White House Statement on
the Report of Presidential Emergency Board No. 213 Concerning the Investigation
of a Railroad Labor Dispute
Presidential
Emergency Board No. 213 today submitted its report to the President concerning
a dispute between the Chicago and North Western Transportation Company and
certain of its employees represented by the United Transportation Union.
The
President, in his discretion, under the Railway Labor Act, and on the
recommendation of the National Mediation Board, established the three-member
Board by Executive Order 12636, effective
The
Board was chaired by Robert O. Harris, Arbitrator, of
The
central issue in dispute concerned the number of train service-employees that
shall be used on each crew employed in road, freight, and yard service
operations. The North Western had sought to revise agreements to permit it the
unrestricted right to determine when and if any train-service employees shall
be used on a train. The union rejected such a demand. It proposed that the
standard crew consist of not less than one conductor and one foreman and two
helpers in yard service. Further, the union contended that in no event should a
minimum crew consist of less than one conductor/foreman and one
brakeman/helper.
The
North Western offered employees adversely affected by implementation of its
rules changes a one-time severance allowance of $25,000 or, in the alternative,
a supplemental unemployment allowance for 1 year.