Word: firemen
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...morning of the great day, there were probably more cops than marchers on the assembly grounds around the Washington Monument. The District of Columbia's police chief, Robert V. Murray, had assembled a force of 5,900 men -including 350 club-carrying firemen, 1,700 National Guardsmen and 300 newly sworn-in police reserves. At nearby bases, 4,000 soldiers and marines were ready to cross the Potomac in helicopters if they were needed for riot duty...
There are about 100 other such new "firemen" on the Southern, all aging or aged Negroes (60 to 80-odd). They get up to $25 a day, although none of them ever worked on a train before. They are pawns, lucky pawns, in a bitter chess game between the Southern and the Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen and Enginemen. Traveling an independent track, the Southern withdrew from the 195-company united front that U.S. railroads have presented in their work-rules battle with five railroad operating unions. Instead, the Southern has carried on its own fight in its own way against...
...Southern Railway's management noted that in the company's contract with the firemen there was no clause saying that the Southern had to hire men to replace firemen who died, retired or quit. So, for more than three years, Southern hired no new firemen. The union, preoccupied with its national struggle, did not go to court about the Southern until last September. After an involved wrangle, the union obtained a federal court decision requiring the Southern to abide by the old rule-a fireman on every diesel-until the dispute is decided by the National Railroad Adjustment...
...comply with that ruling, the Southern had to hire about 100 men, and that is how Willie Glass and the other Negroes got their new jobs. Explains a Southern executive: "Since firemen have no duties at all to perform, no skills, training, physical standards or education are required. In the circumstances, it seemed reasonable to employ unskilled elderly people who are having a hard time finding jobs." The Southern's move was particularly galling to the Brotherhood because until four weeks ago its constitution prohibited Negroes from becoming members. The infuriated union accused Southern of "disrespectful contempt," planned...
...think the railroads really need those firemen with their buckets-just switch from sand to soap and water...