New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1921-08-01
PR. R.W orking
Rules Election
Declared Void
Railroad Labor Board Or
ders New Ballot to Obtain
Committee to Formulate
Regulations forEmployees
Non-Union Rights Hold
Neither Roads General Poll
Nor System Federation
Fair, Is Federal Finding

CHICAGO, July 81 (By The Asso-
ciated Press. -Declaring elections of
employees committees held by the
Pennsylvania Railroad and by the
Pennsylvania shop crafts unions lille
gal and void, the United States Rail-
road Labor Board to-day issued de-
cision ordering new ballot to select
committee on negotiation of rules
covering working conditions to replace
the national agreements established
during Federal control.
The decision also Cancelled rules
now in force as q result of agreements
reached by the railroad with the COM
mittee elected on the Pennsylvania
ballot.
The shop crafts unions are fully
recognized in the boards decision, al
though non-union men were declared
to have full and equal rights In a
form ballot drafted for use in the new
election employees are allowed their
choice of representation by the Penn
sylvania System Federation, affiliated
with the railway employees depart
ment of the American Federation of
Labor, the American Federation of
ganization or individual for whom a
majority vote is cast.
Open Shop Question Avoided
The Labor Board refused to be
drawn into a discussion of the open
shop, for which the Pennsylvania has
openly commended 1t was on this prin-
Ill l.
to recognize the unions claims to rep
RESERVATION of the majority of shop
employees and proceeded to hold gen
eral election. The board however, said
the dispute which arose over the
unions claim was merely one of pro-
cedure"
Neither the Pennsylvania general
election nor a ballot conducted by the
system federation was fair or legal, the
board said, and the employees have
consequently "been denied their legal
right to select representatives for this
important conference on rules"
The boards decision declared the
dispute one of technicalities, adding
that "at time when the nation is
slowly and painfully progressing
depression, unemployment and unrest,
it is almost reasonable for any en-
ployer or employee to stubbornly
haggle over non-essentials at the risk
of social chaos"
The boards ruling orders confer
ence on or before August 10, between
representatives of the road, the Penn
sylvania system federation, or any
other organization having shop crafts
members and established to function as
a labor organization, as set forth in
the transportation act, and any other
representative carrying the signed
authorization of one hundred unor-
gained employees. This conference is
to determine the method of holding the
new election and the general committee
will also have charge Of the election.
Plan of Taking Ballots
When the Labor Board, last April,
directed the railroads to negotiate
working rules to succeed those estab-
lished by the railroad administration.
and continued by the board pending
their replacement, the Pennsylvania
system federation, comprising the six
shop crafts unions, authorized its gen.
eral chairmen ts conduct the negotia-
tions. The carriers, however, refused
to negotiate with this committee and a
ballot was sent out by the road.
This ball,t did not provide for des-
ignating any organization requiring
votes to be cast for individuals. Upon
refusal of the company to amend the
the union men refused to vote the COM
pany ballot and issued one of their
own.
The Pennsylvania recognized only
the committees named by its ballot
conferred with them and subsequently,
put into effect rules negotiated with
those committees. 1t is these rules
which the board to-day declared void.
The dispute, as the Labor Board
viewed it, was entirely one of who
should represent the employees. The
transportation act, however, does not
prescribe the method by which en-
ployees shall select their representa-
tives and both parties correctly con-
Guided that an election by ballot would
be necessary" the decision said. There
the dispute arose.
"The carrier had no more right to
undertake to assume control of the
selection of representatives of the en-
ployees than the employees would have
had in supervising the namirg of the
carrier Representatives" the decision
said s'In This sophisticated land of
popular elections no political party
would submit to having it's primary
held and managed by the opposing
party"
The Pullman company recently was
involved in similar dispute, and after
holding a general election. disrega. <
ing the unions, was ordered by the
board 10 negotiate with the union
committee. The Pennsylvania, how
ever, is given the opportunity of new
election by which it is expected both
union and non-union employees will be
satisfied.
DNADC TN CT I(~0ECC