Hw ONLY REALLY INDEPENDENT WEEKLY l» Mockknburi Coaaty wxto wjquMxmit AW^inatmaPBo For «_W—Uy Its Readers Repreaont th« LARGEST BUYING POWgR_fa_^;»lotU Official Orrao of Coatral Labor Uatea; «UMnd“tr*»' 8t“Ik This fact stands out if look tac to the last world war. In the troubiea V»... of 1916-1921. 52^ 3,603 per year; from 1933-1940 tney averaged only 2,626 per year. Yet progress toward industnal democracy in 1933-1940 was double that of tne earlier period. _ _ THE UNION AGRKKWEWi a 8TITUTION FOR INDUSTRY The union agreement is a consti tution for democratic government In the workshop. Also, it provides a »*t of laws or rules under which workers and management agree to do business with each other. Practically even? agreement provides for joint commit tees and joint meetings where work ers and management can take up grievances and discuss their prob lems; most agreements provide arbi tration for problems which canont be settled in conference. The vast ma jority of controversies are quickly set tled when workers and management meet in good faith around the confer ence table. , , Collective bargaining procedure is the very essence of democracy. It de pends on good faith, fair dealings, in tegrity of purpose, willingness to lay the facts on the table. Tr»e wOiKinjr u* umwiw racy has already proved ita value in industries where collective bargain* ing • has been accepted practice. tor manv years. Where management and wo/ kers habitually meet in Joint con ference in a spirit of good faith, the extension of collective bargaining to include mediation of arbitration, and to active cooperation for better pro duction is a natural outgrowth It ia part of the democratic process. RIGHT LEGISLATION CAN HELP The Railway Labor Act of 1926, with amendments in 1934, is the cul mination of 50 years’ experience with Federal legislation to govern labor relations. Because it has been out standingly successful in promoting sound labor relations, its principles are worth considering as a guide for new legislation. First, it makes the union agreement the instrument to govern labor rela tions; the union agrement is the ob jective, to be reached by collective bargaining between representatives of unions and management. Secondly, the Act provides convenient mediating and adjusting agencies to deal with different types of disputes. Third, where mediation fails, voluntary arbi tration is provided for, with final re course to an emergency fact-finding board. Acceptance of all findings is voluntary; there is no compulsion. BUSINESS OUTLOOK FOR 1941 Industrial production in 1941 is ex pected to reach a new all time peak. Already first quarter production is averaging above the last 1940 quarter, in spite of a alight temporary down ward trend: First quarter 1941 pro duction forecast at average 136, last quarter 1940 averaged 132; 1929 peak quarter was 114; all time peak was 137 in December, 1940. National income for 1941 is fore cast at $83 billion, compared with $74 billion in 1940 and $70 billion in 1939. National buying power in 1941 will exceed all previous levfli^-Even in 1940, rising payrolls lifted retail trade 8% above 1939 (full year). COST OF LIVING Forecasts by experts indicate that before June, 1941, living costa are likely to be 2 to 8% above last year. Standard Statistics expects an in crease of not over 6% by the year end; another source estimates 6 to 8% increase by December, 1941. WAGES American labor ia still far from its goal of adequate food, clothing, homes for all. Thousands of workers are still living below the minimum neces sary to support a family in decency; our country’s first defense need is strong healthy citisens. A minimum subsistence budget for a family of four today costs $1,354; a minimum health and efficiency budget for a family of five costa $2,056. Wages are moving upward. The table shows gains recently made by unions affiliated with the American Federation of Labor. Labor Depart ment reports covering a portion of manufacturing industry show a wave of wage increases toward the end of last year: Last half of 1940, 1,183 wage increases averaging 6%; first half, 574 increases; last half of 1939, 678 increases. UNEMPLOYMENT The hard core of unemployment will still be with us a year from now, according to the best available esti mates. Earlier forecasts on unem ployment have been revised, and it is now believed that 6,000,00 workers will still be out of work in December, 1941. From June to December, 1940, unemployment was reduced by 1,600, 000 but there were still 7,900,000 out of work in the United States at the end of last year. wwawwvvwwvwaawwwaaaaaw ANOTHER AIRPORT FOR CHARLOTTE IS A NECESSITY-GOVERNMENT WILL GIVE $300,000.00 —CITY TO VOTE $60,000.00 BOND ISSUE On Monday night at the Chamber of Commerce a meeting of prominent citisena waa held to devise ways and means of raising funds for a Secondary Civilian airport, and a bond issue was de City Attorney Scarborough stated that a special act by the General Assembly would permit the holding of a special election to vote on the is suance of bonds and calculated that preliminaries ought to be gotten out of the way and the election held “within 40 days.” A special meeting of the City Council was held at 11 A. M. Tues day to instruct the City Attorney to prepare a bill authorising an elec tion for the