Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-01-06
BalIoting by Conductors,
Trainmen and Yardmen A.
fects a. Systems Here.
PROTEST ON FAILURE
TO GET PAY INCREASE
Eastern Territory Has Granted
Raises, Say Workers Executives,
in Requesting Expression.
By the Associated Press.

RICHMOND, Va, January 6.-The
Richmond News Leader today says a
strike vote is being taken by conduc
tors, trainmen and yardmen of the
Chesapeake and Ohio Railway, the
Atlantic Coast Line, the Norfolk and
Western, the Richmond. Fredericks.
burg and Potomac, the Seaboard Air
Line and other railroads of the
Southeastern territory.
Other roads affected by the vote
are the Atlanta and West Point Rail-
road, the Atlanta Joint Terminals,
Central of Georgia Railway Co.
Charleston and Western Carolina
Railway Co, Clinchfield Railroad Co,
Florida East Coast Railway, Georgia
Railway, Gulf, Mobile and Northern
Railroad Co.: Jacksonville Terminal
Co.; Louisville. Henderson and ST.
Louis Railway Co.; Louisville and
Nashville Railroad Co., Mobile and
Ohio Railroad. Nashville. Chattanooga
and st. Louis Railway: Norfolk South
ern Railroad, Tennessee Central Rail
way, Western Railway of Alabama
and WinstC b-Salem Southbound Rail-
way.
The order for the strike vote was
mailed from Washington on December
% last.
Committee Requested Vote.
The newspaper says the men are
being asked to vote as to whether
or not they will remain in the service
of the employers unless a satisfactory
agreement can be obtained which Is
agreeable to the general chairnen
and executive officers of the organiza-
TL1rr E1nIl l~k-
the request of the executive commit
tee of the organizations with the ap-
proval of L. E. Sheppard, president
of the Order of Railway Conductors.
and w. G. Lee, president of the
Brotherhood of Railroad Trainmen.
Distribution of the ballots was be-
gun this week, the News-Leader says:
The order follows: ss--
'Supplementing earlier attempts
which have been made to induce the
conference committee of railway Of
ficials, representing the above named
railroads, to grant the increases to
their conductors, train and yard men
which were filed in common by tho
members of the two organizations
throughout the United States In the
early part of this year, we met the
conference committee of managers
for the Southeastern territory on
April %, 1926, and were met with a
blank refusal.
I'VE suspended further negotiations
and frankly stated to the officers with
whom we were dealing here that we
expected to go elsewhere and renew
negotiations which had failed in the
other territories, after whicn we
would again ask for a conference.
Won Some Concessions.
THE general proposition was again
taken up with the representatives of
the Eastern railways and when fail
ure to agree followed, arbitration pro-
ceedingS were entered into and an
award was handed down, effective De-
cember l, 1926, which gave to all
classes 71a per cent increases in all
standard rates and a like increase in
the same amount of money to all spe.
cial and miscellaneous rates. In adj
dition to the increases in rates the
arbitrators also concurred in three of
four requests embodied in our original
proposition for the preservation Of
higher rates, differentials. etc. In
other words the usual clauses which
we have incorporated in this and sew
eral other preceding wage movements
were concurred in and thereby pre-
served. We also obtained at the bands
of the board pickup and drop rule as
applied to men paid on through and
irregular freight basis and q clear
definition of what constituted local
freight service.
I'VE then requested further confer
ences with the officers committee rep
resenting the Southeastern railways
and the date of December Is, 1926,
was set for conference. The general
chairmen representing the two organi-
cations for the territory were con-
yened in Washington on the 14th, and
we said to them very frankly that
we felt that the award in the Eastern
territory was reasonably satisfactory.
and therefore our members in the
Southeastern territory could not con.
SiStently expect more, while on the
other hand the railways could not ex-
pect to pay less. To be consistent and
with a view OF a quick and amicable
settlement when we met the managers
we explained our proposition as above
indicated and tentatively submitted
in lieu of our original request, which
the railway representatives claim in
wolves 10 per cent increase, the East
ern award in it's entirety.
Asked to Change Rules.
when the representatives of the
two organizations originally ap-
prOached the officers OF their reSpeC-
tive railways and asked for the in
creases they were confronted with
counter propositions In almost every
instance, in which the railway COM
panies endeavored to bring about a
of and changes in rules
more favorable to the railway COM
panies. In most instances the pro-
posed changes seriously impaired the
value of several standard and funda-
mental rules. We were confronted
here by further efforts on the part of
the representatives of the railways to
not only have the standard and funda-
mental rules changed, but many
changes were sought on the various
railways in rules that were largely
local in character.
Disagreement followed and me
representatives suggested arbi-
tration. This we declined, but we
finally agreed that IL they would re-
quest mediation at the hands of the
United States Board of Mediation we
would not object, although we would
not request it.
I'VE have been in conference with
the Board of Mediation for several
days without the least change in the
situation. The railway representa-
tives throughout insisted on main
Continued on Page 4, Column a.