Atchison, T. & S. F. Ry. Co. v. Ferryboatmen's Union

Ferryboatmen’s Union of California, which embraces most of the employés classified as firemen, deck hands, watchmen and matrons of the carriers, appellants, under an agreement with relation to hours of service, working conditions, etc., made certain demands for increases in pay and changes in working conditions. As a result an agreement of arbitration was voluntarily entered into in January, 1927, between the carriers, and the union, as contemplated under the Act of May 20, 1926 (44 Stat. p. 577 [45 USCA § 151 et seq.]).

A better understanding is had by explaining that at the time of the arbitration and theretofore the employés of the carriers wlu> are members of assigned crews were divided into two classes; one, working on the basis of 1^ hours on watch and then 24 hours off' duty, without pay for time off, and the other, working on the basis of 8 hours or less each day for 6 consecutive days. Both were subject to the applicable exceptions in rule 6, included in the arbitration agreement. That rule, with ten exceptions, reads:

The specific questions submitted to the arbitrators pertaining to rule 6 were:

After an extended hearing the matter was submitted to the board, which…