Thank you for visiting SNEWPapers!
Sign up free
Domestic News
December 8, 1950
Summit County Labor News
Akron, Summit County, Ohio
What is this article about?
The 15 Non-Operating Railroad Unions are urging carriers for immediate national bargaining on a 25-cent hourly wage increase, following notice served on Oct. 25 effective Nov. 25, amid rising prices and government seizure of railroads to prevent a strike.
Clipping
OCR Quality
98%
Excellent
Full Text
EARLY
PAY
CONFERENCE
RAIL
UNIONS
ARE SEEKING
The 15 Non-Operating Railroad Unions this week are putting the heat on the Carriers to get them into national bargaining conference to negotiate the union proposal for a 25-cent an hour raise.
"So far the Carriers are dragging their feet in what looks like an attempt to stall national bargaining as long as possible," IAM Vice President Earl Melton told The Machinist.
Melton met in Washington last week with other members of the 15 Non-Ops Bargaining Committee to discuss ways and means for forcing the Carriers into immediate national negotiations.
"While stalling our request for a meeting to discuss a fourth-round increase for railroaders, the Carriers are already asking for a ninth-round rail rate increase for themselves," Melton reported.
"The need for an immediate increase for our members is obvious. Sharply rising prices have substantially cut our take-home pay. Other industries are granting voluntary pay raises of 10 to 20 cents an hour," Melton stressed.
"Our membership is taking a militant stand on this question and is prepared to back up its leaders 100 per cent!"
Under the Railway Labor Act, the union contract can be opened any time on 30 days' notice. The unions served notice on the Carriers on Oct. 25 asking for a 25-cent hike to become effective Nov. 25.
Notices were served on each Carrier individually through the System Federation on each road. In demanding the 25 cents, the unions pointed out that "in the event an agreement is not reached in our separate conferences, we request that you join with other Carrier Managements who are receiving a like notice, in the creation of a Carriers' National Conference Committee which will have authority co-extensive with that of the Employees' National Conference Committee."
This proposal is "in accordance with the established procedure which has been followed on numerous occasions during the past 20 years," the notice said.
The government is still technically operating the railroads since it seized them the end of August to head off a strike by the Brotherhoods of Railway Conductors and Railroad Trainmen. The unions were ready to strike over application of the 40-hour week and pay adjustments.
When bargaining begins on a national scale, the Carriers will be represented by a nine-man board composed of three representatives from each railroad region, the Eastern, the South-Eastern and Western.
Chairman of the Non-Ops Committee is G. E. Leighty, president of the Railroad Telegraphers. Last week in Washington he stressed that every possible effort is being made to get the Carriers into immediate meetings.
"If these conferences are not arranged soon, the union leaders expect to find other means to reach a speedy conclusion of this wage movement," Leighty said.
The rail unions are basing their case for a 25-cent raise on six major points including:
The present wage level of non-operating employees was unjust at the time it was established. The general movement of wages between October, 1948, when non-operating wage levels were last set, and June, 1950, increased this injustice. The further upward movement of wages in general since the start of the Korean crisis has again enlarged the inequity in non-operating railway employees' wages.
PAY
CONFERENCE
RAIL
UNIONS
ARE SEEKING
The 15 Non-Operating Railroad Unions this week are putting the heat on the Carriers to get them into national bargaining conference to negotiate the union proposal for a 25-cent an hour raise.
"So far the Carriers are dragging their feet in what looks like an attempt to stall national bargaining as long as possible," IAM Vice President Earl Melton told The Machinist.
Melton met in Washington last week with other members of the 15 Non-Ops Bargaining Committee to discuss ways and means for forcing the Carriers into immediate national negotiations.
"While stalling our request for a meeting to discuss a fourth-round increase for railroaders, the Carriers are already asking for a ninth-round rail rate increase for themselves," Melton reported.
"The need for an immediate increase for our members is obvious. Sharply rising prices have substantially cut our take-home pay. Other industries are granting voluntary pay raises of 10 to 20 cents an hour," Melton stressed.
"Our membership is taking a militant stand on this question and is prepared to back up its leaders 100 per cent!"
Under the Railway Labor Act, the union contract can be opened any time on 30 days' notice. The unions served notice on the Carriers on Oct. 25 asking for a 25-cent hike to become effective Nov. 25.
Notices were served on each Carrier individually through the System Federation on each road. In demanding the 25 cents, the unions pointed out that "in the event an agreement is not reached in our separate conferences, we request that you join with other Carrier Managements who are receiving a like notice, in the creation of a Carriers' National Conference Committee which will have authority co-extensive with that of the Employees' National Conference Committee."
This proposal is "in accordance with the established procedure which has been followed on numerous occasions during the past 20 years," the notice said.
The government is still technically operating the railroads since it seized them the end of August to head off a strike by the Brotherhoods of Railway Conductors and Railroad Trainmen. The unions were ready to strike over application of the 40-hour week and pay adjustments.
When bargaining begins on a national scale, the Carriers will be represented by a nine-man board composed of three representatives from each railroad region, the Eastern, the South-Eastern and Western.
Chairman of the Non-Ops Committee is G. E. Leighty, president of the Railroad Telegraphers. Last week in Washington he stressed that every possible effort is being made to get the Carriers into immediate meetings.
"If these conferences are not arranged soon, the union leaders expect to find other means to reach a speedy conclusion of this wage movement," Leighty said.
The rail unions are basing their case for a 25-cent raise on six major points including:
The present wage level of non-operating employees was unjust at the time it was established. The general movement of wages between October, 1948, when non-operating wage levels were last set, and June, 1950, increased this injustice. The further upward movement of wages in general since the start of the Korean crisis has again enlarged the inequity in non-operating railway employees' wages.
What sub-type of article is it?
Economic
Transportation
What keywords are associated?
Railroad Unions
Pay Raise
National Bargaining
Carriers
Wage Increase
Railway Labor Act
What entities or persons were involved?
Earl Melton
G. E. Leighty
Where did it happen?
Washington
Domestic News Details
Primary Location
Washington
Event Date
Oct. 25
Key Persons
Earl Melton
G. E. Leighty
Outcome
ongoing pressure for national negotiations; government operating railroads since end of august to avert strike; unions prepared for militant action if needed.
Event Details
The 15 Non-Operating Railroad Unions served notice on Oct. 25 for a 25-cent hourly raise effective Nov. 25, seeking national bargaining under established procedures. Carriers are stalling while requesting their own rate increases. Unions cite rising prices, wage inequities since 1948, and industry trends. Meetings held in Washington to force immediate talks.