Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-10-04
railway WORKERS
FIX MERGER RIGHTS
Robertson Says Demand viii
Be Made for Maintenance
of Status.

Defining the attitude of the organ
lied rail workers of the country on the
question of consolidation raised by the
application of the Eastern carriers of
the Interstate Commerce Commission
for permission to merge into four great
systems, David B. Robertson, chairman
of the Railway Labor Executive Asso-
citation, yesterday set out two principles
for which the unions will stand:
First -"Unquestionable preservation
of livelihood, rights and interests of
railroad employees in the industry and
in their homes"
Second-"A definite labor policy of
railroad management, including COM
plete willingness and good faith in deal
ing with the self-chosen representa-
tiveS of railway labor in respect to pro-
noting their separate and joint rights
and interests"
Summed up, that means, to start
with, that the employees propose to de-
mand that in any grouping of the lines,
their positions be maintained in the
present status, and lastly that there be
fuller measure of cooperation with
the unions on the part of rail execu-
tives.
Common Interest Factor.
On that basis. Robertson said, "the
policy of labor is agreeable to a COM
mon interest in promoting the greatest
success of private ownership consistent
with the public interest"
Robertson, who is president of the
Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen
and Enginemen, acts, in his capacity
Of chairman Of the labor group as the
spokesman for 81 organizations with a
membership of 1900 900. The state
ment was telegraphed from his office
in Cleveland in response to request
for comment on the consolidation plan.
So far as the question OF employ
ment is concerned, the expression Of
the brotherhood leader, which is re-
iteration of established policy, Is
&ewed Importantly in as much as it
psSScges the nature Of the fight that
will be waged in event there is no
guarantee against further increasing
the ranks of the idle rail men who
now total about 100000
In the last session Of Congress, after
the merger plan was announced at the
White House. legislative moves were
made in both House and Senate TO
safeguard the rights OF the workers In
any consolidation, this being beyond the
province of the Interstate Commerce
Commission. No final action was
taken, but there was q feeling that the
scheme never would be put into effect
until Congress had a chance to have
its say.
A comprehensive merger hearing is
due to be held by the commission.
which right now Is engaged with the
freight rate case. and this probably
means that Congress will have a good
start on the new session and be in a
position to move on the consolidation
issue before the commission gets it
threShed out.
Seniority Rights Involved.
Bound up with the question OF con-
tinued employment Is also that of
seniority rights. an important matter
to the railroad employees. particularly
in the transportation groups, where
the preferred runs are the fruit of long
service, and, as Robertson makes clear,
here also the workers want safeguards
Bearing on the same question of en-
ployment is the fact that any rearrange-
ment of terminals effected by the con-
solicitations could be responsible for en-
ployeS having to move their families
into new homes distant from the points
where they are now established and
once more the matter OF compensation
arises.
In calling for more cooperation by
railroad arrangements with representa-
is known, are seeking among other
things to improve the conditions of
some classes of workers on some OF the
roads where things are not entirely to
their liking. While the power big
four" train brothers and other of the
principal unions have Jared well. some
of the weaker groups have had their
troubles even to get recognition. it is
said, and this Is the situation that the
leaders are seeking to remedy.
There has been a current of disSatis-
faction in labor ranks also because of
the declination of the railroads to hold
a national joint conference to discuss
unemployment, as result of which the
unions propose to go to Congress with
a relief plan based on the idea of q
shorter work day.
There is a feeling in union circles
that the cooperation of organized labor
is necessary to the roads which them
selves are seeking relief from the COM
petition of other transportation agen-
cieS and on that grounds the labor men
propose to base their own demands.
InaSmuch as the eastern consolida-
ton scheme is viewed as the forerunner
of others covering the rest of the coun-
try, the adjustments reached Tn this
instance will establish precedent, which
is added reason for the unions to have
their position clarified.