The guardian. [volume] (Boston, Mass.) 1901-1960, 1939-10-14
LOOKING AROUND
and BEYOND
By
FRANK R. CROSSWAITH

he days and years ahead. Now the
Red Caps are on the march as indicated
~ the following account recently re-
eased from their Chicago office.
approximately one year after the
Interstate Commerce Commissions
decision granting employee status
to red caps, station porters and usb-
ers, the International Brotherhood
Of Red Caps has translated this mo-
mentus legal decision into terms Of
concrete organizational results.
To-day with nearly 10000 miles
of Glass A railroads under contract
the Brotherhood has entered into the
spirit Of developing the strength Of
the organization with full steam
ahead. Aside from the contracts al
ready under the belt Of the union.
the Brotherhood is in the midst Of
a series of negotiations with railway
arrangements which in the near fu-
ture will push its contract mileage
into the neighborhood of IS, 900 miles
of Glass A railroads. This figure,
when compared with the best mileage
Of any of the old railroad unions, is
a great feather in the cap of the two
year old Brotherhood.
Resulting from a series of elec-
lions conducted among Red Caps by
the National Mediation Board, in
which the international Brotherhood
of Red Caps was selected as the bar
gaining agency on numerous systems
and terminals, the dates have been
set for a number of preliminary CON
ferences between railroad officials
and representatives of the Interna-
tional Brotherhood Of Red Caps
"On October 5, Brotherhood repre-
sentatives opened negotiations with
the Memphis Union Station Com
pany. October 9 is set for the con-
ference with the Pennsylvania Rail
road. Union officials and the Illinois
Central officials will meet October
81. The Union Pacific Brotherhood
meeting is scheduled for October Is.
The Mississippi, Kansas and Texas
will meet with Union heads on 0cto-
Der 20. Southern Pacific IT & NO
Division) October %, and the Hous-
ton Belt and Terminal Company has
set October % as the date for the
meeting with the Brotherhood.
Compared with the nature Of the
unions work year ago which was
1870 legal, over 1870 of the work
today is in the nature of complaints,
adjustments, agreements and confer
ences with railway arrangements,
This calls for a day to day Office rou-
tine of filing complaints, submitting
memoranda to railway homogeneous,
invoking the services of the National
Mediation Board, selecting Brother
hood representatives for elections,
meeting with grievance and negotla-
ton committees, settling complaints
inspecting contract proposals, hold
ing weekly staff conferences and
numerous other detail activities
which goes into the process Of build
ing a trade union.
"Also going into the process OF
growth, the Brotherhood has extend
ed its organization into the ranks Of
wives, mothers and friends in the
form of the Women's Auxiliary
which today is becoming bulwark
of strength in the Union. This and
the development of It's Union educa-
tional work gives added testimony
to the continuous growth Of the Or
ganized Red Caps in the American
labor movement"
THIS IS THE sort of progress for
which all who are eager to see our
:roup win its rightful place Of equality
n American life should rejoice.