Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1921-12-01
new WORKING RULES AFFECTING
4OO,OOOSHOPMEN HANDED DOWN
TODAYBYU. S. RAILROAD BOARD
Two Important Change. In
Operations Of Work
Shops; Decision Takes
Place OF Agreement En-
tered Into By Workers
And Railroad Administra-
tion.

Chicago, Dec. New working
rules for the 100000 railroad
shopmen, including at least two
important changes. were handed
down today by the United States
railroad labor board. This de-
cision supplanted the agreement
entered into by the employees and
the United States railroad admin
istration September 20. 1919.
The decision will result i'll All
estimated annual payroll saving
of $50.000,o00 to the railroads and
form the basis upon which adju-
dication Of all future wage dis
putes between railroads and their
employees will be based.
The rules were passed unani-
mously BY the board. including
the vote of A. O. Wharton. of the
labor group, who cast dissenting
vote upon the last wage cut.
One of the most important
changes was the. permitting of ap-
prentices to do certain repair work
formerly restricted to journeymen
in that craft. Another change
| provided for representation Of
ninorities i'll the presentations OF
grievances to meet the contention
OF the railroads that old national
agreements practically forced a
closed shop on the railroads.
Far-rcachins Changes.
Far-reaching changes in the rules,
which supplant the national agree
ment made during federal control,
were designed to afford a basis for
! permanent stability in the railroad
shops of the country and were declar.
! ed by members of the labor board to
oe the most important work yet done
by the board and Of much greater
Significance than ny..decision in the
past. even including wage scale ed
! justmen
!. Large economies are expected TO
result from revision Of the classifi-
cation rules, which We're made more
4 elastic and hereafter will permit
members of certain crafts to do minor
jobs previously done by memb bers of
other crafts Statisticians attached to
the labor board estimated that econ
omies in operation. increased efficien-
cy and larger output, would approx
innate S50.000,000 a year.
Provision for the representation Of
ninorities who may have grievances
Is another important item Of the new
rules. Under the national agreement
negotiation for employees was placed
II @r& 4, III, 80
! orga MIA tons, with the result that the
railroads and many industrial and
civic institutions declared that the
agreement forced a closed union shop
on the roads Non-un:on men found 1t
impracticable to attempt to bring
their grievances before the board and
as the rules worked out, union Off
| Gals handled the cases, taking their
precedent from the national agree
ment negotia tons in which union Of
ficials acted for the employees in draw
ing up the agreement under federal
control.
The principle of the open shop es-
) tabllshed by the new rules" sta te :
ment by the board members said. will
in fact be more theoretical than prac-
tical at the present time. since a large
majority of the railroad shops are
| unionized and the existing unions are
recognized by the hoard and by the
transportation act as representatives
: of the majority.
. Older Rules Ren,ain.
"Most Of the older working rules,
: sanctioned by the experience of years,
! are preserved in full effect Many
. of the more rigid rules. however. were
considerably relaxed in favor of the
> roads. although the recognized rights
: Of the men are fully protected and
t the principle of collective bargaining g
and union reorganization is retained
E as contemplated by the transporta-
, ton act