B-124116, SEP. 16, 1955

B-124116, SEP. 16, 1955

TO JOHNSTON AND KING:

FURTHER REFERENCE IS MADE TO YOUR UNDATED LETTER WITH ENCLOSURE RECEIVED JUNE 28, 1955, MAKING A COMPLAINT IN REGARD TO THE REPORTING CONTRACT FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDED JUNE 30, 1955.

THE REPORT OF THE NATIONAL MEDIATION BOARD ON YOUR COMPLAINT NOW HAS BEEN RECEIVED AND IS AS FOLLOWS:

"THE REPORTING CONTRACT FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING JUNE 30, 1955 PROVIDED THAT THE ONLY FUNCTION OF THE NATIONAL MEDIATION BOARD IN CONNECTION WITH THE APPOINTMENT OF REPORTERS BY EMERGENCY AND ARBITRATION BOARDS WAS TO NOMINATE TO SUCH BOARDS THE HOLDER OF THE CURRENT REPORTING CONTRACT. THIS WAS DONE IN THE CASE OF EMERGENCY BOARD NO. 110 AS RELATED IN THE LETTER FROM JOHNSTON AND KING. THE NATIONAL MEDIATION BOARD HAD NO FURTHER DUTY UNDER THE 1955 REPORTING CONTRACT. THIS BOARD, THEREFORE, WAS NOT IN POSITION TO TAKE ANY ACTION IN CONNECTION WITH THE MATTERS COMPLAINED OF BY JOHNSTON AND KING. AS STATED IN THEIR LETTER THEY WERE APPOINTED BY EMERGENCY BOARD NO. 110 AS THE OFFICIAL REPORTERS OF THAT BOARD. HOWEVER, THEY RELINQUISHED THIS APPOINTMENT WHEN IT WAS FOUND THE CARRIERS INTENDED TO TAKE ONLY ONE OFFICIAL COPY OF THE TRANSCRIPT FROM THE REPORTERS. THIS IS A MATTER OVER WHICH THIS BOARD HAD NO CONTROL AND COULD DO NOTHING. OUR REPORTING CONTRACT FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 1956, HOWEVER, PROVIDES THAT THE OFFICIAL REPORTERS FOR THIS BOARD WILL PERFORM ALL REPORTING INVOLVING BOARD MATTERS, INCLUDING THE REPORTING OF PROCEEDINGS OF EMERGENCY AND ARBITRATION BOARDS AS A PART OF THEIR CONTRACT.'

IN VIEW OF THE FACT THAT THE SITUATION FORMING THE BASIS OF YOUR COMPLAINT HAS BEEN CORRECTED BY THE CHANGES MADE IN THE FISCAL YEAR 1956 CONTRACT, NO FURTHER ACTION IN THIS MATTER APPEARS TO BE REQUIRED BY OUR OFFICE.