issuance of about 660, 000 of bonds for a secondary civilian * ?hU course was taken today as the result of enthusiastic ' * given last night. The second airport is cause the Douglas Airport has boon leased to the Army for its Air Base and soon ho planes, except those with two-way radio, will be permitted to land there. There must be another field where private flying will be un restricted, it was said. It was stated that the city was without authority to spend money for airports without the approval of the electorate, and can not purchase the land, as required to obtain the $300, 000. A tract of SO Oacres off the Dixie Road is under option for purchase as the site for the second airport but it was agreed last night that a repre sentative of the Civil Aeronautics Authority would be asked to come here and select the site. While about $15,000 is neceesaqr to procure the land, other items looking to the successful operation of the sec ondary airport will call for a $60,000 outlay. AIRPORT JOB A BUILDING TRADES AGREEMENT J. C. Turner, of the Operating Engineers’ Union, A. F. of L, and a member of the committee having the matter of the Airport question in hand gave The Journal the following statement on Tuesday morning, after a satisfactory agree* ment had been reached on Monday: “Probably the most important asset of the agreement from the viewpoint of the Charlotte Labor movement is the fact that it is a building trades agreement taking in all crafts affiliated with the building trades. This factor will unify those crafts engaged in construction work insofar that they must all remain in good standing with the Building Trades Council if they are to reap the benefits of this agreement. This means that several crafts must return to the fold. It is only through unity that the labor movement can progress in the different fields. With this new unity we can Reded icate Ourselves to the Battle for Labor in the Building Field. Though this seems a great victory, it is my firm belief that there will be greater victories in the future—so great as to make this victory seem relatively insignificant." CHARLOTTE CENTRAL LABOR UNION GOES ON RECORD OPPOSING ANTI SABOTAGE BILL IN LEGISLATURE MINUTES. CHARLOTTE CENTRAL LABOR UNION, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 19TH. Meeting called to order by President Scoggins, invocation by Bro. W. S. Campbell. Minutes of previous meet ing read and approved. Report of special and standing com mittees. Brief of minutes of Fire fighter meetings in regards to fire man’s retirement bill presented to Central Body. Jack Moore reported on Firemen’s retirement bill. He offered his resignation from committee to help fire fighters on retirement. Firefight ers refused to accept his resignation. Motion made and carried that Cen tral Labor Union wire Mecklenburg legislators asking them to support the Firemens’ retirement bill. Legislative Chairman reported send ing telegrams to our legislators ask ing them to oppose the anti-sabotage bill, H.B. 204. CENTRAL LABOR APPROVED ALL DELEGATES WRITING LEG ISLATION Tp OPPOSE H.B. 204. Report of locals: Carpenters reports contract signed with contractors for Air Base to employ union men. Vote of thanks given to the men responsible for the contract at Airport. Letter to be sent to R. K. Amyx, Printing Pressmen Assistants in regard to whereabouts of charter for local chap ter of Printing Pressmen and Assist ants. 1 After discussion on coming state convention of N. C. Federation of La bor and discussion for welfare of the union, March 5th was set aside as convention week. Representative Turner of City and County Employees was present and spoke briefly on what progress his International has made since its in ception in the American Federation of Labor in 1936. He spoke of the last convention that divided the ter ritory into Districts of which he rep fsents the state of North Carolina. Mrs. Helms of the Textile Workers, Sas present and reported that they ive ordered a charter for the work ers of the Calvine mill and that Rep resentative Jones stated that the lo cal at Paw Creek would affiliate at the proper time. Councilman Claude Albea was pres ent and made some remarks on the convention and offered his services, financially and otherwise, for the convention. NEXT MONDAY The Women’s Typographical Union Auxiliary meets Monday at 7:30 p.m. With Mrs. C. B. Capps, 2058 Green Way. This is the regular monthly ig, and much business is to be There are 9,000 cases in New York City every year, where parents ask for the arrest of their own children. Twenty pieces of ivory, from the ivory palace of King Ahab and his queen, the wicked Jexebel, have been acquired by Harvard College. King Ahab died in battle 897 B. C. It is claimed that new British un derground refineries will turn out 30,000 barrels of petroleum products daily. TYPO AUXILIARY MEETS ... First Lady Backs Leviion Strikers Six months 1(0 1.7M workers of the I«riton Mfg. h fcjok* lyn, walked oat on strike, led by Local S, Interactional Brotherhood at Electrical Workers. Non-union for 15 years, the company said the strike wouldn’t last three weeks. Union’s demands are: $1« per week minimum, four dollars increase for all, now .receireing minimum and a union shop. Union has spent nearly in strike benefits. Last week Mrs. Franklin Delano Roosevelt