Jasper County Democrat, Volume 23, Number 34, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 24 July 1920 — UNIONS ORDER A REFERENDUM [ARTICLE]

UNIONS ORDER A REFERENDUM

Grand Council Decides to Leave Wage Acceptance to Individuals. ALL LEADERS LEAVE CHICAGO Federal Government Issues Ultima-* turn to Outlawa Who Have Tied Up Rail Yards Unauthorizedly. Chicago, July 23. —Following three days of fruitless argument over the question of unanimous action on the railway labor board's wage award, the grand council of the 10 heads of rail unions decided to leave action on the matter up to the individual unions. Fourteen of the unions Involved have filed a tentative acceptance of the proposition. Seven voted unanimously to submit the matter to a referendum. Seven others voted outright acceptance. Of these last seven, one, the United Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employees, switched at the lust moment and also voted a referendum. This carries with It a recommendation of acceptance. Another organization, the clerks, which had voted for a referendum and a recommendation for acceptance, • withdrew their action and will send the matter to the men without any comment. Virtually all the leaders In the conference have left the city. It Is estimated that no tabulated returns on the vote by the men will ba received prior to September 1, the date when the railroads emerge from the protecting wing of the government guaranty. Ultimatum to Outlaws. Federal government officials, Impatient at the two month tieup of railroad yards through the unauthorized walkout of "outlaw” swltchen, announced a new policy. Ttys policy virtually amounts to an ultimatum that unless the men are back to work by Monday morning Immediate grand jury action against the leaders will be started under the Levee act. Coincidentally there came a series of revelations regarding policies pursued by the railroads since the strike. Tn Columbus, 0., and Buffalo, N. Y„ the railroads centering there have entered Into contracts with strlkebreakprM_paylng bonuses amounting in some cases to sls a day. It Is declared. The sums of money expended for their wages, it Is charged, has caused a deficit In the finances on these roads. Confers With Brotherhood Men. A conference was held In Chicago between Maj. E. Leroy Humes, representing the department of justice, and the 16 brotherhood heads. In this conference, the brotherhoods were told that steps must be taken either to force the outlaws to return to work at once or to fill their places with bona fide railway employees. In 1000, it was pointed out, a‘ long drawn switchmen's strike resulted In defeat for the Brotherhood of Railway Trainmen, which at that time controlled the yards, and the formation o fthe Switchmen’s Union of North America. Recently at Buffalo, N. Y., the Switchmen's Union of North America, which held the contracts for switchmen with the roads, was requested to furnish the roads immediately with switchmen to replace the men walking out. 8. E. Heberllng, president of the g U. of N. A., found himself unable to do so. Offer Contract to B. R. T. The roads then went to W. G. Lee, head of the B. of ». T., and offered him the contracts, providing the men to switch the cars were furnished. The trainmen complied, and Heberllng’s contracts were canceled. This action. It is said, reopened the old fight between the trainmen and Heberllng’s organization. The only union now in a position to furnish union men to the roads Is the Brotherhood of Railway Trainmen. Should this union take over existing contracts with the S. U. of N. A., that organization will be virtually forced out of existence.