Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1921-09-03
To
SETTLE DISPUTES
ON PENNA. R. R.
New Cooperative Plan Per-
fected, According to Com
pany's Announcement.
10000 MEN ARE AFFECTED

I Committees consisting of equal rep.
resentation OF the employees and Of
the management have now been es-
tsblished on the Pennsylvania railroad
for the settlement of all controversial
questions affecting approximately
10000 employees. according 10 an an
nouncement made 5 by the company.
which says:
A new basis of understanding be-
tween the management and these
employees is now in effect. On their
part the employees recognize that all
differences should be and are capable
Of amicable settlement On the part
OF the management effectuaI recog-
milton is given to the right of the em-
pioyes 10 have a voice on equal terms
with the management in matters az
fecting their welfare and working con-
ditions.
With the train and engine service
employees this arrangement. embodied
in the joint reviewing committee. has
been in effect since January of this
year A method OF amicab.e adjust
ment similar to this joint reviewing
committee has been worked out by
the representatives of the manage
nlent and the representatives of other
classes of employees.
The questions TO be taken up by
these committees include grievances.
rules and working conditions. and the
administration of discipline. The
votes of all members, whether repre-
sentatives of the management or of
. If ~
less than two-thirds vote is necessary
to reach a decision upon any question
presented.
In all matters except individual dis
cipline cases, the full committee will
vote and its decisions will constitute
precedents which will be binding
equally upon both sides with respect
to similar existing or future cases.
In discipline cases. which involve a
personal element, the representatives
Of the management and the represen-
tatives of the employ directly interest
ed in the case merely act as counsel
for the presentation of their respective
claims and do not vote on the case.
A method of appeal to the division
superintendent, general superintend-
ent and general manager is provided
70 that all cases which cannot be set
tied on the division may receive ex-
peditious attention by the reviewing
Regular meeting dates
are fixed for the division spperintend
ents, the general superintendent and
the general managers, to meet rep
resentatives of the employees under
their Jurisdiction, and appeal may be
taken in this order, the employees par
t;cipating in every step in decisions
affecting their interest.
The formation of these committees
carries out the policy announced on
May Goth, 1921. of giving ali employees
an opportunity to have a voice in the
in matters affecting their
welfare Following this announcement
elections were held throughout the
system to determine the employees
choice of representation TO formulate
new rules and working conditions TO
take the place of the National Agree
ments. II was announced at that time
that ID was the hope of the manage
ment that these employe representa-
t:ves would form the nucleus of COM
mittees which should frequently con-
fer with the management Oh all mat
ters concerning the employees. Ac-
cordingly, as soon as the new rules
were agreed upon. the employe repre-
sentatives and the management held
a series OF conferences which resulted
IN the formation of these committees