Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1921-08-01
SHOPMEN
UPHELD BY LABOR
BOARDS DECISION
Supervised ELECTION" of En-
ployees' Committees illegal;
New Vote Ordered.
NEW RULES CANCELLED

Chicago. Aug. 1--Declaring cleo
tions of employees committees held by
the Pennsylvania Railroad and by the
Pennsylvania shop crafts unions Illegal
e. and void. the United States Railroad
Labor Board yesterday issued a decis-
ion ordering a new ballot to select a
committee on negotiation of rules COW
ering working conditions to replace
the national agreements established
during Federal control.
The decision also cancelled rules now
In force as 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
10 have fun and equal rights. In a
FORM ballot drafted for use in the new
election. employees are TO be given their
choice OF representation by the Penn
sylvania System Federation affiliated
with the railway employees department
uf the American Federation of Labor.
the American Federation of Railroad
Workers. or by any other organization
ar individual for whom a majority vote
is cast.
The Labor Board refused to be
drawn into a decision of the open shop.
for which the Pennsylvania has openly
contended. II was on this principle
that the railroad refused recently to
recognize the unions claims 10 rep
resentation Of the majority of shop
employees and proceed to hold a gener-
I'D Szsa- 4
the dispute which arose over the
unions claim was merely one of pro-
Cpdure."
Neither the Pennsylvania general
election nor ballot conducted by the
system Federation was fair or legal,
the board said. and the employees have
consequently "beeh denied their legal
sright 20 select representatives for this
important conference on rules"
The boards decision declared the
dispute one of technicalities. adding
that at time when the nation =
slowly and painfully progressing
through the conditions Of industrial
depression. unemployment and unrest.
il is almost treasonable for any em-
Iioycr or employe to stubhornly haggie
over non-cssentials at the risk Of So
tlal chaos"
The boards ruling orders a confer
ence on or before August 10 between
representatives Of the road. the Penn
syNania system Federation, or any
other organization having shop crafts
members and established TO function
as labor organization. as set forth in
The Transportation act and any other
representative carrying the signal
authorization OF one hundred unorgan-
lied employees This conference is to
determine the method OF holding the
new election and the general commit
tee will also have charge Of the cleo
tion. When the Labor Board, last
April. directed the railroads to nego-
tiate working rules u succeed those
established by the Railroad Admins
tration, and continued by the board
pending their replacement, the Penn
sylvania system Federation. compris-
inr the six-shop crafts unions, author
lied lis general chairman 10 conduct
the negotiations.
The carriers, however, refused to
negotiate with this committee and a
ballot was sent out by the road.
This ballot did not provide for desig-
Mating any organization, requiring
votes 20 be cast for individuals. Upon
refusal Of the company 10 amend the
ballot allowing votes for organizations.
tha union.rnen refused 10 vote the COM