Twin city review. [volume] (Champaign, Ill.) 19??-1929, 1922-07-21
l. ISSUES STATEMENT CONCERNING STRIKE OF SHOP CRAFTS
PRESIDENT JEWELL
SENDS ANSWER TO
PRESIDENT HARDING

An enlightening answer to the re-
cent presidential proclamation in re.
laton to the railroad shop mems
strike has been sent to President
Harding by President B. NJ. Jewell of
the Railway Employees Department
of the American Federation of Labor
and the international presidents OF
the shop craft organizations whose
members are involved in the strike.
Inc text OF the telegram, which was
dated July l3, is as follows:
1T appears from your proclamation
OF July III that incomplete infofma-
ton has been furnished you concern
ing the present dispute between the
railroad operators and employees.
"Ninety-two railroads have violated
transportation acts or decisions of the
railroad labor board in l0l cases.
These involved not only contracting
out work in shops but also wage de-
creases, interpretations of rules and
right of employees to elect their own
representatives. When the pennsyl-
vania railroad refused to comply with
the boards rulings. Federal Judge
Page held that the boards position
on wages or rules is only advisory.
"The railroads have refused ever
since passage of the Transportation
act to establish national boards of
adjustment described as the labor
hoard as the central part of the ma
chinery to decide disputes between
the carriers and their employees
The railroads have made all nego-
tiations merely formal, thus throwing
on the board an impossible burden of
arbitration. The board has abolished
overtime pay for Sundays and holi-
days, enjoyed for thirty years even
on unorganized roads. The board has
established rate of pay of $500 a
year, though the department of labor
fixed the bare cost of living at over
81 400 and a minimum comfort bud
get at over $4,000.
when the basic wage is unjust il
follows that all wages graded upward
for skill and responsibility are like
wise unjust Organized employees sup
port your declaration of May 23, 1921,
that the lowest wage must be enough
for comfort and to insure that the
struggle for existence shall not crowd
out things purely worth living for ii
should provide for amusement, recrea,
ton and saving.
"Employes have never violated any
decision of the board, but the rail-
roads have violated decisions and en-
ployes have refused to work under
wages fixed by the labor board which
violated provisions of the transporta-
lion act.
.'The board has attempted to unload
financial burdens Of railroad manage
ment upon employees through inade-
Quate wages which will undermine the
health and prosperity Of the next gen
GRAFTON. After exhaustifig ali other
methods the employees sought again to-
obtain conference and agreement
with the railroad executives. Only as /,
4 last resort did they strike. We re-
spectfully insist that no interruption
of commerce or interference of mails |
was caused by direct or unlawful acts
Of the organized employees. Such in
and interference result
from attempts of railroads
70 operate with insufficient, incompe-
tent and ,:nskilled help.
Such interruptions and interference
will continue and increase until agree
ment is obtained upon just and reas-
onable wages between the representa-
ives of the skilled employees and
railroad executives, who up to date
nave refused even to meet with en-
oloyes' representatives. We stand
ready to cooperate wholeheartedly
with any effort to bring about such an
agreement"