Theodore R. McKeldin, Governor                     51

and conditions of employment which might lead to such disputes can
best be accomplished by encouraging collective bargaining between
employers and representatives freely designated or selected by their
employees; but that the intervention of government is necessary to
protect the public health and safety whenever an industrial dispute
which has not been settled by collective bargaining threatens an
immediate and substantial interruption in the performance of such
services which ivould dangerously curtail their availability in any
community.

12D. Declaration of Policy.—It is hereby declared to be the policy
of this State:

(1)  to place primary responsibility upon the employers and repre-
sentatives freely designated or selected by employees for the avoid-
ance of any interruption in the rendering of public utility services
resulting from differences concerning wages, hours and other terms
and conditions of employment and

(2)  in the event that a peaceful adjustment of such differences is
not accomplished by collective bargaining, to provide procedures for
government intervention and the establishment of wages, hours and
other terms and conditions of employment without any interruption
in the rendering of such services which would dangerously curtail
their availability in any community.

12E. Definitions of Terms used in this sub-title.

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(1) THE TERM "PUBLIC UTILITY" OR "PUBLIC UTILITY
EMPLOYER" MEANS ANY EMPLOYER (OTHER THAN THE
STATE OR ANY POLITICAL SUB-DIVISION THEREOF) SUB-
JECT TO THE JURISDICTION OF THE PUBLIC SERVICE
COMMISSION OF MARYLAND AND ENGAGED IN THE BUSI-
NESS OF FURNISHING SERVICES TO THE PUBLIC IN THIS
STATE AS A COMMON CARRIER COMPANY, GAS COMPANY,
ELECTRIC COMPANY, STEAM HEATING COMPANY, TELE-
PHONE COMPANY, TELEGRAPH COMPANY, WATER COM-
PANY AND/OR ANY COMBINATION THEREOF, ALL AS DE-
FINED IN ARTICLE 78. SECTION 2 OF THE ANNOTATED
CODE OF MARYLAND, 1955 SUPPLEMENT.

(2)  "Person" includes one or more individuals, partnerships, as-
sociations, corporations, legal representatives, trustees, trustees in
bankruptcy, or receivers;

(3)  "Employer" includes any person acting in the interest of an
employer directly or indirectly but shall not include the State or
any political sub-division thereof or any labor organization (other
than when acting as an employer) or any one acting in the capacity
of officer or agent of such labor organization;

(4) "Employee" shall include any employee and shall not be
limited to the employees of a particular employer, and shall include