THE IGUARDIAN. criAm.o1”rr-:'Town .

AUGUST 14. 1950

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T0 CANADIAN AND THE CANADIAN usuc

the employees the choice of either:

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It is important that you understand clearly why the managements of

Canada's railways believea railway strike is absolutely unnecessary. an increase in wages averaging gm cam, P9, l.'gu,,,,,.

Our reason for this conviction is that we have made the employees involved in the present dispute a fair offer of wage Increases and improvements in working conditions which. if ap- plied to all employees. will cost us S37.000.000 a year.

a reduction in the basic work week from 48 to 44 hours, with an increase in irvage rates of 9.196 so as to main- tain or in some cases improve present "take home" pay.

The labour leaders have made no concessions at all and have refused to budge from their original demands for a 5-day 40-hour week with maintenance of present "take home" pay, and in ad- dition increases of 7 cents and 10 cents an hour. a

We have further acknowledged a moral obligation to implement the 40-hour week at the appropriate time, and we have explained why, in fairness to Canadian industry and all other employers of labour, we cannot put it into effect now. I

The railways are thoroughly conscious of, and sympathetic to,

To do otherwise would be to perform a disservice to industry a the problems of their employees resulting from higher costs of living.

in general and to all employers and employees alike.

Drastic, unwarranted reductions in hours of work instead of de- creasing these problems will inevitably increase them.

The railways, after making two previous oifers which the union leaders reiected, have now made a third and final offer which gives

presidents iurtlier stated: ". . . the general public is inconvenienced and Business arrangements are made uncertain so long as the likelihood of a strike persists. Moreover, a railway strike would so cripple our economy that it would weaken for a long time

which has been reported by the unions. but railway manage- ment retains too high an opinion of the loyalty. stcadfastness and sense of responsibility of their employees to believe a" strike would not mean a heart-breaking situation for them. That is not to say they will not carry out their undertaking

Not only is a railway strike unnecessary now, but iurtliermore. because of the tense international situation, it would endanger the entire Dominion. 'As the presidents of the Canadian National and Canadian Pacific Railways said in a joint statement to the representatives of the unions last Thursday:

"The present situation...imposes a nerve strain 011' all concerned at a time when we badly need to devote all our energies and thoughts to the grave threat of war and a

to strike if union leaders decide to call upon them to do so

but as already stated, it will cause great unhappiness and '

self -reproach.”

our ability to take a strong line in international adsirs and thus give great comfort to the enemy. Therefore, railway management feels strongly that the issues must be faced

national emergency . . . It leaves the railway employee in a most uncertain and unhappy frame of mind because we are morally certain he does not wish to walk out on his job at a time like this, no matter what issues are involved . . . this opinion seems diametrically opposed to the strike ballot

The importance of the railways in Canada's economy cannot be exaggerated. Never was that importance more apparent than in World War II. And without the loyalty and intense elfort of all railway employees, Canada's magnificent war effort would have been impossible. The same holds true today. As the

resolutely so that all interests. the worker, the public, and the Government. as well as the unions and railway manage- ment, will know precisely what is facing them. The time has come to remove this uncertainty which hangs as a blight over our day-to-day life.”

WITH THESE CONSIDERATIONS IN MIND. THE RAILWAYS HAVE MADE THIS OFFER AS THE ULTIMATE THAT COULD EOSSIBLY. II EXPECTED OF. THEM. AND IT GIVES A SETTLEMENT WHICH WILL LEAVE RAILWAI WORKERS IN AN EXTREMELY. FAVOURAILE EOSITION COMPARED TO OTHER INDUSTRIAL WORKERS.

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The Rnoi oHer which excludes hotel and water troispbrt employees is as follows:

(1) Recognition by railway management of a moral obligatiori to Implement the 40-hou? week at the appropriate time. 'v - I I

(2) Recognition by the unions in principle, sublect to negotiation in detail, of minor amend- ments to existing contracts covering working rules to bring about more emcient operation.

(a) mute . ' - (A) A .44-hour basic workweek with o 9.196 increase in hourly rates so as to mointeid

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I cAuAmAn rumour nAn.wArs

HERE IS OUR OFFER

l'0li0ilT0. HAMILTON BUFFALO MILVIAY

min. home" pay. in wars t5 masonry vans .i.”n..I amproyra run”. will as as ' understanding Athoto 5-day actual work week may be granted by local arrange- ment in selected cases where the hours now actually worked are less than 44, on condition that the requirements of the service are protected up to 44 hours per week.

onus) Asndwod hm-Iolnhl-lowssor-ts-Irsroxlm-telr Oqillvelent inexpenseto ans i.nvoivedunderPIanA. Wlisaappitedto siismpioyees, this would cost the rating". .”7v”Wv900 P0! )tIII'., Ind would average. luesata per hour.

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