Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-08-01
RAIL BOARD ANNULS
P. R. R. LABOR PACT
Election Of Representatives OF
Shop Crafts to Draft
Rules Held Unfair
NEW BALLOT IS ORDERED

Chicago, Aug. 1.-Declaring elcc-
tions Of employees committees held by
the Pennsylvania Railroad and by the
Pennsylvania shop crafts unions H.
legal and void, the United States Rail-
road Labor Board yesterday issued a de-
cision ordering a new ballot to select
committee on negotiation Of rules
covering working conditions to replace
the national agreements established
during Federal control.
The decision also Cancelled rules now
in force as result of agreements
reached by the railroad with the com
mittee elected on the Pennsylvania ball
lot.
The shop crafts unions are fully
recognized in the boards decision. al.
though non union men were declared
to have full and equal rights. In a
election employees are to be given their
choice of representation by the Penn
sylvania System Federation. affiliated
with the railway employees department
of the American Federation Of Labor.
the American Federation of Railroad
Workers. or by any other organization
or individual for whom a majority vote
is cast.
Sidesteps Open Shop
The Labor Board refused to be
drawn into discussion Of the open
shop, for which the Pennsylvania has
openly contended. It was on this prin-
ciple that the railroad refused recently
to recognize the unions claims to rep
resentation Of the majority of shop
n
eral election. The board. however, said
the dispute which arose over the
I unions claims was merely one OF pro-
cedure."
Neither the Pennsylvania general
election nor a ballot conducted by the
System Federation was fair or legal.
the board said. and the employees have
consequently "been denied their legal
right to select representatives for this
important conference on rules
The boards decision declared the dis
pute one of technicalities, adding that
"at the time when the Nation is slowly
and painfully progressing through the
conditions of industrial depression. un =
employment and unrest, 1t is almost
treasonabl. for any employer or emplOyr
to stubbornly haggle over non essen
| tials at the risk of social chaos
The boards ruling orders a confer :
! ence on or before August 10 between
representatives Of the road. the Penn
sylvania System Federation, or any
other organization having shop crafts
members and established to function as
labor organization, as set forth in the
Transportation Act, and any other rep
resentative carrying the signed authori
zaton Of one hundred unorganized EN-
ployes.
This conference is TO determine the
method Of holding the new election, am
the general committee will also have
charge Of the eection.
When the Labor Board, last April,
directed the railroads to negotiate work
| ing rules to succeed those established by
the Railroad Administration, and con
tinued by the board pending their re
placement, the Pennsylvania System
Federation. comprising the six shol
crafts unions, authorized Its genera
chairmen to conduct the negotiations.
Refuse to Recognize Committee
The carriers, however, refused to ne
gotiatc with this committee and ballo
was sent out by the road.
This ballOting did not provide fol
designating any organization, requirins
votes to be cast for individuals. UpoE
refusal of the company to amend tht
ballot allowing votes for organizations
the union men refused to vote the com
pauy ballot and issued one of their own
The Pennsylvania recognized only
the committees named by its ballot
conferred with them and subsequently
put into effect rules negotiated will
those committees. 1t is these rules
which the board has declared void.
The dispute, as the Labor Boar
viewed it, was entirely one of VIII