Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-08-17
WirtzProposa|
Is Accepted
By Both Sides
Full Settlement
Missing, Strike
Threut Remains
BY LEE M. COIN
Star Staff Writer

NNN%A "AAhSA
Settlement of the railroad
labor dispute still eluded nego-
tiators today, despite a big
breakthrough.
The unions insisted that all
other issues must be settled
through collective bargaining
before they will submit to bind
ing arbitration Of the key dis
putes over firemen and crew
sizes.
Railroad management took
the opposite position, insisting
on arbitration of the firemen
and crew issues before nego-
tiations on the other questions.
Both sides agreed last night
to a proposal by Labor Secre-
tary Wirtz for binding arbitra-
ton of the disputes over elm
ination of firemen from freight
and yard diesel engines and
reduction of the size of train
crews.
First Big Break
This was the first big break
in the four-year dispute, which
has threatened to result in a
Nationwide rail strike at 1901
am. August 90.
But Labor Departme nt
sources and both sides in the
dispute warned that the differ
ences over carrying out the
agreement could block a settle
ment and lead to a strike.
The five unions, represent
ing 100000 train-operating en-
ployes, stated their position
formally in letters to Chair
man Magnuson of the Senate
Commerce Committee and
Chairman Harris of the House
Commerce Committee that
were released today.
They urged the committees
to reject President Kennedy's
proposal for binding settlement
of all issues by the Interstate
Commerce Commission.
Want Joint Committee
Instead, they said, Congress
should adopt a resolution
establishing a joint committee
to oversee negotiations on all
issues except the disputes over
firemen and crew sizes.
The unions said:
I'VE will agree to arbitrate
the firemen's question and the
crew consist (size) question in
a binding form Immediately
following the disposition in
collective bargaining of the re-
naming issues in this case"
Union spokesman explained
why they insist on settling the
other issues before starting ar
bitration on the two key dis
putes.
If arbitration came first.
they said, a stalemate on the
other issues could follow. Then,
they said, the unions would be
under pressure to arbitrate all
the issues.
This. they Speculated, is what
the railroads want.
Railroad Strategy
Railroad management APP
parently wants arbitration
first because the terms of the
ultimate settlement on firemen
and crew sizes would affect the
carriers position on the other
issues.
The railroads also apparently
fear that negotiations on the
other issues would drag on, de-
laying arbitration of the dis
putes on firemen and crew
sizes.
But a union spokesman said
the carriers could break a stale
mate at any time by putting
into effect unilaterally their
proposals for rules changes on
the other issues.
He said bargaining on the
other issues after arbitration
on firemen and crew sizes
might be difficult because one
side or the other would be I'M
happy with the arbitration
award.
The other issues include man
agement proposals for changing
the pay system, allowing inter-
divisional train runs, relaxing
jurisdictional lines between yard
and road crews. and making
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