The Omaha guide., 1939-05-20
1on. 900 NEGRO RAILROAD
WORKERS CALLED TO
CONFERENCE

April 2s. 1889. New Yofk-The
railroad workers, black and white
are at the cross rads. But the
plight of the black worker Is the
most perplexing and distressing.
What are the causes? They are
many. such as consultations,
mergers. reorganizations, labor
saving devices, bankers manipu-
iations of railroad properties and,
chief of all, long hrrs and dis
crimination on account of race
and color.
The determination, however, Of
the causes and search for remedies
rs nearly as possible will be the
task of the National Conference
If Negro Railroad Workers. which
the Brotherhood invites all Negro
railroad workers, organized and
unorganized, to attend. May 18th
and 10th, Friday and Saturday, at
Washington, d. c.
The main purpose and value OF
the conference is 10 bring the Ne
gro railroad wrkers of varying
crafte and on different railroads,
together to discuss their common
problems and ways and means of
meeting them, and especially to
observe and understand the signifi-
canoe of pooling the moral and
intellectual hwces of Negro rail
road workers to achieve some
measure of job security and the
protection of their interests, with
out violating sound and fundamen-
tai principles of trade union or
ganization.
The tentative agenda will en-
brace:
|. Legislative pr, posals to
solve some of the problems
of the railroad workers.
2. Shorter hours.
3. Organization.
4. Relation of Railroad unions
to Negro workers.
5. Displacement Negro
6. How the Negro workers
NAV exercise and secure
their rights under the exist
ing federal railroad legis-
lation.
Suggested topics for the agenda
and other suggestions that may
be important to q instructive con-
ference arc requested.
No rigid rules will regulate de-
legates, except that they must be
either Negro officials or members
of railroad unions or Negro rail
road workers.
All delegates will be required to
defray expenses of transportath N
to and from conference, and their
maintenance while there.
The Washington Local Division
of the Brotherhood will serve as
host to the conference and will
supply infor Fnation concerning
housing and places where food may
be secured.
On tho first night. Friday, there
will BIO mass nesting. Speakers
will be announced Saturday night
the conference will close with
labor dinner.
Kindly inform me If We may ex-
pect your organization to send
delegate to the conference, or
whether Wm, as railroad worker
expect to attend.
The need for such conference
for consultation among Negro
workers who have never before met
in a general parley to explore
the resources of their power for
mutual protection, seems to be
clear and definite.
Information has come 10 the
Brotherhood that the great major
ity of Negro railrsad workers are
not even acquainted with the ma
ture, scope and significance of the
body of railroad legislation that
vitality affects them. A conference
such as this viii serve the inn
portant purpose of making rail
road workers conscious of their
rights under federal laws ard es-
pecially the Railroad Labor Act.
Railway Unemployment Insurance
Act and the Railroad Retirement
Act, etc.
White railroad workers have
their association of Railway Labor
Executives and the Railway De-
partment of the AT of L to serve
as clearing and coordinating GEN.