Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1921-09-20
BOARD
To RECONSIDER
THREE POINTS
Company Charged With
MisstatingC Commission
Position, In Ruling.
Also Is Accused of
Propaganda Campaign
at Enormous Expense.

Chicago, Sept. ID. - The PennSyf
vania railroad Monday was granted
permission by the United States rail
on September 2G in support Of its plea
that the boards order that new cleo
tion of employees representatives i'll the
negotiations over working conditions
be held, should be annulled.
The board in ruling gave the road
permission to present evidence on three
subjects. namely:
las to what employees not in ac-
tuai service of the carrier may vote
in the election Of the employees repre-
sentative to conduct negotiations with
the road over rules and working con-
ditions.
2.-As to how the representative ca.
pacity Of spokesmen Of unorganized en-
pioyes shall be ascertained.
3.-On the adoption or ratification
of its shop crafts rules by representa- |
tives Of said crafts fairly elected by a /
majority Of employees of that class. |
The Pennsylvania $ request of August
"a specifically asked four things:
That the board vacate its decision of |
July 26 directing the Pennsylvania to |
confer with union officers and hold
new election for employe representa-
tives to negotiate working rules: that
the board find. in pursuance Of the
transportation act that the carrier
has the legal right to establish rules
either with or without comforting with
it's employees that the board ratify
agreements already made between the
Pennsylvania and it's employees, and that
an oral hearing be granted to offer
testimony in support of assertions
made in the roads petition.
Limited to the Parts.
In granting the last point. the board
decided to confine the hearing to the
three questions above. The first ques-
ton was raised by the desire of the
unions to allow men laid off. furlough-
ed or on leave of absence to vote in
the representatives election. The
Pennsylvania has maintained that only
men in the active employ of the comp
any should vote.
The second point covers the class of
unorganized employees. which the un-
ions claim to represent. and which the
board in a recent decision said should
be represented by any employe hold
ing the signed authorization Of 100
employees to act for them
The last point will give the Pennsyl-
vania authority to support their con-
tention that present rules. negotiated !:
by "emplOyes' representatives select
ed at general election. are now in :
effect and working satisfactorily.
Denies Boards Power. ,
The Pennsylvania recent petition g
denied the boards power originally to t
extend the national agreement as it
did in July, 1920. the road contending
the agreement was. effective only dur \
ing federal control The objection |
prompted long review Of the nation c
al agreement case in the boards de- Ii
rision. 1t was explained that the ma s
tional agreement was continued mere I
ly to provide a modus vivendi while
rules were being drawn up to replace s
necessary because of the time reauir- +
ed to inquire into conditions and set b
up new agreement. Seven of the ri
national agreement rules have been $
but 179 remain before the !,
BOARD for action. +
BY an order last April. railroads and
heir employees were directed to nego- 7
late individual agreements so far as
possible. This plan failed, only five
u the 32O roads affected were able to
conclude satisfactory agreements. The
BOARD therefore has retained jurisdc-
ion over the entire matter.
Lay Down is Principles. :,
A set Of 16 principles was laid down :,
or the guidance of the employer and :, :,
employees in negotiating substitute z,
ules for the national agreement, and =,
was one of these principles that q.
he Pennsylvania struck snag. The h,
'rinciple read:
'"The majority of any craft or class is
+ employees shall have the right to de- IN
ermine what organization shall repre- N
ent members of such craft or class at
uch organization shall have the right 2,
0 make an agreement which shall ap- 4
ly to all employees in such craft or
lass" The Pennsylvania controversy Fl,
eveloped over this point sc
After the labor boards direction of he
pril IA, 1921, to carriers and en-
loyes, that they confer on new rules, r
fficers of the Pennsylvania System
ederation Of Shop Crafts Unions ap-
reached the railroad officers to ar ed
,nge negotiations. The PENNSYLVANIA r,
Ulcers, however, declined to proceed, In
4 the ground that there was no sat r,
facfOrv nrOOf that tho union man ron | II