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Telegram to Management and Labor Leaders in the Southern Pacific Railroad Labor Dispute.

March 13, 1963

IT IS my understanding that tentative agreement has been reached on all but approximately five issues in your dispute. An agreement so close to settlement should not be jeopardized by failure to resolve these open issues. Nor would an interruption of railroad service be in the public interest. Accordingly I urge that you reduce to writing and execute an agreement incorporating all of your tentative understandings and supplement such agreement with an agreement for final determination by a panel of three persons who would have authority to issue a final and binding award on all remaining unresolved problems. The panel should consist of one person nominated by the carrier, one by the union and a third neutral person agreed upon by the parties. In the event the parties should fail to agree upon selection of the neutral I shah appoint him. Pending your consideration of this proposal, the union is requested to refrain from authorizing any withdrawal from service. Your immediate action is requested.

JOHN F. KENNEDY,

Note: This is the text of identical telegrams addressed to D. J. Russell, President, Southern Pacific Co., San Francisco, Calif., and George M. Harrison, Grand President, Brotherhood of Railway and Steamship Clerks, Cincinnati, Ohio. Copies of the telegram were sent to C. L. Dennis, Vice Grand President, Brotherhood of Railway and Steamship Clerks; W. C. McGovern, Vice Grand President, care of Southern Pacific Co.; K. K. Schomp, Manager, Personnel, Southern Pacific Co.; and Francis A. O'Neill, Jr., member, National Mediation Board--all in San Francisco, Calif.

John F. Kennedy, Telegram to Management and Labor Leaders in the Southern Pacific Railroad Labor Dispute. Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/node/237111

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