Perth Amboy evening news., 1922-08-23

tional agreement covering rules and
working conditions had been neSo-
tiated between the unions and the
railroad ADMINISTRATION and national
boards Of adjustments, bipartisan In
character, had been established to
settle differences which might arise
under the agreement. AS soon as
the railroads We're returned to p"l-
vate control 1t was made clear tnat
the railway executives would fSht
the national agreement. 1t was also
apparent that whereas the new law
provided for the creation OF national
adjustment boards similar to those
that had functioned under govern
ment operation the executives We're
determined hat none should be
ests blished.
Officials of the railway labor or
ganiZations asked the executives to
meet them and arrange for the dd-
iustment boards. The executives re-
piled tina the new law did not make
the establishment of these boards
compulsory and that they would not
agree to any such agencies on a pa
tior.al basis. They indicated a will
ingness to establish regional boards
or boards on individual railroads or
systems.
These adjustment boards were in
tended to handle the almost n
Vulnerable cases of minor impor-
lance which would swamp the Rail-
road Labor Board if the subordinate
agencies were not created. The rail-
way workers therefore charged that
the executives were deliberately try
ing to break down the law and make
it impossible for the Rail- DAD Labor
Board to function efficiently.
Whatever justification there was
for this charge it is a fact that the
board was deluged with cases which
it should never have had to conslder
ann that this was the beginning of
baG feelings between the executives
ana the leaders of the workers
which did not promise well for har-
monious relations in the future. The
railroads asked that the national
agreement be abrogated. The Off
Gals of the unions offered to meet
the executives in national conference
and negotiate a new agreement
based on the old one. The executives
declined.
This controversy then went to the
Railroad Labor Board and while it
was pending many of the railroads
announced that they intended to re-
duce wages. The board ruled that
no wage reductions should be put
into effect until it had heard the
case and rendered a decision. In
spite of this, a few roads ignored
the boards ruling and undertook to
make wage reductions Immediately
effective. The board has no author
ity under the law to enforce its de-
c%isions, but its members did their
utmost to persuade the railway ex-
eCutiVeS to hid bV them
Other Rulings by the Board
Later the board decided that GER
tail wage reductions should be
made. 1t set aside tho national
agreement, but laid down certain
fundamental principles hat should
govern the negotiation of new agree
ments on the individual roads or
systems. 1t also modified the over
time rule in such a manner that the
workers commended that the eight
hour law al being evaded If not
violated.
An election of employees represen-
tatives on the Pennsylvania system
was protested by the unions and the
board held that the election did not
conform to its rulings. The Penn
s~ylvania officials announced their m
tertion of standing by what they had
uOH6 anu the DOdEu UeClueQ 10 puD-
lisl, the fact that the railroad had
violated one of the boards decisions.
Thereupon the Pennsylvania went
into court and secured an inJunc-
ton restraining the board from
such action. This injunction was set
asidce on appeal to a higher court,
bur the railroad served notice tnat
it would carry the Ease to the SUI
preme Court of the United States.
Certain railroads also adopted a
policy of closing their own repair
shops. leasing them to private ccln-
panies and then turning over their
repair work to these private COR
porations. The unions of the vari-
Gus shop crafts charged that this
was a deliberate attempt on the part
Of the roads to evade the jurisdIc-
ton of the Railroad Labor Board.
ano in effect the board held that
this farming out" of repair work
was contrary to the spirit of the
law and should be discontinued.
Thus when the wage reduction ap-
plying to the shop workers "a an
nounced to take effect July l last.
so much bad feeling had been stirred
up that it was not surprising that
the employees decided to strike, in
spite of the boards decision. They
insisted that Y the railroads could