The Topeka state journal., 1897-10-18
Articles of Federation Adopted
by Officers of BrOtherhOOds
At the Convention of Railroad
Men at Peoria.
UNION OF EMPLOYEES
Clauses to Be Submitted to
Each Organization.
Final Action Taken the First
of the Year.

of federation adopted by the grand Off
GERS and committees of the four big
railroad brotherhoods - Locomotive
F'iremen, Railroad Trainmen, Railway
Telegraphers and Railway Conductors
at the conference here have just been
given out for publication. These artic-
les are to be presented to each of the
lodges of the organizations for rattti-
cation at once. All votes are expected
to be in by first of the year, when final
action will be taken. There are IA sec
tions to the document, the substance of
which is as follows:
Section /. When ratified by the
proper authority in four of the follow
ing named Organizations-BrO
of Locomotive Engineers, Brotherhood
Of Locomotive Firemen, Order of Rail-
way Conductors, Brotherhood of Rail
road Trainmen and Order of Railroad
Telegrap phers-and so certified for the
mutual advancement and protection of
the interests of railway employees of
America, the Federation of American
Railway Employees, to be governed by
the following rules, viii be formed and
See 2 If the federation is formed
between four OF the organizations nam
ed, the fifth will be admitted upon fill
ing with the secretary of the executive
committee notice of their ratification OF
the plan and desire to become mem
Der.
Sec. g. No organization participating
in this federation shall be or become
q part of any other federation. organi-
ZatiOn or alliance of railway employees
while holding membership in this one
Sec. 4. The affairs of the declarations
which do not involve or pertain to the
interests of the employees of any partic-
ular or individual railway company
committee, composed of the chief exec
utive officer of each organization party
to the federation, or of his associate Of
hcerS duly authorized to represent MN.
This executive committee shall organ
ize by the election of a chairman. vice
chairman and a secretary. A full rep
reSentatiOn of the organizations must
be present to constitute quorum
Sec ). The influence of this fedora
ton may be used through its executive
committee in favor of or in opposition
to national legislation which involves
the interests of the membership and
upon which the committee is fully
agreed. Where circumstances will per-
nit, the opinion of the membership in
general Will be secured before action is
taken. State of provincial legislative
matters will be left to state or provin-
ciaI committees.
Sec. G. Each organization party to
this federation shall have regularly es-
tabIished local and general grievance
committees of boards OF adjustment on
each system of railway, as provided in
their laws. The chairman and secreta-
~ of each general committee or board
of adjustment for the system, together
with the executives of the Organiza-
tions, or their duty appointed associate
officers, shall constitute the federated
board for that system of railway. Each
organization shall handle it's own grieN-
ances and those of its members under
it's own laws up to such time as 1t has
exhausted its efforts, and if, in accord
ance with its laws, it is ready to enter
upon a strike, it may call upon the
chairman Of the executive committee to
convene the federated board The chair
man of the executive committee will
notify each of these executives, setting
the time and place of meeting, and each
executive officer will notify the chair
man and secretary of the general COM
mittee of his organization for that sys-
tenn to attend such meeting of the fed
Grated board. When the federated
board has been convened, the officer
and the chairman and secretary of the
committee of the aggrieved OrganiZa-
tiOn shah present a full and detailed
statement of the trouble from its Origi-
nation, and all steps taken, together
with the results reached. After hear
ing such statement the federated board
VIII decide by a majority of its mem
berS whether or not they consider the
complaint just one; and if they ap-
prove it they shall wait upon the man
aging officers of the road, by committee
or in body, and make reaSOna Bile efforts
to adjust the matter. If no settlement
acceptable to a majority of the mem
bers of the federated board can be
reached, the question of a strike shall
be considered. Each organization shall
have one vote on this question, and
that vote shall be determined by the
tion, the affirmative vote of the eXecu-
tive officer and one other member be-
ing necessary. If each organization
votes in favor of a strike. strike
the part of the members of all the or
ganizatiOnS party to the federation en-
plOyed on that system will be declared
by the executives at an hour liked by
them; and every member employed on
that system of railway shall promptly
respond theretO.NO member of any or
ganization party to this federation shall
fr-fl af ilxE-saK
ployes which is not sanctioned by this
federation in accordance with this sec
tion.
Sec z. In the event of a strike the
executive committee of the federation
shall be the recognized leader.
Sec. s. If a strike is declared by this
federation it may be declared off at any
time by the federated board by the
same vote by which it was sanctioned.
After a strike has been in progress for
a period of two weeks, if the federated
board cannot agree as to declaring it
off the disputed points shall be submit
ted to the chairmen of the boards Of
| trustees or executive committees of the
! examinations Zone from each Organiza-
| tion) who shall have the authority to
\ decide it by a majority vote of their
number.
/ event of any chairman of the general
| committee being unable to attend
called meeting of the federated board,
/ the vice chairman shall be the repreSen-
! tative and if he cannot attend. then the
| secretary. and in case he cannot at
| tend another representative may be Sc
/ Iected Each organization party to the
! federation shall pay the expenses of its
! own representa- tiVes-
| Any organization party to the feder-
a+fOr shall punish its representatives IN
! cases of violation of the articles of fed
! Grafton, and failure to do so viii cause
/ the said organization to be summoned
! before the trial board for trial and in
| the event of conviction, upon two
| thirds vote of the trial board, the said