The Butler County press. [volume] (Hamilton, Ohio) 1900-1946, 1944-09-01
FIFTH REGIONAL
WAR LABOR BOARD
INFORMATION DIVISION

The Fifth Regional War Labor
Board today streamlined it's procedure
in the handling of wage inequality
grievances arising out of union-man-
agement contracts by voting, unan-
imously, to set up three-men "Arbi-
tration Panels" with power to make
final and binding decisions.
"By this action" it was announced
by Regional Chairman Frederick H.
Bullen, "the Regional Board will be
relieved Of the necessity Of devoting
hours of discussion to the flow of
grievances which do not involve basic
provisions of the contracts"
Normal Interpretation of a griev-
ance is a dispute which arises over
Interpretation or application of con-
tract terms, as distinguished from the
type of dispute involving fundamental
wage structures and working condi-
tions which are set forth in the con-
tracts. The boards resolution did not
affect it's present policy of according
full consideration by the board, itself,
on basic contract issues.
The resolution was the result of an
inquiry by the board into the proper
procedure for handling wage griev-
ance matters involving the major steel
companies in the Ohio Kentucky
West Virginia area. Recently, SO
steel company grievances of this type
have been submitted to the regions
special "Steel Panel" for report and
recommendation, and 60 others are
pending. In addition, 40 wage in
equality grievances are pending from
rubber companies, and numerous 9TH
ers have been filed by miscellaneous
industries.
The method of handling the griev-
ances was the subject of full board
hearing Aug. 8, at which steel COM
pany representatives and union repre-
sentatives presented their arguments.
The three-member Arbitration Pan
els will replace the "Steel Panel' in
the grievances affecting the steel
making firms and their employees.
The steel companies contended, in
the main, that the regional board had
no legal right to delegate it's authority
to single arbitrator or panel of ar
bitrators and that compulsory arbi-
tration" violates the concept of arbi-
tration as procedure based upon
agreement of all parties.
Union representatives took a mid
die course at the hearing, asserting
their greatest interest was in an ar
rangement for speedy settlement of
the disputes.
"The boards chief detectives are:
C) to provide more appropriate
method for handling grievance mat
ters in accordance with national policy
and, (2) to prevent this type of issue
from burdening the board docket and
delaying settlement of major dis
putes," Chairman Bullen said.
Under the new procedure, the Ar
bitration Panel will hold hearings at
which both parties will present evil
dence, oral arguments and written
briefs. Written decisions of the panels
will be submitted to the Regional
Board only for approval to the Wage
Sterilization Director to determine
whether the panel has exceeded the
wartime wage laws in it's rulings.
Appeals from the panels awards
may be taken to the Regional Board
upon four grounds only: (1) that the
panel exceeded it's powers; (2) that
the panel failed to make final and
binding decision on the issue; (3) that
the decision was the result of sscor-
ruption, fraud or illegal MEANS" and
(4) that the panel was guilty of mis-
conduct in refusing to accept pertin-
ent evidence or testimony.