New-York tribune., 1922-08-07
BY A. ]. Berger
by ~ J DCIStf
Vsce-Presideaat System, Federatiom
90, A. r. off

90, A. r. of L.
The chief issue in the railroad strike
has now become the existence of union
ism in the railroad shops. This has
not come about by the chance play of
the forces let loose by the strike. 1t
is the result of a definite campaign
formulated and put under way long
before the strike began. The central
idea in this campaign has been to sup
plant the regular independent Amer
lean Federation Of Labor unions,
through which the great majority of
the shopcrafts workers have bar
gained collectively with the executives
in the past, by so-called Company
unions" organized and controlled not
by the men themselves but by the
management. The dynamic force be-
sylvania Railroad. General w. w. At
terbury and other officials of this road
took the lead in the organization of
company unions before the strike and
have been the dominating influence in
making unionism itself the one big
issue of the present conflict
Ii public opinion is TO weigh in the
outcome Of the strike, the public must
decide whether the regular union or
the company union" is better repre-
sentative Of the ideals of American
democracy and freedom. The history
of the attempt of the Pennsylvania
Railroad to substitute the one for the
other furnishes the most important
and convincing evidence there is on
this point. The record will prove that
the company union was born of de-
liberate and willful violation Of the
transportation act and the rulings Of
the United States Railroad Labor
Board; that 1t contains but small
minority Of the shopcrafts workers on
the road; that il cannot, therefore,
represent the will of the employee in
any democratic sense. and that it has
been organized and developed for the
primary purpose of giving to the man
| agement control over wages and
working conditions in the shops which
can only be described as despotic.
Company Shop Union
Is Not New Condition
The open shop or company union
policy is not new condition on the
Pennsylvania Railroad. AS matter OF
fact it dates hack several years. In
1908, and each succeeding year up to
1914, attempts were made to organize
the shop craft employees on this sys-
tom, only to meet with failure. In
1911, in the western part Of Pennsyl-
vania, the men of the shop crafts
formed an organization affiliated with
the American Federation of Labor.
The Pennsylvania Railroad Company,
through their extensive spy system,
forced a strike, which was lost. The
organization lay dormant on this road
up to the year 1914, when again an at
tempt was made, resulting in another
strike
The officials of the Pennsylvania
Railroad Company, testifying before
the United States Industrial Relations
Committee, gave evidence that it cost
them approximately 100000 per year
to maintain their police and spy sys-
| tenn for the purpose of preventing their
workers from becoming organized in
bonafide labor organizations. After
they were convinced that the men on
, that system desired an organization,
they formed company union. known
as the Mutual Benefit Association,
which was, in fact, practically the
same form Of organization as they now
have under their so-called company
union.
| In July, 1918, System Federation No.
80, affiliated with the Railway En-
plcyees' Department, was organized in
the city of Altoona. with membership
Of approxim ately $4,000 men, comprised
Of six mechanical crafts, namely, the
international Association of Machin-
lists, international Brotherhood of Boil
er Makers, Iron Ship Builders and
Brotherhood of Blacksrniths, Interna-
tsonal Brotherhood of Electrical Work
ers. Sheet Metal Workers and Brother
| hood of Railway Carmen Of America.
| The officers of this federation were
| all employees Of the PENNSYLVANIA
| Railroad, who were given a leave of
absence and transportation over the
entire system for the purpose of trans
| acting the business of the oreaniza-
tion. Harmony prevailed on this rail
road up to and including the date of
Decision l19 issued by the United
States Railroad Labor Board
Issued under date of April Id, 1921,
this decision had for its purpose the
termination on July /, 1921. of the
rules. working conditions and agree
! ments entered inte between the United
| States Railroad Administration and the
several organizations affiliated with
the American Federation Of Labor.
/ We quote herein an excerpt from
! said decision:
"The Labor Board calls upon the Of
ASeIe anu eysISEl organizations OF
/ employees of each carrier. parties
hereto. to designate and authorize rep
resentatiyes to confer and 60 decide
1 so much of this dispute relating to
rules and working conditions as it
/ may be possible for them to decide
| Such conferences shall begin at the
/ earliest possible date. Such confer
| ences will keep the Labor Board In
| formed Of final agreements and dis
agreements to the end that this board
may know, prior to July /, 1921, what
portion of the dispute has been de-
| cided.
'sThe Labor Board reserves the right
1 TO terminate its direction Of Decision
! No. at an earlier date than July /
/ with regard to any class of employees
Of any carrier IL it shall have reason
| TO believe that such class Of employees
| is unduly delaying the progress oil
the negotiations. The board also re-.
serves the right to stay the termina,
tion Of the said direction to date