Free trader-journal and Ottawa fair dealer. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1920-1927, 1921-12-01
RAILWAY SHOP MEN
UNION HARD HIT IN.
LABOR BOARD RULE.
FEDERAL COMMISSION PUTS o. K.
ON "OPEN SHOP" PLAN-ROADS
CLAIM DECISION WILL SAVE.
THEM $5o,ooo,ooo YEARLY.

Chicago, Dec. 1.-Sweeping modifica
tons of rules and working conditions
governing 100000 railway shopmen--
which rules the railroads have fought
as Oppressive" and arbitrary
were ordered in decision made pub
JIG yesterday by the United States
Railway Labor Board. The estimated
saving to railroads is $J0,O00,000 d
year.
The new decision, effective today
consists of AS new rules; twenty
four have been announced previously
ten abrogated and four referred to the
men. thereby accounting for all lSt
rules of the national agreement grant
ed workers during the war.
The significance of this drastic or
der Is almost as great as that Of Il
wage cut. Union organizations have
resisted abrogation of the national
agreements. with the assertion that
they are the backbone Of the union.
In his original petition, Gen w. w.
Atterbury of the Railway Executives
said that continuation of the "arbi-
trary" rules could mean nothing but
bankruptcy for the railroads.
All of the roads pleas, however,
were not granted The decision recog-
nzes the principle of collective bar
gaining, as it is recognized in the
transportation act. Recognition of
mnorities who have grievances is
given, thereby eliminating that part
of the national agreements which, it
ha fhu 'pln4II
shop" on the railroads.
This Is more important theoretic-
ally than actually, as practically all
shops are unioniZed and unions are
recognized and represent men in ne
gotiations leading up to the present
decision" the boards statement says
Thus, machinists performing re-
pairs may connect or disconnect any
wiring, pipe connection or coupling
necessary to repair machinery or
equipment. This work formerly was
restricted to electricians and sheet
metal workers.
Perhaps more important than any
other single rule Is the new one pro
viding that men assigned exclusively
to certain kinds of work under the ma
tional agreement now may be put on
other work where there is no avail.
able work in their particular class.
Unskiled Iaborers may now disman-
tie wooden freight cars, a job for
merly restricted solely to car men.
Engineers, flremen and cranesmen
may make necessary repairs on the
lines of the road when qualified to do
such work, regardless of whether the
particular piece of work happens to
come under the category OF shop WORK
Removing or replacing CRATES may be
done by boilermakers' helpers, priv
ilege heretofore assigned exclusively
to journeymen boilermakers, Similar
rules affect other crafts,
A new class of apprentice is ere
ated in the order. Youths between
IS and % are called special appren-
tices" and their period of apprentice
shin is limited to three years. They
must have had technical school train
ing. Under the old rules the period
was four years, between ages OF 10
and 21.
The rules in the decision, the state
ment points out are uniform on all
roads but do not displace any rules
previously agreed upon by, individual
carriers and their men.
1.-THE board believes that the present
decision is the most important work
of the board to date" the statement
saws ut is destined TO provide q
permanent code Of shop rules to sta
bjlize that part of the railroad indus
try"
The unions affected by the decision
all affiliated with the railway en-
Moves department Of the American
Federation of Labor, are: Brother
hood of Railway Car men OF America
International Brotherhood OF Black
smiths, Drop Forgers and Helpers
international Alliance of Amalsamatel
Sheet Metal Workers, lnternatlohaI
Association of Machinists. lnterha
tional Brotherhood of Boilermakers
Iron Ship Builders and Helpers Oh
Electrical Workers.
The four big transportation Drother
hoods and the Switchmen's Union Oh
North America are not affected nav
inc distinct set of working rules ah'
conditions.