Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1922-08-25
BUDD DENIES
MOVEMENT TO
KILL UNIONS
N. Expects to Always Deal
With It's Men Through
Organization.

Denial that the Great Northern rail-
way Is identified with my movement to
reduce the effectiveness of railroad
unions was made by Ralph Budd. pres
luent OF the system, in a statement is
SUED Thursday at st. Paul. The state
ment, which was telegraphed to Great
rams officials Of the road, declares that
tne road expects in the future to dea,
with Its employees through S~organiza-
tons chosen by the employees, but de-
ciares that it is impossible to deprive
men now at work of the seniority
rights they have gained.
striking employees will have the
right, If they return to work, of taking
up any grievance they may have rela-
tlve to their seniority and in the event
OF a disagreement between employees
and officials, the statement obligates
the road to abide by any decision of
the labor board in the event of an
appeal. The statement reads:
Says Jewell Mistaken
The controversy between certain
railroad executives and Mr.. Jewell has
prompted me to say that SO far as the
Great Northern railway is concerned,
Mr.. Jewell is entirely mistaken about
a drive to crush unionism. The Great
Northern railway officials have no spcb
thought. They expect to deal with
their employees through an organization
which the employees will choose to rep
resent them, and the only hope of the
Great Northern is that such an organ-
ization may be wisely and unselfishly
handled in their interests in the future
The labor board has made it clear
that dealings between the railroads and
their employees shall be through such
an organization, and the organization
which represents the employees is of
their choosing. Mr.. Jewell has
that the seniority question.
which O is the only thing in the way
OF ending the strike, is one that execn-
have raised since the strike
1t is true that the seniority
did not exist before the strike
but by striking the men themselves
raised the issue, and the railroad Off
eials had nothing to do with it.
There is no desire on our part TO
do away with seniority, as has been
claimed. There will always be a
seniority roster, as there properly
be. This roster simply means
the men who enter the service will
appear at the bottom and when forces
are reduced they will be the first to be
laid off. Choice of employment, so far
as practicable, also is given to those at
the top of the list. When a man quits
the employment of a company, his
disappears both from the payroll
and the seniority list, and there is no
preventing it.
Men Can Appeal
I'VE did offer, as late as July Is, to
the strikers names to their
pld places if they would return to work
BY that date, but it is not in our power
now to disregard the rights of the men
who are at work by changing their
seniority rank, even if We wanted to
so. IL the striking employees of the
Great Northern railway will apply for
the majority Of them will be
and as soon as they are back
on the payroll there is nothing to pre-
rent their taking up any complaint they
rave, including that of their seniority
.ank. If the question cannot be set
led between the officers and the EN-
it will be referred to the labor
,oard, and whatever the labor board
about it the Great Northern
viii abide by"