Evening star., 1941-09-05
RoiIrood Unions Vote to Strike,
Mediation Co|Iopses, Sending
Wage Deadlock to President
Foct-Findine Boord
Is Next Step Indicated
In Poy Dispute
ny the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
CHICAGO, Sept. 5.-Mediation
OF the wage dispute between the
Nations major railroads and
their 1850, 900 employees ended in
failure today, less than three
hours after the employees had
given q general strike authorize =
ton to their 10 unions.
In announcing that attempts to
reach an amicable settlement OF the
dispute had ended. the National
Railway Mediation Board disclosed
that an offer of arbitration had been
rejected by the unions.
This brings the controversy to
President Roosevelt, who has the
authority TO appoint an emergency
fact-finding board. No strike may
be put into effect until at least 80
days after this board has reported.
Brotherhoods Are Adamant.
The five big operating brother
hoods stand sdsmant for q 80 per
cent increase In the basic rates Of
pay. Fourteen incorporating I'M
ions want increases which will boost
the wages of their members from 80
to "a cents an hour. The non-op-
Grating unions, embracing approx
mately 100000 workers, have set
September IL as the date for a
strike. The operating brotherhoods
planned to set their date within
three or four days
After reciting the history OF at
tempts to settle the dispute, the
Mediation Boards statement said,
In part: ..
1T developed yesterday that me-
diation, in the judgment Of the
board. was no longer helpful. AS a
consequence, under the law, the
board requested the parties to enter
into agreements to arbitrate their
differences. The board was unable
to bring the parties into agreement
to arbitrate"
The board announced that 1t
would not notify the President OF
the abandonment OF mediation ef-
forts until after 1t had received
notice of the operating unions
strike date.
Expresses Disappointment.
Fred G. Gurley, chairman of the
carriers Joint Conference Commit
tee, expressed disappointment at the
failure TO reach an amicable settle
ment.
He said that after the Mediation
Board announced its intention OF
closing its conferences, the railroads
expressed 4 willingness to arbitrate
the controversy, but that the unions
exercised their right to reject this
procedure.
The operating unions, however
have agreed to further mediation
of the carriers proposals for rules
changes after the wage question
has been settled, Mr.. Gurley said
10 this phase of the dispute would
not be considered by the fact-flnd-
ing board as it applies to the op.
Grating unions. The incorporating
unions have consistently refused
to discuss rule changes, Mr.. Gurley
added.
He asserted that the strike vote
vas a device of the employees tc
create an emergency which would
cause the President to appoint q
fact-finding board.
Its merely ballot for a fact
finding board and not a ballot fol
q strike" he said.
Oficials of the five operating
groups said that es.7 of their $4,000
members voted in favor of strike
and that preliminary figures on q
strike authorization vote showed that
out OF 287,000 votes cast, 283,42s
were for q strike and 3,571 were
against.
Alvaney Johnston, head of the
Brotherhood of Locomotive Engi-
neers, said that the operating unions
would announce date for strike
within three days.
Mr.. Johnston said the carriers
made a final wage offer before the
strike votes were announced. He
said that it was so complicated I'VE
consider it no offer at all"
A statement issued by Bert M
Jewell. president Of the railway en-
(see RAILROADS, Page A-4)