urged the workers to stand firm in their fight for “a decent way of life.” Of their strike and their demands. she said: Tm afraid I agree wtih you.” Here she is being greeted by union officials. Extreme left: Hairy Van Arsdale, Jr, youthful and hard-hitting businees manager of Local 5; canter, Mrs. test* PATRONIZE JOURNAL ADVERTISERS DEFEAT ANTI-SABOTAGE BILL; WIRE YOUR REPRESENTATIVES Mr. W. M. Witter, Editor, Charlotte Labor Journal, Charlotte, N. C. Dear Sir and Brother: RALEIGH, Feb. 19, 1941 Hearing on the Anti-Sabotage Bill was postponed yes* terday to next Tuesday afternoon at 2:30 o’clock. I am here* with sending you an analysis of this hateful bill showing clearly what it would do to us if enacted. Please keep up the good work of sending letters and tele grams to your legislative members between now and next Tuesday opposing this bill. Fraternally yours, C. A. FINK, President. Hie above letter was received too late for The Journal to publish the analysis, but every worker should know that it is a bin intended as a direct blow at Labor, and it is his duty to use every effort for its defeat and keep well in mind those who would vote this bill into law. BUILDING TRADES AGREEMENT ON THE DOUGLAS AIR BASE JOB GIVES UNION* FULL RECOGNITION A peaceful settlement was reached Monday, when contractors and labor representatives signed an agreement for negotiations for an increased wage scale for the skilled workers on the Air Base construction project. If approved by the War Depart ment, which it no doubt will be, it will mean an increase of several thou sand dollars weekly to workers on this project. It is estimated that 1,500 skilled workmen will be affected by this agreement. Common laborers are not included. The contract is signed by F. G. Blythe, of Blythe Brothers Construc tion Co., and Roy Goode, of the Goode Construction company, and J. C. Tur ner and other union representatives. The agreement was approved Mon day night at a joint meeting of the interested bodies at the Carpenters’ Hall. Mr. Turner gave out the state ment that “he hoped it would illus trate to the people of Charlotte that collective - bargaining can be carried on in complete harmony with both sides. He praised the spirit and co operation of the contractors.” - In signing the agreement, the con tractors inserted a clause providing that all working rules, wage scales and other conditions are subject to approval of the government. Main points in the agreement pro vide: that the company cooperate with the union in attempting to have increases granted in the wage scales, that the companies shall call the re spective crafts for men when needed, with.exception of common laborers, and to further cooperate in other re spects. It also stipulates that if the crafts are unable to furnish needed men within 24 hours, the company may go into the open market and hire me chanics, union or non-union to man the project. Wages were increased by the peti tion agreement as follows: Carpen ters from 87 1-2 cents an boor to $1; painters from 87 1-2 to fl; teamsters from 49 cents to 66. 76 and 90 eeots; shovel' drivers from f 14V: and tractor drivers from $1 to |14> an hour. Mr. Turner and S. M. Kiser, bend of the local teamsters union, will go to Washington Wednesday to present the agreement before the War depart ment’s bureau of labor for approval. ALLIED PRINTING TRADES COUNCIL WILL CALL UPON CONGRESS FOR A DIRECT RADIO TAXATION I - MIAMI, Fla., Feb. 17.—Organized printers and allied workers of the na tion will ask Congress to place direct taxation on radio revenues and re strict the issuance of station licenses. ' John B. Haggarty, president of the A.F.L.’s International Allied Printing Trades council, said a five-year study showed such legislation was necessary to counteract the inroads of the radio into revenues of newspapers and oth -er industries in which his men are employed. The radio cost his unions 26,000 jobs, be added. The council, he said, will ask, first, that Congress permit the. Federal Communications commission to issue licenses for radio stations only to per sons residing in the community where the station will operate and, second, that stations be permitted to devote only 26 per cent of their time on the air to commercial programs. These proposals, together with de mands for direct taxation of the radio industry, will be backed by the print ing trades which employ 200,000 workers, and Haggerty will aak 16, 000 publishers and printing execu tives to join the campaign. The council’s study revealed, he said, that whereas the radio took two cents of each dolalr spent for all ad vertising in 1929, it had increased ite share to 36 cents on the dollar last year. From 1930 to 1939, the stations were shown to have increased from 26 to 40 per cent the proportion of commercial programs, and the chains were producing 90 per cent conuaor cials. Haggarty said 619 radio stations with an investment of $223*2,000 showed a profit of $18,206,000 In 1229 —approximately 63 per cent. He said Columbia Broadcasting company, on an investment of $1,600,000, declared dividends of $3,000,000 in the past five years. National Broadcasting company, he said, had shown profits of $22,319,000 since its founding on an original investment of $$300300. Fly the FLAG THE A. F. OF L. STANDS WITH AND FOB THE FLAB -——-———