Daily Kennebec journal., 1921-12-01
New Rules for
Rail Shop Workers
in Effect Today

IN ETTecL To-Day
Chicago, Nov. 30-(By the Associ-
ated ress)-Economies in operation
and increased efficiency, estimated to
reach s5o,0o0,o00 "a year, and recog-
milton of the open shop" on all
American railroads were forecast to-
night in the PRONUNCIATION of revised
working rules governing railroad shop
employees by tho United States Rail-
road Labor Board.
The new rules become effective
today. December l, and take jurisdic-
ton over approximately 400, 900 men
Immediately, although a still larger
number will be affected when the
normal traffic conditions are restored.
Far reaching changes in the rules,
which supplant the National Agree
ment made during federal control,
were designed to afford a basis for
permanent stability in the railroad
( shops of the country and We're de-
clhred by members of the Labor
Board to be the most important work
yet done by the board and Of much
greater significance than any decision
III the past, even including wage scale
adjustments.
Large economies arc expected TO
result from revision of the classif-
cation rules, which were made more
elastic, and hereafter will permit
| members of certain crafts to do
minor jobs previously done by mem
bers of other crafts. Statisticians
attached to the Labor Board estimat-
cd that economies in operation. in
| creased efficiency and larger output,
would approximate S50,000,000 q year.
| Provision for the representation OF
minoritics who may have grievances
| is another important item OF theinew
/ rules. Under the National Agree
ment. negotiation for employees was
! placed almost wholly in tho hands df
labor organizations, with the result
! that the railroads and many indus
trial and civic institutions declared
| that the agreement forced a closed
union shop on the roads. NOn-union
mon found it impracticahle to at
! tempt to bring their grievances be-
fore the board and as the rules
/ worked out, union officials handled
! the cases, taking their precedent from
the National Agreement negotiations
in which Union officials acted for the
employees i'll drawing UP the agree
mont under federal control.
"1'hc principle Of the open shop es-
tablshcd by the now rules" state
ment by board members said, will in
fact. be more theoretical than prac-
teal at the present time, since large
majority of the railroad shops are
! unionizcd and the existing unions arc
recognized by the board and by the
, Transportation Act as representative
of the ma ajority.
Most of the older working rules,
sanctioned by the experience Of
years, are preserved in full effect.
Many of the more rigid rules. how
ever, were considerably relaxed in
favor of the roads, although the rec
ognized rights of the men are fully
protected and the principle of collec-
five bargaining and union recogniza-
tion is retained, as contemplated by
the Transportation"
The rules controversy dates back to
May l. 1920, when the railroads
emerged from government control.
Strenuous objections to the National
Agreement were made in a hearing
which began January 10, 1921. After
several months of testimony, the rules
were referred back to the individual
roads with instructions to negotiate
such new rules as they could with
their employees TO replace the federal
government rules.
Numerous rules were thus agreed
upon on individual roads. but on NO
road was it possible to draft an en-
tire now set. The rules disagreed
upon were then sent back to the Lab
or Board and the rules promulgated
today will replace any such rules
NOT agreed upon by the roads and
their employees. In any case where a
rule has been agreed upon by the
carrier and its employees, that rule
governs, even though the Labor
Board rule may be entirely different.
The ma jority of the changes effect
ed by tile new rules is in the ella ssifl
cation of the work to be performed
hy the various crafts. Almost with
out exception these ciassfieations are
made more elastic. Under previous
agreements with the shop crafts, in
Guiding. the National Agreement, 1t
has been the custom to define in de-
tail the various types Of work be-
longing to- each craft.
The carriers have complained that
the National Agreement set up in
such minute detail. the classification
of duties that work not requiring
specialized skill IN any craft was as
signed exclusively to particular
craft. For example work NOT re-
quiring mechanics skill was as
signed to q skilled mechanic, thus
making efficient and economical oper-
alton impossible, according to the
railroads.
The rules effective today broaden
the scope of each crafts work. The
machinist working on running re-
pairs may connect or disconnect any
wiring. coupling or pipe connections
necessary to repair machinery or
equipment. This work was previous
ly assigned to electricians and sheet
metal workers only.
Under the new rules, engineers.
firersen and cranesnaen are not pro-
n a. -