The Omaha guide., 1935-09-14
Railroad Walters
Look Askncae
Al A. f. of L.

OnlcdgO, sept. II, lANP)-COn
siderable uneasiness exists in the
ranks Of the dining car walters u
this railroad center as they specu-
late upon the final results Of tn
drive being made by the American
Federation Of Labor to organize
dining car walters and cooks.
Walters who form a more or less
preferred class of railroad en-
ployes have been organized for
years, first in locals upon the WI
rious roads whose terminals are
here and secondly in the National
Brotherhood Of Dining Car En-
ployees. Both working conditions
and salaries have been notably i'm
proved by the efforts Of the walters
organizations which in every case
have been headed by colored men
IN fact, in some instances, as in the
caseo Of the Northwestern railroad
for example, where white cooks were
employed, the colored representa-.
i've OF the walters represented the
white cooks in negotiations with
railroad officials.
When the railway labor act was
passed, the "A. F. of L. notably pre-
JUDGED the interest Of Negro
workers except in those crafts
where the colored men are in a
majority, seeing a field for addition
al memberships, established an off
shoot of their Hotel Alliance and
Bartender's international, which
they called its Dining Car Division.
Chicago walters declare that while
this is in effect a Jim Grow Division,
the white cooks Immediately as
sumed z strong position in its make
up. When the New York Central
committe was made up, there were
iour white men and two colored.
W. L. Wilson, general chairman
Of the Northwestern Railroad Din
ing Car Men, and Joel Miles, secre-
tary Of the Rock Island men and
acting secretary Of the National
Brotherhood Of Dining Car En-
ployees, were outspoken in their
condemnation of the A. f. of L. and
its tactics. They charge the white
labor organization of flooding Chi
cago with white organizers who
have gone among the colored men
spreading false reports and making
promises which they declare will not
be fulfilled. Already, the Fedora
ton has invaded the ranks of en-
ployees on one major railroad, t h e
New York Central, and wrested con-
troll of the union away from colored
hands, defeating Rienzi Lemus,
president of the Dining Car Walters
Brotherhood, which operates in the
East, and who sought to take over
the company union when the new
railway labor act left the way open.
Lemus's organization represented
the eastern section Of the road upon
which Negro cooks work, and re
ceive SIPS per month. The A. F. Of
L. took over the Western end where
cooks are paid $135 and persuaded
the men to desert Lemus's group be-
aus Of the so d~ifferentiaI, though
it is claimed that Lemus's group
had been responsible for most Of the
advantages wrested from the com
pany through years of negotiations.
The New York Central men voted
tc join the A. +. of L. but are now
declared to be sorry. A contract
was negotiated. It is the same con-
tract exactcly which the men had be-
fore with the exception of a ten cent
raise on the month. Under their
own leadership, the men were earn
ing S62.50 per month. Now, they
make S62.60.
This contract which the A. F. Of
L. has negotiated is a tricky thing"
declared Mr.. Miles. at is a duplicate
Of the contract which we negotiated
years ago with the exception Of II
or two minor changes which an ag-
gressive could have secured with
ease. 1t is dangerous to the seniority
Of the colored men. We must con-
stantly be on u guard lest a shift
be made from colored cooks to white.
In the past, it is the white cooks and
stewards who turned walters in and
whom we had to fear. We have no
reason to assume that they will play
fair with US when we place the fate
Of our jobs in their hands.
" It was colored men who started
the organized labor movement among
the colored men on our railroads. We
risked our jobs. We didn't have the
support Of these very white men who
row seek to organize and control Jul
jobs.
"Let the a. f. Of L. admit colored
men into the score of crafts from
which they are now excluded. Every
experience which we have had with
the A. f. of L. has been to our detri-
mert. We warn walters against this
invasion"
C =.