On November 2, 1959, individual railroads served notice of their desire to revise current rules relating to basis of pay and assignment of engineers, firemen, conductors, traimen and switchmen. Conferences on the railroad proposals have been held locally pursuant to the provisions of the Railway Labor Act but no agreements were reached. Officers of your organizations have informed individual railroads that your organizations would appoint a committee to deal concertedly with the Carriers' Conference Committees on the matter. We would appreciate it if you would inform us as soon as possible of the consist of your committee so that we can undertake arrangements for a date and place for commencement of conferences. Chicago 6, June 9, 1960 Mr. H. E. Gilbert, President, Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen and Enginemen, 318 Keith Building, Cleveland 15, Chio. Dear Mr. Gilbert: On November 2, 1959, individual railroads served notice of their desire to eliminate requirements that firemen be used on other than steam locomotives in all classes of freight and yard service. You will recall that on the same date the railroads' notice was served, we informed you by letter that we recognize that our proposals will have an effect on the employees you represent' and we offered to give full consideration to any bargainable proposal you might have for dealing with the human problems arising out of the railroad proposal. We remain ready to do so. Conferences on the railroad proposal have been held locally pursuant to the provisions of the Railway Labor Act but no agreements were reached. Officers of your Brotherhood have informed individual railroads that your Brotherhood would appoint a committee to deal concertedly with the Carriers' Conference Committees on the matter. We would appreciate it if you would inform us as soon as possible of the consist of your committee so that we can undertake arrangements for a date and place for commencement of conferences. Mr. Guy W. Knight, Chairman Eastern Carriers Conference Committee Chicago 6, Illinois Mr. T. Short, Chairman Western Carriers Conference Committee Union Station Building Chicago 6, Illinois Mr. W. L. Burner, Jr., Manager Bureau of Information, Southeastern Railways Chicago 6, Illinois Mr. B. B. Bryant, Chairman Southeastern Carriers Conference Committee Chicago 6, Illinois July 6, 1960 Gentlemen: In accordance with your letter of June 9, 1960, relative to national conference on your several notices of November 2, 1959, and our reply of June 14, 1960, the undersigned chief executives of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers, Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen and Enginemen, Order of Railway Conductors and Brakemen, and Brotherhood of Railroad Trainmen are prepared to discuss procedures for handling the rules dispute initiated by your notices. Those notices requested extensive changes throughout the wage structure of operating employees, proposing modification or elimination of virtually every rule affecting compensation and working conditions. Your proposal necessarily involves a comprehensive review of the entire wage structure, to which the ordinary processes of the Railway Labor Act are not suited. We believe that such a review, if it is to be made, calls for the creation of a special wage structure study commission. We accordingly propose that you Nessrs Knight, Short, Burner and Bryant July 6, 1960 join with us in the creation of such a commission, to be established "RECOMMENDATION: There should be established a "(14) For parties so experienced in collective bargaining it is not necessary to set forth the details or mechanics by which such a comprehensive review and revision of the operating wage rate structure of the railroads should be accomplished. The Board has felt, however, that it might be helpful in the further exploration of this recommendation by all the interested. parties and agencies for the Board to indicate some suggestions or guideposts which may merit consideration. Participation in the work of the commission should not in advance bind any party to accept the conclusions or recommendations of the commission, except by prior agreement. Messrs Knight, Short. Burner and Bryant July 6, 1960 "(a) A comprehensive review of the wage structure would require the establishment of a wage structure commission. It would be necessary that such a commission be composed of senior negotiators since they are most familiar with the wage rate structure of the industry. The effective operation of the commission would, no doubt, also require that there be selected several neutrals, with experience in collective bargaining, and wage structure problems, to be members of the commission. One of the neutrals should be Chairman. "(b) A truly comprehensive review requires that the commission include representatives from the three regional organizations of carriers and from all of the major labor organizations of operating employees. It is essential to any comprehensive review and in keeping with long standing precedent in this industry that all these interested and affected organizations be represented on such a commission. "(c) Each segment of the commission would, no doubt, find it necessary to appoint a small group of technical experts familiar with railroad wages and wage structure problems. All related Government agencies would be expected to provide the commission and its technical experts with all possible assistance and information. "(d) The effective work of the commission would require that studies be initiated to secure all relevant information on the wage rate structure and earnings of the industry among operating classifications. A comprehensive wage survey is independent of any particular proposal for revision of the rate structure and is essential to the consideration of such proposals. While such a survey should no doubt be planned by the technical experts, the commission should take responsibility for the study and should from time to time consider the problems and progress of any survey. Any survey must be factual and designed to compile all data needed to appraise proposals for the modification of the wage structure. "(e) All elements and aspects of the wage structure should be reviewed. In the language of the British agreement: 'This examination would be completely exhaustive without conditions of any kind.' |