Newspapers / The Charlotte Labor Journal … / March 19, 1936, edition 1 / Page 1
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The ONLY REALLY INDEPENDENT WEEKLY In Mecfa Anburg County Por a Weekly, Its Readers Represent the LARGEST BUYING POWER In CharlotU Official Organ Central Labor Union; endorsed by State Federation of Labor Truthful, Honest, Impartial Che Charlotte labor Journal AND DIXIE FARM NEWS Endeatm Patronize our Adver tisers. They make YOUR paper possible by their co operation. Endeavoring to Serve the Masses Vol. V.—No. 44 YOU* ADVMTItlMINT |M TN« JOURNAL >• A INUMTNKNT CHARLOTTE, N. C„ THURSDAY, MARCH 19, 1936 JOURNAL AOVIRTIt AO Pap YmT LABOR DISPUTES CAN BE SETTLED BY FACTORY CLOSING BY LAW UNTIL AGREEMENT IS REACHED Recently the City Council of Superior, Wis^ passed an ordi nance designed to eliminate violence in labor disputes, protect workers in their right to organize in unions and encourage col lective bargaining. . , . To achieve this object the ordinance makes it mandatory for city authorities to dose as “a public nuisance” any concern whose officers refuse to meet with representatives designated by a ma jority of the employes for collective bargaining purposes, provided | the refusal results in 5 Oor more persons assembling near the busi ness place for one hour or more on two successive days under con ditions that constitute a danger to life or property. Prior to closing: the plant the city authorities are authorized to appoint a committee of nine, composed of an equal number of representatives of labor, employers and the clergy to investigate the controversy and re port on the desirability of issuing the closing order. The ordinance was introduced by Councilman Smith, who is also presi dent of the Superior Federation of Labor. It was adopted by the Coun cil on December 17, 1936. A similar ordinance has also been passed by the Common Council of Milwaukee, Wis. TEXT OF ORDINANCE The official text of the Superior ordinance follows. “Ordinance introduced by Council man Smith, providing for the elim ination of violence and other forms of disturbances, and otherwise in suring the peace and comfort of the community. “The Mayor and Council of the City of Superior do ordain as folt lows: “Section 1. (a) It is the declared policy of the United States Govern ment in Section 161 of Title 29 U. S. C. A., commonly called the Wagner Act, to eliminate the causes of cer tain substantial obstructions to the free flow of commerce and to miti gate and eliminate these obstructions when they have occurred, by encour aging the practice and procedure of collective bargaining by protecting the exercise by workers of full free dom of association, self-organization and designation of representatives of their own choosing, for the purpose of negotiating the terms and condi tions of their employment for their mutual aid or protection. “ (D7 It'is' the declared portey or the State of Wisconsin in Section 268.18 of the Statutes that negotia tions of terms and condiions of labor should result from voluntary agree ment between employers and em ployes, and that workmen have full freedom of association, self-organiza tion and the designation of represen tatives of their own choosing, to ne gotiate the terms and conditions of employment and they shall be free from interference, restraint or coer cion of employers in designating such representatives or in self-organization or in other concertive activities for the purpose of collective bargaining or other mutual aid for protection. > “(c) It is herewith declared that under certain conditions the City of Superior may become liable in dam ages for injury to persons or prop erty occasioned by large assem blages of people. STRIKES CAUSED BY EMPLOYERS “(d) It is hereby declared that the denial by employers to their employes of the right to organize and select representatives of their own choos ing to negotiate the terms and con ditions of employment in defiance of the policy laid down by i the United States government and in defiance of the policy of the state of Wisconsin, leads to strikes and other forms of in dustrial unrest which have the effect: Don’t forget the open meeting for Union members Sunday afternoon at 3 o'clock at the Moose Hall, South Tryon street, between Trade and Fourth streets. This is really important to all union men in Charlotte and surrounding territory. LABOR MEETING SUNDAY A meeting of organized workers of Charlotte will be held at the Moose Hall Sunday afternoon at 3 o’clock. Presi dent R. R. Lawrence, of the State Federation of Labor, will bring a message to those present of great importance. , Be on hand. “1. Of causing tne assemoiage oi a large number of men, women and children in and about the premises of such employer. “2. Straining the capacity of the Police Department when policing the area, thus depriving the public resid ing in other parts of the city of ita right to the usual standard of police protection. | j “3. Denying citizens of their right] to the full and free use of the; streets and highways in the vicinity of the employer’s premises. “4. Creating generally evil conse quences which are offensive to the morals, health and general welfare of the community at large. “5. Creating a feeling of resent-] ment among the citizens and resi dents of Superior who are not di rectly concerned with such collective bargaining and causing a real