The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1920-07-19
union CHIEFS
ANXIOUS FOR
RAIL AWARD
Leaders of l6 Recognized
Railroad Brotherhoods
Meet in Grand Council at
Chicago.
DECISION IS NOW READY
(By Associated Press)

CHICAGO. July 19.-If reports
reaching railroad brotherhood leaders
here regarding the wage award. to be
handed down tomorrow by the labor
board, are correct, the decision will
be unacceptable and will be rejected.
union leaders declared today One
thousand general chairmen of the 16
recognized unions are meeting behind
closed doors to discuss their future
course. While none will predict pub
licly that q general strike is a possibil.
ity II the award is unsatisfactory, they
assert privately that trustworthy in.
formation reaching them is that the
award is 30 low 1t will not be &C.
cepted.
Some leaders say that the temper
OF the men Is such that they doubt
whether an immediate walkout, un-
authorized and uncalled, could be
averted, II the men were not satisfied
by the boards decision.
The call for today's session which
will be continued for several days,
provides that the general chairmen
can. II they wish, pass on the award
without submitting it to vote.
Fear Hasty Action.
Both w. G. Lee, and 8. M. Heber-
ling, representing the two big switch
ing organizations, are said to be
among those bitterly opposed to the
award which they understand will be
handed down, but they are working
with the others to prevent any hasty
action by their men.
This conference Is looked upon as
nP hn ffo1 f,f
the associated railway crafts" Mr..
Heberling said today. You know we
are not bound to accept the award
Minis bill does not make the award
compulsory and neither the workers
nor the roads are forced to accept
the rulings"
Disastrous to Country.
II should not like to see a general
strike called. It would tie up the
country in "a hours, and in 4S hours
industries would be forced to close
The switchmen have asked for sc
per cent increase. A 20 per cent com.
promise would hardly be acceptable.
Scrub women employed in the Chicago
yards are drawing more money than
are the switchmen, who risk their
lives in their work.
While the recognized leaders are in
one conference, 100 chairmen of locals
OF the new yardmen's and enginemen's
associations, which called the strikes
in April gathered to await the award
John Grunau, president of the Chicago
Yardsmens association, parent body oi
all the new unions, said his men
would pass on the award independent
ly Of the recognized brotherhoods.
The new unions demand restoration
to their former seniority rights before
returning to work. The labor board
refused to hear their demands and II
Is understood there will be nothing in
the award to be handed down tomor
row to cover the case OF the strikers.
Purpose Of Meeting.
According to union rules all ques
tions of a wage increase must be
submitted to referendum vote Of the
entire membership of the union, but
it was pointed out today that the cal
for the grand council stated the pur
pose of the gathering to be ito con
slider and pass finally upon the award
made by the board"
Under these circumstances it was
not known whether the boards award
would be submitted to a referendum,
"u0lAcl lIAd2 dSLloA "oOAo bC IdhSA
by the union chiefs in session here
Referendum Takes Month.
IN connection with the discussion oi
a probable referendum it was pointed
out that a vote by the entire member
ship Of the brotherhoods would require
a month or more and that many unioI
leaders were opposed to this delay IT
the final acceptance or rejection of the
award.
Samuel E. Heberllng, president Of
the Switchmen's union Of North Amer
} lea, declared last night that If 1t was
decided that the award waa unsatis
factory. "concertsd action would bt
taken by the brctheInoods."
The wage increases asked by tbs
railroad workers. of whom there ar.
nearly 900, 900, would total more thar
$1,000, 100000. The demands range
from 25.3 per cent for shopmen t
66.4 per cent for maintenance Of wa!
employees.