New-York tribune., 1921-09-26
Pennsylvania
Road Rejects
Boards Order
Cannot Accept Shop Crafts
Ruling and Insists on Its
Right to Treat With En-.
pioyees independently
Jurisdiction Questioned
Charges Evasion Of Real
Issue and Declares Its
Side Has Not Been Heard

he Pennsylvania Railroad. IL was an.
nounced yesterday. will to-day file with
the united States Railroad Labor Boa I'd
reply to the boards recent order
concerning the application Of the rail
way company that the decision in the
case OF the shop crafts union be set
aside. The reply, signed by Samuel
hea as president of the company. was
made public yesterday. Its principa,
contentious are
THAT the board has refused 10 orant
hearing at which the company pro
posed to give evidence that it's en-
ployees are satisfied with the manner
or selecting employee representatives
and with the rules and working condi-
tions now in effect.
Scope of Hearing Limited
THAT the board, on the contrary
has restricted to-day's hearing to mat.
ters over which the company maintains
the board has no jurisdiction and has
declined to hear any other evidence.
That the real isue in this case is
the 1undamental right of employer and
employee to deal directly with each
other
That the company does not question
the jurisdiction of the board to hear
ana decide such disputes as fall with
IN the purview of the transportation
act, but that it does deny the right of
the board to invade the domain of
management"
Referring to the boards decision
that hitherto unquestioned legal right
must give way to the boards view of
what is just, fair and reasonable as
between the parties and the public the
statement says:
The carrier cannot accept these
views Of the board, novel and even
startling though they may be and. il
followed to their logical conclusion
revolutionary in effect. 1t does not be-
lleve that the transportation act has
deprived or was intended by Congress
to deprive, either employers or en-
ployees of their constitutional and
legal rights as established bv the Su
preme Court and other courts of the
United States"
Employees Back Road
AS to the strength of the sentiment
among the employees of the railroad
in favor of direct dealing between ex-
ecutives and representatives of the en-
ployces, Mr.. Rea said:
There are in the service of the car
rier at this time approximately 176, 900
employees who are interested in and
affected by rules covering working con-
dltions, and 117,176, or 665 per cent, of
said employees have by vote or other
wise, as a result of said conferences,
expressed desire to negotiate rules
and working conditions through en-
ployee representatives.. Accordingly
contracts respecting rules and working
conditions have been entered into be-
tween the carrier and representatives
OF 9,918 employees, apportioned
among the several classes as follows:
Train and engine service employees 41,S06
Clerks and other office station
storehouse warehouse and eleVa-
tor forces including engine and
train crew callers .... .......... 50 sos
Maintenance of way and struc-
tures and shop laborers. ..,...... 4o,20o
chanics helpers and appren-
ticcs. maintenance of equipment
and telegraph and teenhone ..... % 20
Signal department employees. ...... 2.oe1
Marine department employees. ...... 1854
Dining car and restaurant
ployees OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES. 1922
ioldl iysy 5
Saws Men Are Satisfied