dan ger to life, limb and property. “(e) It is further declared that to prevent the danger of disorder aris ing out of the condition herein de scribed this ordinance is herewith en acted. “Section 2. Where a person, firm or corporation through its officers or agents refuses to meet with the representatives designated or select ed for the purpose of collective bar gaining by the majority of the em ployes in a unit created for the pur pose of collective bargaining in re spect to rates of pay. wages, hours of employment, and such refusal causes the assemblage of 50 or more persons within a area of one-half acre on the streets adjacent to the plant, shop, foundry, factory, store or other] place of business where employes are employed, for one hour or more on each of two successive days and such assemblage in the opinion of the] mayor or chief of police or common council in regular or special session,] constitutes a danger to life, limb or property, the mayor, chief of police] or common council shall declare the operation of such plant, shop, foun dry, factory, store or other place of business under such condition a pub lic danger, and such person, firm or corporation shall be deemed to be op erating and conducting a public nuis ance. “Section 3. The mayor, chief of po lice or common council, in regular or special session, shall give written no tice to the person, firm or corpora-; tion, or any of its principal officers,; reciting that such further operation of such plant, show, foundry, factory, store or other business while such as semblage continues, constitutes a pub lic danger, and shall order the clos-. ing of the said plant, foundry, fac tory, store or business and prevent ingress or egress to such plant, shop, foundry, factory, store or other bus iness, within 24 hours of service of Such notice, except to provide for th*j maintenance and protection of the building or premises. “Section 4. Whenever the mayor] chief of police or common council, ip regular or special session, is about to act under this ordinance, they arcj herewith authorized to appoint a com mittee of nine citizens of the City of Superior, three of whom shall be rep resentatives of employers employing more than 10 employes in their place of business or establishment, three of whom shall be representatives of the Superior Federation of Labor of la ter’s own choice, and three of whom ] shall be members of the clergy of ref ligious groups and denominations) that such committee shall make ad visory findings to the mayor and council, upon the following points: “1. Has there been a refusal by the employer to meet with represen tatives designated or selected for the purpose of collective bargaining by the majority of the employes in a unit created for the purpose of collective bargaining in respect to conditions of employment? “2. Is such a refusal causing the assemblage of 50 or more persons within an area of one-half acre on the streets adjacent to the plant, shop, foundry, factory, store or other place of business where the employes are employed for the length of time sejt worth in this ordinance? L NOTICE TO ADVERTISERS AND BUSINESS MEN A resolution adopted last year as to The Labor Journal and solicitation of funds in the name of Central Labor Un ion was brought out of the minutes and republished as in formation. The resolution reads as follows: “Resolved, That we publish in The Charlotte Labor Journal, that we do not condone any solicita tion of advertising except for The Charlotte Labor Journal, purporting to represent labor, unless over the signature of the secretary of the Charlotte Cen tral Labor Union. CHATTING HARRY ■OATS That strike of elevator men and service employes in New York has given the people in that city of skyscrapers and cliff dwellers an opportun ity to make up their minds as to whether the elevator operator or the serv ice man is just an incident in the life of a big city, or whether these people are a real necessity in the everyday life of you and 1 and the other fellow. These operatives decided they wanted changes in working conditions and their pay envelopes, and after endeavoring by consultation with the big boys to bring about the result, and meeting with failure, decided they would just let those who used the buildings do some of their own work, or get along as best they could, and it was not long until they discovered it just could not be done. Walking up and down 15 or 20 flights of steps is no joke, and if one is tempted to doubt it, just start up and see how far it is to the top. In one building a group of office girls who climbed to the 25th floor had to be treated for hysteria and exhaustion. Mayor LaGuardia issued emergency decrees providing firemen to run elevators for the aged and sick, and to deliver food and milk to dwellers in apartments. In some cases strikers were pressed into service as “health department inspectors.” In other buildings strikebreakers were hired at $9 a day, guards at $12. Forming a “strikebreakers’ union,” one group struck for $20. It has not been learned of the outcome of this latter demand. Under date of March 11th, the Associated Press sent out an article on the strike which gives a new angle. It said: “Detectives from the police racket squad and other units tonight raided the Fifth avenue offices of the American Confidential Bureau, Inc., a detective agency which has been furnishing replacements