Evening journal., 1921-07-09
PR CRITICIzES'
BOARD RULINGS.
Asserts Decisions on Shop
craft Controversy Con-
hict With Law
SHOPMEN PRESENT
ANOTHER PLEA

CHICAGO. July g. Notification
that the Pennsylvania Railroad
would continue negotiations Of rules
in its own way was served on the
Railroad Labor Board at the con-
clusion Of charges brought by the
Federated Shop Crafts that the
Pennsylvania had failed to comply
with the boards orders.
Charging failure OF the road to
enter conferences with the Pennsyl-
vania System federation. the unions
protested that the roads subsequent
election Of committees 10 negotiate
rules, disregarding the union COM
mittees. was in violation Of the
| boards direction OF April IA TO each
road TO negotiate its own rules with
/ its own employees G. Good. president
of the Pennsylvania federation. told
I OF the union methods OF representa-
ton and detailed the shop crafts for
Representatives.
After attacking the boards deci-
sion In several instances, +. T.
Whittier. assistant to the vice-presi-
dent. declared the policy OF the road
! in allowing employees to select their
representatives by a ballot OF all
employees had been a success and the
road proposed to continue such
methods.
Several speakers for the Penn
sylvania declared the action OF the
board in July, 1920. continuing the
national agreements promulgated by
the United States railroad admins
] tration was Illegal. +. p. Seneff
solicitor for the road. declared the
national agreements were continued
in effect by the roads only because
the rules were interviewer with the
wage question.
J. T. Wallis. chief OF motive power,
detailed the open shop policy Of the
I Pennsylvania and declared federal
control had intrenched the union in
the railroads OF the country.
Mr. Good exhibited ballots 70
show employees were practically un-
animous for the system federation.
] He declared that despite this vote,
the road refused 20 recognize the
union committee. The company al
so had an election OF committee men.
through which rules were subse-
quently agreed on and put In opera
ton. according 70 Pennsylvania rep
resentatives.
At the Altoona, Pa, shops. the
company employees are now under
the new rules. L. z. Peterman,
blacksmith in the shops. testified.
He said there was no likelihood OF a
strike.
The Pennsylvania case Is the first
big dispute which the board has been
called on 10 untangle as a result Of
its order referring the whole rules
controversy to the roads for nego-
tiation.
Meanwhile failure to negotiate an
entire set of rules to replace the ma
tional agreements has flooded the
board with disputes. How IL will
dispose Of them has not yet been
decided. The national agreements
rules continue in effect until the
controversy is settled. except where
new rules have been agreed on TO re-
place the federal control rules.
Warming members OF the shop
crafts unions on all railroads "to
so conduct themselves that they will
not become involved in a stoppage
b Of work" was sent out in a circular
b letter from the railway employees
department of the American Fedora
tion Of Labor today.
The letter pointed out that the
shop crafts composed only % pei
cent Of the 100000 railroad en-
J ployes in the country, and that nc
J action on the wage cut, which went
: into effect July 1. should be taker
without authority OF the railway
employees department, "pendinf
, further advice. and also pending the
time when the standard recognized
j railroad labor organizations can ar,
rive at the point of handling thi.
question where concerted action by
all may be taken"
A constitutional majority" foi
the rejection Of the wage cut wal
announced in the circular. although
e no figures were given. 1t was point
b ed out. however, that mo organiza,
q tion or group Of organizations shoulC
- be expected TO make a fight for IN,
sixteen labor organizations when IN,
q fight Is on a question common t,
each and every Individual employ,
o of all the railroads in America"