Iron County record. [volume] (Cedar City, Utah) 1893-1982, 1922-08-25
SHOPMEN HOLD
OUT FOR RIGHTS
ADJUSTMENT IMPOSSIBLE iF
RELATIVE STANDING OF MEN
IGNORED, IT Is ARGUED
lndustry's Demand May Prompt Elk.
ecutlves TO Settle Long Rail
Strike; Meetings Being Held
Frequently

New Worthwhile both the shop
craft unions and the railway execu.
tives OF the country are trying to set
tie the rail strike without reference
to IN question of "seniority"--the bug
aboo of both sides-there can be no
adjustment without restoring to the
men the same relative standing In the
shops that they had before the walk
out.
There can be no compromise on this
point. No matter on what basis It may
be announced following the meeting
OF the railway executives In this city
to be held soon, that an understand
ing has been reached and that the
men are going back to work. their
seniority rights are going to be re.
stored or the strike will continue.
Two weeks ago the policy commit
tee OF the three divisions of the shop
craft unions held a meeting in Chica.
60 and decided on the basis on which
they would permit their men to return
TO work. They accepted the original
peace proposal made by President
Harding, granting them their unim.
paired seniority rights. This commit.
tee is composed Of ninety general
chairmen, representing all of the rail.
road systems in the United States.
The executive committee of the shop
crafts has no authority to go beyond
the terms which the policy committee
reported would be acceptable. II q
compromise was to be considered 1t
would be necessary for Bert NJ. Jew
ell, president OF the shoft craft unions
to call meeting OF the policy commit
tee to pass on the question.
That he has not done 80 makes II
clear that the only proposition which
the 14S railway executives will have
TO consider Is settlement OF the
strike with the men returning to work
with seniority rights as they stood
prior to July l., when the strike was
called.
The unions are willing to permit the
railroads to announce that settle
ment has been reached which Is
make 1t appear that the railroad ex.
ecutives gained some valuable conces-
sions and that they are going to keep
the promises originally made that the
loyal employees would hold senior
ity rights above the strikers. AS a
matter of fact, according to one OF
the union officials, most OF the men
who did not strike stood high on the
seniority lists before the strike was
called. In many instances the men
who headed the seniority lists did not
strike at all. They refused to obey
the strike order because they feared
to lose their seniority and pension
rights, which they had earned through
many years OF continued employment.
These men, Of course. will retain
their seniority rights. After frank
discussion OF the whole matter in the
conference between the union officials
of the five transportation brother
hoods, acting as mediators for the
shop crafts, and the committee OF rail-
way executives last week. 1t became
apparent that the seniority nightmare
was only a bad dream after all and
could best be settled by ignoring 1t.
There was a private understanding.
however, that men who did not strike
would hold seniority rights over the
men who walked out only when such
rights existed before July l.