal, both parties
turned to the State Board for relief.
The Board afirms its sincere belief
In the efficacy Of Cancellation, media
ton and arbitration, and shows that
a great improvement has taken
place In the State as a result of the Op'
of legislation on the subject,
There is among the working men an
increasing aversion to strikes and Il
more ready acquiescence in. the adop-
tion of methods which appeal to a
of Justice and reason. The eX-
istence of the Board is a reminder of
the excellence of peaceful methods,
and employers and employed are in a
measure compelled to choose their posi-
lions more carefully and be more rea-
in their demands. The influ-
ence of the Board thus extends far be-
youd the particular cases coming un-
der lis cons Iteration, and settlements are |
more readily arrived at by parties among |
themselves, because of the existence of
a Board CT possible appeal, easy Of &C. !
cess and actuated by the n purpose of
doing justice. |
1t is gratifying to see that the exrer-
iment of establishing a State Beard of
Arbitration for the settlement of
differences between employers and
their employees has been SO success
full in the Commonwealth of Massachu-
sets. Had similar provision been made
in Pennsylvania, the recent railroad,
mining and other strikes that have been
attended with such disasterous conse-
quences to the whole community, would
have been avoided, many millions of
dollars saved and much personal suffer.
urpypDtpd.