Evening star., 1934-04-01
URGESPENALT|ES
IN RAIL LABOR ACT
Eastman Would Also Ban
Company.Do
Union on Roads.
(Continued From First Page.)

(Continued From First Page.)
operate equipment or facilities on tn
railroads. including sleeping car an
express companies.
Congress Took First Steps,"
1.-THE present act" said Eastman il
his letter, contains provisions in
tended to insure absolute freedom O
choice by both parties in the selec
ton and designation of representa-
tives to act for them in disputes owe
labor questions.
However, no adequate means o
enforcing these provisions were pro
vided and practices were continued
or grew up which were subversive o
the principle involved To meet thi
situation Congress took the first steI
when it incorporated paragraphs IL
the bankruptcy act and these wer'
applied to all railroads by the emer
gency railroad transportation act, 1888
BY reason of these provisions 1t i
now unlawful for any carrier by rail
road to:
Deny or in any way question
the right of its employees to Join
the labor organization of their
choice.
Interfere in any way with the
organization OF its employees
Use its funds in maintaining
so-called company unions.
Influence or coerce its employees
In an effort to induce them to join
or remain members of such COM
pany unions.
Influence any person seeking
employment to sign a contract or
agreement promising to join or
.iot to join a labor organization.
And if such a contract has been
enforced the railroad is required
to notify its employees by an ap-
propriate order that said contract
has been discarded and is no
longer binding on them in any
way.
Prepared to Demand Right"
THAT the principle underlying
these provisions is sound is. I be.
lieve, hardly open to question. Il
means only that railroad manage
ments must keep their hands off Sc
far as labor organizations are con-
cerned."
Whatever may have been the at
titude of employees in the past" East
man continued, lit is plain that the,
are now prepared to insist upon thei
right as American citizens to bar
gain and deal collectively with thei
employers upon equal terms. Th'
principle is recognized in much tn,
same language in the national indus
trial recovery act with respect to othel
industries and it is implicit in tht
present railway labor act and tn.
Norris-La Guardia anti-injuction act
MY Investigations showed tina
there were many existing practice.
which were not in accord with thest
provisions. The railroad manage
ments, however, have on the Who'll,
manifested a commendable desire t
put their houses in order in thest
respects and the situation has beer
much improved.
Nevertheless it seems to me no
only appropriate but highly import.
ant that these provisions should bt
incorporated in the permanent meas.
ure. the railway labor act, which i!
designed to govern the relations be.
tween the railroads and their EN-.
ployes; that they should be some
what improved in form, and thai
adequate and permanent means
should be provided for their enforce.
ment.
The emergency railroad trans.
portation act, 1888, is a temporary
measure and there should be nothing
temporary about these provisions.
Section Of Eastman Bill.
Moreover, no satisfactory or sde
quate means of enforcement is pro,
vided in the emergency act, the or
ganization of the co-ordinator is moi
we'll adapted for that purpose and /!
diverted from the duties for which il
was designed by the effort at enforce
ment and the language used in thu
emergency act is such that opportuni
ties for litigation are presented.
AT least one large railroad has
made it clear that it will take full
advantage of these opportunities"
A section of the bill proposed by
Eastman follows:
Employees shall have the right tc
organize and bargain collectively
through representatives of their own
choosing.
The majority of any craft or class
Of employees shall have the right tC
determine who shall be the repre-
sentative of the craft or class for the
purpose of this act.
mo carrier. its officers or agents
shall deny or in any way question
the right of its employees to join, or
ganiZe or assist in organizing the
labor organization of their choice
and it shall be unlawful for any car
rier to interfere in any way with the
organization of its employees, or tc
Use the funds of the carrier in main
tanning or assisting or contributing
to any labor organization, or in per-
forming any work therefore, or to in.
fluence or coerce employees in an effort
to induce them to join or remain OF
not to join or remain members o1
any labor organization, or to deduct
from the wages of employees any dues
fees. assessments or other contribu-
tions payable to members of labor Or
eanizations. or to collect or to assist
in the collection of any such dues
fees. assessments or other contribu-
tiOns"