Oxford eagle. (Oxford, Lafayette Co., Miss.) 1876-current, 1922-08-31
Illinois Central System
The Shopmen OF The Illinois Central System:

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up their positions after the strike had been
called and, finally to return to the service in
time to preserve their pension and seniority
rights unimpaired
We held no feeling of resentment toward
those Of cur former shopmen who, as result
Of being misled gave up their positions and
the benefits and -,ileges which they formerly
held. So long as vacancies exist, wei shall
give preference 10 those of our former shop
men who have not resorted to violence or
damaged company property.
However, frankness compels US to make clear
that the vacancies are being rapidly filled.
Our mechanical forces are largely depleted at
only one of the main shop plants on the
Illinois Central System At all of our other
shops our mechanical forces range all the way
from substantial forces to more than 200 per
cent of normal. This disparity has made it
necessary for US to transfer some of our work
from the shops having the smallest forces to
those having the largest. The total number
of men employed in the mechanical department
of the Illinois Central System on June 30, the
day before the strike was 1857 On August
"a, after almost two months of the strike,
there were 1868 employees in the mechanical
department. of whom very large percentage
were old employees who remained faithful by
refusing to strike. Therefore, on August "a
we had only 1854 fewer employees in the mechan-
ical department than on the day before the
strike.
On July 8, the Labor Board, by resolution,
called for the formation of new organizations
L. 4oIxo II, II; oh looI rof.,c
to abide by the decisions of the board. The
following is quoted from that resolution:
Whereas, in the future submission of dis
putes involving rules, wages and grievances
of said classes of employees of the carriers 1T
will be desirable, if not practical necessity
for the employees of each class on each carrier
to form some sort of an association or organi-
zation to function in the representation of said
employees before the Railroad Labor Board
in order that the effectiveness of the Trans
portation Act may be maintained.
Now, therefore, be it resolved that it be COM
municated to carriers and the employees re-
naming in the service and the new employees
succeeding those who have left the service
to take steps as as practicable to perfect
ON each carrier such organization as may be
deemed necessary for the purpose above men,
toned, and
Be it further resolved that if it be assumed
that the employees who leave the service of the
carriers because of their dissatisfaction with
any decision of the Labor Boar bare within
their rights in so doing it must likewise be
conceded that the men who remain in the serv-
ice and those who enter it anew are within
their right in accepting such employment
that they not strikebreakers, seeking to
impose the arbitrary will of an employer On
employes-that they have the moral as the
legal right to engage in such service of the
American public to avoid interruption of in
dispensable railroad transportation and that
they are entitled to the protection of every
department and branch of the Government,
state and national.
In response to the resolution of the Labor
Board the employees of the mechanical de-
partment of the Illinois Central System have
perfected their own organization, as follows:
Association of Machinists, Helpers and APP
prentices,
Association of Boilermakers, Helpers and
Apprentices,
Association of Blacksmiths, Helpers and
Apprentices,
Association of Sheet Metal Workers, Helpers
and Apprentices,
Association of Carmen, Helpers and APP
prentices,
Association of Electricians, Helpers and APP
prentices.
The foregoing organizations furnish the
machinery through which representatives of
the employees may at any time obtain confer
ences with representatives of the management.
In case differences arise which cannot be COM
posed, the way is always open for an appeal
to the Labor Board The feeling among the
employees of our mechanical department in re-
gard to the desirability of these organizations
is evidenced by the fact that only 185 failed
to join them.
In closing this communication, we desire
to avail ourselves of the opportunity to extend
the sincere thanks of the management to those
shopmen who have remained loyal and faith
full in the crisis through which we have been
,.1 1,o,,o holpod &c ~ diccharUn olr