for building service strikers, and took 31 men to a precinct station for questioning.” “We didn't like the looks of some of the mugs who were looking for jobs there,” said one of the city detectives. At least two of the men seized were well known police characters. One resident who reported that his apartment was robbed of a fur coat and jewelry valued at $100,000, stated “the people of New York are at the mercy of known criminals, hired as strike-breakers.” It is well known that in all cases where a strike is in progress ghouls come out of hiding and prey on both the public and the employers who refuse to settle differences in a peaceful manner. As is well known, a strike is a war, although not given the title officially, since it does not deal with nations, but war it is, and it is the custom to say that all things are fair in war. Hence he workman who wishes to do his duty in an honest way, but desires for his services sufficient compensation to support him self and family, is frequently compelled to strike, and his employer foolishly believes it is cheaper to hire strike-breakers at exorbitant rates, and in the end finds he has lost in money, respect of the men who had given honest service and were willing to continue doing so, in addition to giving dishon est people easy means of entry to places usually supposed to be private or secret, with the result that many times robberies occur which would not have occurred had these strangers not been given the opportunity to learn secrets by hiring themselves as honest workers, with no other object that eventu ally robbing his employer. When capital and labor finally decide that shrikes do not pay, either in cash or in any other way, perhaps the counsel table will be the battleground on which to operate. Les, it is true that labor leaders sometimes make mis takes, and sometimes are unjust, but they, like the employer, are just humans, and the one who never made a mistake has never yet lived, so the laboring man is no more to be condemned for his efforts than is the em ployer for his refusal to listen and heed. If these New York owners will wake up, it will not be long before ele vators will be running with people who can be trusted, and people will again rest in peace. Climbing stairs is hard work, especially when one is out of practice, and most of those affected are out of practice, which they have dis covered. Live and learn. “3. Does such asesmblage consti tute a danger to the life, limb or property of the ^citizens of Superior? “Section 5. Any person, firm or corporation, or any of its officers failing to abide by the order of the mayor, chief of police or the council, or otherwise violating any provisions of Sections 1, 2 and 3, shall be sub ject to a fine 6f not les sthan $50, nor more than $300 for each day’s violation, or imprisonment in the County Work Farm for a period of 90 days. “Section 6. If any section, sub section, sentence, clause or phrase of this ordinance, is for any reason held to be unconstitutional, such decision shall not affect the validity of the remaining nortions of this ordinance. The common council of the city of Superior hereby declares that it would have passed this ordinance and each section, subsection, sentence, clause and phrase thereof, irrespec tive of the fact that any one or more other sections, subsections, sentences, clauses or phrases be declared uncon stitutional. “Section 7. All ordinances or parts of ordinances contravening the provisions of this ordinance are here by repealed. “Section 8. This ordinance shall take effect and be in force from and after its passage and publication. SHUFORD DISCOVERS NO LABOR LAW VIOLATION IN SHELBY SHELBY, March 15.—F. H. Shu ford, chief inspector of the State De partment of Labor, completed an in vestigation of labor conditions i. three Shelby textile plants Friday and reported he found no violations of labor laws. Major Peter Labelliere was buried upside down, as he wisher, because he thought the world was “topsy turvy.” Don’t forget the open meeting for Union members Sunday afternoon at 3 o’clock at the Moose Hall, South Tryon street, between Trade and Fourth streets. This is really important to all union men in Charlotte and surrounding territory. “Passed and adopted this 17th day of December, 1935. "Approved this 17th day of Decem ber, 1935. “BRYAN OSTBY, “Mayor. “ATTEST: R. E. McKEAGUE, “City Clerk..” A WINNING TEAM Pictured above ia tbe winning 4-H Club Team in tbe seed-judging contest at tbe Second Annual Conference of the North Carolina Crop Improvement Association held recently at High Point. North Carolina. Bach member was awarded a cash prise of $5.00. They are. left to right, Arsene Swlcegood, Carl R. Canup and Luther P. Canup. ail of Salisbury. The contest was sponsored by The Agricultural Develop ment Bureau of Tbe Barrett Company, marketers of American-made Nitrate of Soda. CONGRESSIONAL RECORD COMES OUT OF ITS DEATH CHAMBER AND IS LIVENED UP WITH “SOME” POETRY The Wilmington, DeL, Labor Herald, under the head of “Per sonal Comment” has picked this epic from the Congressional Record: ' _ In further refutation of the popular idea that the Congres sional Record is dismal reading we submit the following passage and poem, taken from it:, MR. HARLAN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to proceed for one minute and a half on a subject of great national interest. . ,, MR. BLANTON. Mr. Speaker' reserving the right to object—I shall object to this request—but 1 shall object to any further requests The SPEAKER. