Cavalier County farmers press. (Langdon, N.D.) 1920-1921, 1921-07-14
Brotherhoods General Chairmen
Decline to Accept RESPONSE
biIity for Reduction.
is UNIONS INTERESTED
Members to Decide by Referendum
Vote by September I Whether or
Not They Viii Accept the IL
Per Cent Wage Slash.

Chicago-The membership of 16 rail.
road labor organizations, including the
Big Four b%rotherhoods, will decide
through a referendum vote by Septem-
Der 1 whether to accept or reject the
IL per cent wage reduction that went
into effect on railroads throughout the
country July /, it was decided by the
chief executives and 1900 general
chairmen of the organizations.
The general chairmen decided that
they could not responsibility
for the wage reduction that was or
dered by the United States Railroad
Labor board.
Organizations Interested.
The organizations that were repre-
sented at the conference at which the
decision to have a referendum vote was
made, follow:
Brotherhood of Locomotive Engin-
GERS, Brotherhood of Locomotive Fire
men and Enginemen, Brotherhood of
Railroad Trainmen, Order of Railway
Conductors, all known as the Big -Four
brotherhoods; Brotherhood of Railroad
Signalmen of America, Brotherhood Of
Railway and Steamship Clerks, Freight
Handlers, Express and Station En-.
ployes, Brotherhood Railway Car Men
of America, International Alliance OF
Amalgamated Sheet Metal Workers,
International Association of Machin.
lists, International Brotherhood of Boi-
~lermakers, Iron Shipbuilders and Help.
ers Of America, International Brother
hood of Electrical Workers, Interna.
tional Brotherhood of Firemen and Oil.
ers, Order of Railroad Telegraphers,
Switchmen's Union Of North America
and the United Brotherhood of Main.
tenance of Way Employees and Railway
Shop Laborers.
Most of Them Members.
All but the Big Four brotherhoods OF
the foregoing organizations are mem
bers of the Railway Employees depart
ment Of the American Federation o.
Labor, of which B. M. Jewell is presi
dent.
The chief executive and genera
chairmen of the 16 organizations decid
ed upon their united course of action
in the wage reduction matter after the
general chairmen of the Brotherhood o1
Locomotive Engineers, Brotherhood Of
Locomotive Firemen and Enginemen
and the Switchmen's Union Of North
America had told the other organiza,
lions that the plan was the one which
they would follow. 1t was then an
nounced that the other organizations
would decide upon their curse within
AS hours. The general chairmen and
chief executives Immediately went into
session and emerged within a few
hours, decided upon their plan.
E. H. Fitzgerald, president of the
Brotherhood of Railway and Steamship
Clerks, freight handlers, express and
station employees, said that nothing
can be expected of the railroad EN-
ployes interested in the decision of the
labor board except to resist to the full
est extent the reduction of rates Of
pay and the proposed abrogation of GER
tain favorable working conditions"
The general chairmen also authorized
their chief executives to make. ar
engagements, if possible, to meet a com
mittee of railway executives to be Sc
lected to meet a subcommittee of the
five organizations "to consider, and, il
possible, adjust all matters in contro
versy.