Newark leader. ([Newark, Ohio]) 1917-1946, 1924-05-09
HAND IN HAND
Men and Bosses in HARMONY
The B. & O. Management and Shop Crafts Are
Cooperating to Promote Prosperity
of Great Railroad

organized labor on the railroads
has been a defensive and at times
militant alliance chiefly concerned
with protecting the welfare of the
human plant, as against the concern
Of management for the property in
vestment or physical plant. In main
tanning their respective integritiCs,
the problems of the one were minim-
lied in the eyes of the other. The re-
suit has been anything but co-opera-
tion in meeting their common diff
culties. AS can readily be seen, no
such cooperation is possible as long
as management insists upon interfer-
ing with the normal development Of
the regular labor organizations. The
moment, however, this interference
ceases, the first agreement in meet
ing one Of the serious problems Of
the workers has come into being. The
path will henceforth be open and the
foundation available upon which to
build machinery for jointly contend
ing with difficulties Of mutual COM
Germ.
No matter how We regard the task
before us-i. e., the best policy for
building a genuine and lasting morale
the initial move and major respon-
sibility for making it rests with man
agement. But obviously the. .admis-
sion that the best policy is baSed on
clean-cQt recognition and cooperation
with the, .,stahdard organizations, will
be the more readily forthcoming when
organized labor as such gives tangible
evidence Of its desire to help in bet
tering railroad operating efficiency
and improving service. p.
So the question naturally arises. of
what might such tangible evidence
consist? The assumption of a meas
ure Of responsibility for the welfare
of railroading by the labor organiza-
tions implies the establishment of a
Labor Service Bureau by these unions
for the good of the industry. Just as
for example, the large supply COM
panles who now furnish our railroads
with specialties and materials, such
as brick arches, supeTheaters, air
brake equipment and lubricatirg oils.
send their experts out over the prop
critics to demonstrate and help the
manageemnts in the efficient and
economical use of these supplies, so
might the railroad labor organizations
create their own Service Department
and send out experts to educate and
help arrangements and their own local
people In the more efficient and eco
ronllcal use of the human organiza-
tion.
For after al are not the unions, in
terested as they are in the human side
of railroading, the most logical and
satisfactory agencies to tackle prob
lens OF this. very nature? No better
administrative measure could there
fore be adopted by organized labor
than to establish such a Service Bu-
reau and retain individuals properly
qualified by actual experience and
knowledge to assume the tasks of
adapting the union organization to
constructive railroading in addition to
Its present task Of conserving the well
being of the industry's soldiers. 1
this step is taken it will be difficult
to see how railroad managements can
hereafter fail to consider the unions
as assets and accept their co-opera-
ton.
A policy of cooperation with labor
for more efficient and economical op-
GRAFTON brings the subject of stable
employment definitely to the fore. 1t
will be difficult indeed to accomplish
a program of cooperation if the more
intensive effort, both individually and
collectively, of railroad employees
should be rewarded by furlough ev-
cry now and then. Such a result, the
only too common experience of the
past, would soon disillusion the most
ardent advocate Of cooperation
among the workers.
The management therefore, coinci-
dent with progress in the development
Of the machinery and the spirit of CO.
operation, must take steps to regu-
lariZe the jobs of the normal forces.
Suffice it to point out here the necess-
ity of management giving this subject
most careful and intensive considera-
tion and in conjunction with the pro-
posed labor service bureau, working
out practical plan and putting it in
to actual operation.
What does the general situation as
it actually prevails today offer along
the foregoing lines? First and fore
most, it is fact that approximately
rs per cent of the two million work
ers on our railroads are members
either of the organizations affiliated
with the American Federation of Lab
or or of the Brotherhoods. Despite
the partial defections from the ranks
of the shop workers, the predominant
ing employees attitude today is shap-
ed by these organizations. And there
is not the remotest prospect that they
will ever relinquish the field.
In other words, the institution of
collective bargaining recognizing the