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from Ohio? There was no objection. MR. HARLAN. Mr. Speaker, the question of the effect of poetry on great national issues has been seriously neglected. I have three verses _i concerning Townsendism, of which I think the House ought to have the benefit. These verses were sent to me by my good friend Herbert L. Davis, of jth board of assessors here in Washington. BELLALOOYA Clear the tracks you whippersnappers! Out the way you flaming youth! Gangway, fashion plates and flappers! Your old gran5dad’s heard the truth. From the old men’s home he’s hopping’, Dancing like a crasy man, Gran’dad’s read the Townsend plan. He painted up his crutches. Polished up his wooden leg, Gave his other tooth some touches, Took his toupee from its peg. Says he’s found the youthful fountain And the primrose path he’ll seek, -He’ll be cornin’ round the mountain, Whoopee! Fifty bucks a week! Tell the chorus girls and laddies With the cars they’ll see no more; Now they’ll meet their sugar daddies In their wheel chairs at the door. When your old man has expended All the fifties that he can Our cares are o’er, depression’s ended, Gloom is dead—so’s your old man! —By Ted Brenton. SOME “MUSTS” FOR WORKERS I. M. ORNBURN, Seey’.-Treas. UNION LABEL TRADES DEPT. American Federation of Labor In these New Deal days when the Administration desires to have a certain Bill passed , by Congress, it is called “must” legislation. There are two measures thit organized labor should like to'see'on the “must” list. One is the Walsh Bill which provides that any firm that sells any products to the United States Government shall maintain fair labor standards in its industry. The other Bill is the Black 30 hour week measure. Workers MUST register and vote to elect their friends and defeat their enemies.| It is the only way to obtain Members of Congress who will support necessary labor laws. There are some “musts” for workers in the economic as well as the legislative field. They are absolutely indispensable if workers hope to retain their jobs, maintain the present wage scale and up hold American standards. Individually, the unorganized worker is like a single straw in a terrific cyclone, but collectively* the organized worker becomes a mighty giant who can withstand the onslaughts of chiselers, open shoppers and all monopolistic corporations that are now hell-bent to cut wages, lengthen hours and destroy all American standards. Shorter hours is the only remedy for unemployment. The latest figures of the American Federation of Labor show that the ranks of the jobless have increased over 10% since December, 1935. Members of Labor Unions MUST spend their Union-earned money for Union-labeled goods and Union services. Each day of the year organized workers spend two millions. If this amount is not spent for their own products and their own services, their jobs will be scarcer and wages will be cut lower and lower. Workers MUST organize into Labor Unions. Workers MUST buy Union-made goods and Union services. Workers MUST wake up before it is too late! thirty-hour week LAW URGED BY CONGRESSMEN WASHINGTON, D. C.—The enact ment of a 30-hour week law pending an investigation by the United States Department of Labor of the extent to which working men and women have been thrown into the unemployed army by the introduction of labor saving machinery was recommended by a House Labor sub-committee. In approving a resolution offered by Representative Palmisano of Mary land authorizing a sutvey designed to ascertain how many labor-displacing devices have been installed since 1912, the sub-committee made the following statement in its report to William P. , Connery of Massachusetts, chairman of the Labor Committee. “The question of technological un employment is still controversial. Your sub-committee is of the opinion that the use of constantly improved me chanical and other labor-saving de vices is the main cause of the ever increasing army of unemployed and prematurely superannuated derelicts among laborers.” Don’t forget the open meeting for Union members Sunday afternoon at 3 o’clock at the Moose Hail, South Tryon street, between Trade and Fourth streets. This is really important to all union men in Charlotte and surrounding territory. IMPORTANT MEETING OF WORKERS IN ORGANIZED LABOR MOVEMENT AT MOOSE HALL MARCH 22ND A meeting has been called for all union men and women at the Moose Hall on Sunday, March 22, at 3 p. m. President K. R. Lawrence, of the State Federation of Labor will bring tvital and Important message and it is imperative that every lion man and woman be present. OFFICIAL PROGRAM STATE TEXTILE CONVENTION On Thursday, March 26th, The Journal will publish the official program of the North Carolina Textile Convention, to be held in Charlotte at the Selwyn Hotel. This issue will be sent to the different locals throughout the State and be dis tributed at the convention to all visitors and delegates. Mr. E. A. Thrift, president of the State Textile Council, has charge of this page.
The Charlotte Labor Journal and Dixie Farm News (Charlotte, N.C.)
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March 19, 1936, edition 1
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