Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1921-07-06
FINISH BALLOT
. BY SEPTEMBER
SAYS CHAIRMAN.
Chicago Conference De-
clines Responsibility Of
Making Any Decision.
Acceptance or Rejec-
ton Must Lie With
Members, Statement.

Chicago, July 5.-The mem
bership of Is railroad labor
organizations, including the
Big Four brotherhoods, will
decide through referendum
vote by September l, whether
to accept Or reject the IL per
cent wage reduction that went
into effect on railroads
throughout the country July
|, it was decided Tuesday night
by the chief executives and
1900 general chairmen of. the
organizations.
The general chairmen decided that
they could not assume responsibility
Tor the wage reduction that was or-
dered by the United States railroad
labor board.
E.. Fl. FitzGerald. president. of the
brotherhood of Railroad and Steam
snip clerks, freight handlers, express
ana station employees, said that moth
ing can be expected of the railroad en-
pioyes interested in the decision of the
iaoor BOARD except to resist to the full
lest extent the reduction of rates of
pay ana the proposed abrogation of
eer'ain favorable working conditions
Organizations represented
The organizations represented at the
conference at which the decision to
lows: -,
brotherhood of Locomotive Engin-
eers; brotherhood of Locomotive Fire
men and Enginemen; brotherhood of
Haliroad Trainmen; Order of Railway
conductors: all known as the Big Four
brotherhoods; Brotherhood of Railroad
Signamen of America; Brotherhood of
hallway and Steamship Clerks. Freight
Handlers and Express and Sta
non Employees; Brotherhood of
halfway Carmen of America; Interna-
nonal Alliance of Amalgamated Sheet
" orkers; International Association of
MachlnIsts; International brotherhood
Of Boiler Makers; International Oilers;
Order of Railroad Telegraphers:
>wItchmen's Union of North America:
and the United Brotherhood of Main
Fenance of Way ERployes and Rail-
way Shop Laborers.
Majority in A. r. of L.
All but the Big Four brotherhoods
If the foregoing organizations are
members of the railway employees de-
'artment of the American Federation
If Labor. of which Il. NJ. Jewell is
president
The chief executives and general
,hairmen of the sixteen organizations
ieclded upon their united course of ac-
ION IN the wage reduction matter after
he general chairman of the Brother
1000 of Locomotive Engineers. Broth
'rhood of Locomotive Firemen and
.nginemen and the Switchmen's Union
i North America had told the other
that the plan was the
me which they would follow.
1t was then announced that the
ther organizations would decide upon
heir course within 4S hours. The
eneral chairmen and chief executives
went into session and
within few hours decided upon their
Ian.
Would Meet Rail Heads
The general chairmen also author
zed their chief executives to make ar
angements, if possible, for a commit
ee of railway executives to be selected
meet a subcommittee of the five
rganizatlons ''to consider and If pos
lble. adjust, all matters in controver-
y"
The chief executives and committees
bat are financing the matters for the
i've organizations were directed in the
esolution Ito clearly place the repre-
entatives of the railway corporations
n record as to whether or not they
ill request further decreases in rates
r compensation. the abolition Of
chedule rules or regulations, or the
of time and one half time
The resolution further read that
the ballot when submitted to the men
hall contain an impartial and unbiased
acital of all that is involved and the
ishes of the men as expressed by
sllot shall determine the matter, in
rcordance with the laws of the re-
,ective organizations"