The Omaha morning bee. [volume] (Omaha [Neb.]) 1922-1927, 1922-07-20
Seniority Is Only Issue

| 80 thViS uoSS hot sNShi W w oh
probability Of rcconciling the -an
tipodal views Of the carriers and tn
mcn on the question at issue, tn
labor board is not engaged in an.
further efforts along that line" th'
statement said.
At the same time the statemen
POINTED out that virtual agreemen
had been reached between the raj
heads and the strike leaders OIL al
OF the five points in dispute excep
that of the return to the strikers, o
their seniority rights-an incidental
question which was not originally ir
dispute between the roads and thci
| men. ?
Railroad executives, through th'
western presidents'committee on pub.
lie relations of the Association O
Railway Executives, issued a state
inent corroborating Chairman
Hooper's statement that no further
peace conferences were being held anc
that the seniority issue was the prin
cipal stumbling block.
Conferences at End.
There are now no conferences ir
progress looking to a settlement ot
the shopcrafts' strike" the excu-
tive's statement said. Chairman
Hooper of the labor board has held
informal conferences with some rail.
way executives, but these have had
no results and are now at an end.
"Since the strike was called the So
called question of seniority rights
has arisen and has now become one
OF importance
Chairman Hooper's statemen,
said that conference was held last
Saturday between B. NJ. Jewell, head
of the shopmen; A. o. Wharton, la.
Dor member of the board, and Mr..
Hooper and heads of the seven strik-
ing organizations, when Mr.. Jewell
indicated he would be willing to
submit to his committee an agreed
program if the carriers concurred
in it,. -.-
The program, Mr.. Hooper's state
ment said, was as follows:
First, that the carriers which had
already changed the wages and work
ing conditions of the employees repre-
sented by said seven organizations, by
means of the contract system, in vio-
lation of the railroad labor boards
decisions, should withdraw from this
practice. This applied to only a few
roads, as the others had heretofore
announced their willingness to can
eel such contracts. The principal of
those that have not yet made such
announcement are the Erie and West
ern Maryland.
Want Adjustment Board.
Second, that the authority granted
by the transportation act to the car
riers and their employees to set up
an adjustment board or boards be
exercised by the establishment of a
national adjustment board. with the
entire jurisdiction authorized by said
act, namely, the hearing of all dis
putes except those affecting wages.
third, that the employees involved
in the strike proceed in conformity
with the transportation act in the set
tlement of the disputed rules and
wages. seeking from the railroad
labor board rehearing of the recent
wage decision and promptly submit
ting the seven disputed rules to the
adjustment board, with the statutory
right OF appeal to the labor board.
Fourth, the carriers to withdraw
or dismiss all lawsuits growing out
of the strike.
Fifth, all men now on strike, those
laid off, furloughed or on leave OF
absence, to be returned to work and
their former positions. with seniority
and other rights unimpaired.
"As a method for securing a con-
ference fully representing the car
riers and the employees concerned, it
was contemplated that the railroad
labor board should cali hearing for
that purpose
Ready to Reopen Question.
The carriers raised no objections
to reopening the wage decision and
the dispute regarding seven protest
ed rules, he said, and added that 'the
foregoing disposition of contracts,
wages and rules would remove from
conflict all three of the questions
upon which strike votes were taken"
Regarding adjustment boards, Mr..
Hooper said many roads are willing
to have regional boards, some are
wiling to have a national adjustment
board and some favored boards on
each individual road. IAN agre-
ment Of some sort could doubtless
be reached upon this matter" he
said. ...
"At present." the chairman's state
ment continued, there is no posi-
bility of an agreement on the ques-
ton of the reinstatement of the
striking employees with all rights re-
stored"
The roads. he said, have promised
to employ men who have been on
strike if they have not been guilty
of breaches of peace and the de-
struction of property, but refused to
give them seniority over those WHO
have remained at work.