Montana labor news., 1934-07-12

ii a Terms Prescribed TOT
Violation of Statute.
WASHINGTON.-A copper-riveted
mandate guaranteeing the right OF the
railway employees to organize in trade
unions, without interference from rail-
way officials, and bargain collectively
through representatives OF their own
choosing, with the majority in any
craft determining who shall be the
representative of the craft, and an
equally copper-riveted mandate pro-
hibiting railway officials from impos-
ing either company unions or yellow
dog contracts on railroad employees,
are among the outstanding provisions
of the amendment to the Railway La
Dor Act, passed by Congress on June
10, the last day Of the session.
After declaring that all disputes be-
tween the railroads, which are called
carriers" and their employees shall
preferably be adjusted by representa-
tives OF the two parties, respectively,
the law lays down the following rules
to guide both railway employees and
railway officials
Right to Organize Affirmed.
Representatives, for the purposes Of
this Act, shall be designated by the re-
spective parties without interference,
influence, or coercion by either party
over the designation Of representatives
by the other; and neither party shall
in any way interfere with, influence, or
coerce the other in its choice of repre-
sentatives.
Representative of employees for the
purpose of this Act need not be per-
sons in the employ Of the carrier, and
no carrier shall, by interference, influ-
ence, or coercion seek in any manner
to prevent the designation by its m
ployes as their representatives of those
who or which are not employees of the
carrier.
Employees shall have the right to or
ganize and bargain collectively through
representatives of their own choosing.
The majority Of any craft or class OF
employees shall have the right to deter
mine who shall be the representative
OF the craft or class for the purposes
OF this Act.
Company Union Declared Illegal.
mo carrier, its officers or agents,
shall deny or in any way question the
right Of its employees to join, organize
or assist in organizing the labor organ
ization of their choice, and it shall be
unlawful for any carrier to interfere
in any way with the organization OF its
employees, or to use the funds of the
carrier in maintaining or assisting or
contributing to any labor organization,
labor representative, or other agency
of collective bargaining, or in perform
ing any work therefor, or to influence
or coerce employees in an effort to in
duce them to join or remain or not to
join or remain members Of any labor
organization, or to deduct from the
wages of employees any dues, fees as
sessments, or other contributions pay
able to labor organizations, or to col
lect or to assist in the collection of
any such dues, fees, assessments or
other contributions.
Individual Conferences Permitted.
provided, That nothing in this Act
shall be construed to prohibit a carrier
from permitting an employee, individ-
ually, or local representatives of en-
ployes from comforting with manage
ment during working hours without
loss of time, or to prohibit a carrier
from furnishing free transportation to
its employees while engaged in the
business of a labor organization.
Yellow Dog Contract Outlawed.
mo carrier, its officers, or agents
shall require any person seeking en-
ployment to sign any contract or
agreement promising to join or not to
join a labor organization; and if any
such contract has been enforced prior
to the effective date of this Act, then
such carrier shall notify the employees
by al appropriate order that such
contract has been discarded and is no
longer binding on them in any way"
The law declares that the "willful
failure or refusal" of a carrier or its
agents to comply with these rules shall
be a misdemeanor, subject, on convic-
ton, to a fine of not less than 81, 900
nor more than $4,000 or Imprisonment
for not more than six months, or both,
for each o%ffense, with the provision
that each day Of failure or refusal shall
constitute a separate offense.