The Carbon County chronicle. [volume] (Red Lodge, Mont.) 1924-1924, 1924-04-04
UNIONS ASK new
RAIL LABOR LAW
Complain That Present Fed
eral Board Is Unable to
Adjust Disputes.

Following their repeated objections
to the method of settling labor dis
putes embodied In the railroad labor
board, the sixteen standard railway
unions have now brought forward the
details Of their own program for rail
labor legislation.
The program is embodied in a new
railway labor bill introduced by
Senator Howell, Republican, Nebras-
ka, and Representative Barley,
Democrat, Kentucky.
Union leaders have been working
for eighteen months on the proposed
legislation, and they emphasized that
they are all united in it. In addition,
It has the support Of four marine
unions, and also Of the American Fed
Grafton of Labor.
Asserting that the railroad labor
board has created more dissenslon
than 1t has settled, and that the first
nationwide strike In railroad history
the shopmen's-took place under its
rule, the unions first call for aboll-
tion of this board, and the whole
theory on which it operated
Experience has shown, they assert,
that the method Of placing disputes
before an independent and theoretical
ly impartial, governmental body is
unsuccessful. Disputes can best be
settled, they insist, by conference be
tween the interested parties them
selves. with outside arbitrators called
in only as last resort.
The new bill, therefore, provides
as the first step In the settlement OF
any dispute, the calling of confer
ence between the road and the
affected organizations representa-
tives. Either side can ask for such
conference, and 1t must be held with
In twenty days thereafter.
If this does not dispose Of the dis
putes, either side may appeal to one
of four national adjustment boards,
which divide the Jurisdiction Of the
various classes of work Each board
will be made UP OF an equal number
of representatives from the unions
and the roads, appointed by the presi-
dent, with salaries Of $1,000 a year.
A majority can give decision, which
must be Forthcoming in 90 days.
II is In these boards that the
unions place their greatest confidence.
The principle has been in successful
operation on various railroads for
years and on all roads during fed
eral control. and has also proved it's
efficiency in Canada, 1t Is asserted
1t is emphasized that no third party
possibly unfamiliar with the matters
at issue. interyenes in the problems
taken up.
The third step brings in the Inn
partial medIators, however. A per
inanent board Of FIVE commissioners,
appointed by the President for seven
years, with salaries Of $4,000 each
and headquarters at Washington Is
provided. No member can hold a
union Office, or possess railroad Sc
curities.
Either side to a dispute can In
woke this mediation board, or the
board can act itself, If II sees At II
Is explained, however, that this board
Ia not court vested with powers
Of compulslon. but solely mediating
and concillating body.
II II fails, 1t must then urge ar
bitraticn The bin provides that the
arbitrating body shall consist Of
either one or two representatives from
each party, who In turn shall pick
either one or two impartial third
parties. If the dlsputnnts cannot
select the impartial member, or mem
hers. the mediation board is author
| lied to do so.