Evening star., 1921-08-05
|NONlUNI0N RIGHTS ]
ON ROADS UPHELD
Railroad Board Settles Dis.
pute Between Brotherhood
and Pennsy.

BY the Associated Press. ,,
CHICAGO. August 5.-The rights of
non-union employees were upheld by
the United States Railroad Labor
Board yesterday IN rendering de-
cision in q dispute between the Penn
sylvania railroad and the Brother
hood Of Railway and Steamship
Clerks. Freight Handlers. Express
and Station Employees.
The dispute grew out Of meeting
between representatives Of the car
rier and its employees to negotiate
rules and working conditions. The
carrier submitted plan for taking
their representatives for the proposed
conference on rules. The representa-
tives of the brotherhood refused to
accept the plan, and made coun-
ter proposal. which was refused by
the road.
Opinion Of Board.
The railroad then put out it's ballot
without an adjustment of the differ
ences. THE evidence shows" the
board declared, that a large ma
jority of said employees either dig
not participate in the election held
by the carrier or or their votes .t,ees Wees
elected by minority of the em-
ployes have since been negotiating
new agreements for rules and work
ing conditions to apply to all em-
ployes of that class. including dne
votes were thrown out" In ruling
on the dispute, the board decided
as follows:
Il. The carrier was within its rights
in denying that the brotherhood rep.
resented q majority of that class OF
employees and requiring evidence OF
the fact.
"2. An election to be freely par
ticipated in by all employees. union and
non union. to select representatives
to negotiate rules and working condt-
tions was proper and legal.
rs. That the carrier was wrong In
refusing to allow the name Of any
Organization to go on the ballot. There
is nothing in the transportation act
to justify this course. Said statute
recognized the existence of organiza-
| tions of railway employees. and the
right of the men to belong to such
organizations is no longer seriously
questioned in any quarter.
-. Said organization of employees
was wrong in its suggestion that the
ballot contain only the names Of Or
ganizations to the exclusion OF in
non-union men and was therefore un-
just and unreasonable"
Conference Ordered.
rier was correct in it's contention that
| the employees embraced in the mem.
bership of the brotherhood constituted
| more than one distinct class of en-
ployes within the meaning of the
transportation act, and for the pur-
poses of the proposed ballot divided
| them into three groups. The board
then ordered that a conference be
held on or before August Is to ar
range details of new ballot and elec.
tion of representatives to negotiate
rules.
1T can not be said that this case
| involves in any sense the question of
open or closed the decision declared
| in conclusion. Neither does it in
volve any attempt to deprive the car
| rier apd the employees of the right to
sit down at a conference table and
settle their own differences, If any
arise. as to rules and working condi-
| tions.
ION the contrary, it is the purpose
| of this board by it's decision to guar
antee both to the carrier and it's en-
+, ployes, union and non-union. every
| right conferred upon them by law, ia
the end that there may he the har-
monious cooperation essentiaT to the
wellbeing Of all parties and theEhigh-
est service to the public at large"