The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1921-08-09
SECRET VOTE
is ORDERED
FOR PENNSY
Ballot by Which Shop En-
ployes May Select Commit
tee for Negotiation of Work
ing Agreements Directed.
RAILROAD HOLDS ALOOF
fBy Associated Pressl

CHICAGO, Aug. "a secret ballot
by the shop employees of the Pennsyl-
vania railroad to select committee
for negotiation of working agreements
with the roads officials was directed
by the United States labor board to-
day in supplementary ruling on the
recent shop crafts decision
The decision, which ordered a new
election of an employees committee,
and which cancelled agreements
reached by the road with committee
elected by general vote previously.
directed that the name of the employe
voting should appear on the ballot.
Insist on Secrecy
The ruling today ordered that the
conference directed by the original
decision to be held on or before Aug
10 should arrange plan of election
to insure 'the absolute secrecy of the
ballot
With but one day left to hold the
conference under the boards orders,
Pennsylvania officials here said that
no conference had yet been held to
their knowledge, and further said that
i they knew of arrangements for con-
ference today or tomorrow.
/
! said that the Pennsylvania was not
expected to take any action to comply
with the boards decision.
| New working agreements were put
in effect in the maintenance of equip
/ ment department of the Pennsylvania
railroad Monday, Aug. s. The work
ers directly affected by these regula-
\ .t1 ;v,ie I.i1 low
| makers, blacksmiths, electricians,
sheet metal workers, carmen, mould
ers, melters, core-makers, their help
ers and apprentices.
The new working orders will classi-
| fy the workmen according to their
ability and seniority, it is said. A gen.
eral re-classification is expected as a
result of these orders, the jobs on
which the men work being classified
| the same as the crafts.
Opinion of Officials.
| Officials of the company state that
the new classification is an effort tc
get back to normal conditions as they
| existed before the railroads were TAX
en- over during the war for federal
operation.
Notices of the new orders were post
ed last week. They were accompan
led by pamphlets explaining the scale
for workers and jobs.
Officials of the company stated that
they were not anticipating any diff
Guilty on the Richmond division. They
would express no opinion on the pos.
sibility of strike being called by the
allied labor unions over the new or
ders which will undoubtedly mean a
decrease in wages for many workers
Rumors about the railroad yard:
have been current that there was {
possibility of strike. No definite
confirmation of this could be gained
from the workingmen.
Workmen stated that reports haC
come to them that preparations for a
strike were being made in man,
places outside of Richmond, the prepa
rations being chiefly on the part o
the Pennsylvania company. One maj
stated that he understood sleeping &C
commoda tons had been provided b!
the company in several towns. Al
were close-mouthed regarding Rich
mond.
The chairman of the Federated
Shop Crafts had the following to sa,
regarding the situation here:
THE sentiment of the men, bein;
law abiding citizen of the UniteI
States and wishing to comply with al
: the laws and departments of govern
ment, we expect to continue work un
der the national agreements as eS
tended by addendum No. 2, decision
No. 119, dockets one, two and three
as laid down by the labor board, an
!. decision No 21S, docket 404, by tn
!, United States labor board"