Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1921-09-19
NO PARL EY With ENJOYS
IRISH SOVEREIGN STATE
De VALERA AGAIN TOLD
ADVERSE RULING RAIL LABOR
BOARD MEANS IMMEDIATE STRIKE
SIX FEDERATED SHOP UNIONS

Chicago, Sept. 1S.-Pailroad shop
men belonging to the six federated
shop crafts unions have voted to
strike against the general railroad
reduction of July /, 1921. but will de-
fer any action until the PRONUNCIATION
of working rules now pending before
the United States Railroad Labor
Board, when another vote will be
taken on acceptance or rejection of the
rules.
This announcement was officially
made by 3. NJ. Jewell. head of the
shop crafts organizations. at mass
meetr@g of Chicago shop workers to-
day.
Belief that a stronger fight could
be made if a strike is called, with
preservation Of the shopmen's work
ing rules as one of the goals led to
the decision to withhold a strike call
for the present. Mr.. Jewell said. He
and other union speakers counselled
the men to wait until the entire wage
and rules situation was before them.
rather than rush into a strike which
Mr.. Jewell declared the railroad man
agements desired.
I'VE can make real fight on the
rules proposition when we might not
have the full support of other branch
es of railway employees on wage
fight alone" Mr.. Jewell said. IF
we want to protect out best interests,
we must wait until the time is OPP
perfume But if the labor board re-
leases all the remaining rules to be
acted upon at one time, then we will
have the whole matter before us. We
will need only one vote-to accept
or reject the rules--to determine what
will he done"
This announcement was greeted
with applause and questioners jumped
llp in all rarts of the hall to press
for further details. Answering ono
question NJ Jewell asserted that
the shop crafts would have the CO.
operation of other organizations, in
Guiding the big four hrotherhoods, If
a strike were called. and urged his
audience to prepare for action.
Tho strike vote. completed August
/. was announced as showing a con-
stitutional majority against the wage
reduction which went into effect July
l. This was the first official confirma-
ton of the result which has been
runlpred for some time.
Condemnation of the operations of
the labor board and of its decisions
was voiced by all speakers at the
meeting. Mr.. Jewell charged that
the railroads were attempting to
! use the board to take an unfair ad-
vantage of the industrial situation.
The boards method of drafting rules
to suppant the national agreement,
a war time measure, under which
employees work at present, was as
serted to be impractical, because
only seven of the 1856 rules have been
substituted.
Mr. Jewell said he would demand
of the board that for once it meet"
and announce the remaining rules
simultaneously instead of piece
meal.
When the board. announces the
sub rules. our committee will take
a ballot" Mr.. Jewell said. If the
rules are not satisfactory and the
DaiiOt says so. we Will take the re-
suit to the railroads. If they refuse
to grant our reasonable demands,
| they will have to stand responsible
and answer to the American people"
Condemnation of the piece work
I system was made by Edward Tegt-
meyer, vice president of the Black
smiths union, who said the attempt
of the roads to reinstate piece work
was an'aggravation to strike.
The railroads have been expect
ing us to strike" he said. They
want us to strike so they can put us
out of business: We want your sug-
gestions and advice when the time
! comes, tie your hats on; we're going
down the line and going all the way
General charges were made that
the railroads were opposing demands
of the unions as part of movement
which. President Jewell said. was
backed by mine billion dollars or
more" The object, he said, was ito
crush organized labor