Newspapers / The Charlotte Labor Journal … / Oct. 17, 1946, edition 1 / Page 1
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AFFILIATE WITH YOUR CENTRAL LABOR UNION -AND THE N. C. FEDERATION NOW! Uataafata, Dr Aid In the Within Your Power To A. F. L. Membership Drive Hr Working For A Better Understanding Between North Carolina AFL Unions and Employers of Labor Charlotte Labor Journal ' 'a® ‘ I A Newspaper Dedicated To Tito interests of Charlotte Central Labor Union and Affiliated Crafts—Endorsed By North Carolina Federation of Labor and Approved By The American Federation of Labor. “Were it not for the labor preoa, the labor nonnwt would not be what it ia to day, and any man who tries to injure a labor pa per ia a traitor to the cause.”—Samuel Gompera. VOL. XVL NO. 24 CHARLOTTE, N. C„ THURSDAY, OCTOBER 17, 1946 Subscription Price $2.00 Per Year BARGAINING AGENT TO BE DECIDED BY VOTE OF BOX PLANTS WORKERS Wednesday, October 23, baa been net as the date for an election at the plant of the Old Dominion Box Company in Charlotte, to deter mine the collective bargaining agent.for the employes in that plant. The Old Dominion plant has been under process of organi sation by the International Broth erhood of Pulp. Sulphite A Paper Mill Workers for several weeks and this union petitioned for an NLRB election recently. Donald W. Hunt, international representative of the union, has been in charge of the local organi sation activities. Mr. Hunt states that his work here has been fought bitterly by the management of Old Dominion, but that he is certain the workers in the plant are suf ficiently enlightened on the sub ject to know enough to vote for union representation rather than employer representation. Approxi mately 275 people are employed at the plant. Recently Representative Hunt addressed rietter to E. S. Dillard, vice president and general man ager of Old Dominion, challenging him to debate on the issues in volved, the debate to be held in the presence of Old Dominion em ployes. This, Mr. Hunt explains, is the suggested solution to air out the heated controversy that has been exchanged between Mr. Dillard as company spokesman and himself during the last four months. Representative Hunt to day said he has received an un favorable reply from Mr. Dillard, who with one hand attempted to cause the majority of the people to believe he had accepted the challenge, while with the other hand he impoeed impoesible terras for the union to accept. Mr. Hunt's letter to Mr. Dillard, together with Mr, Dillard’s reply, follow: HCharlotte, N. C., Oct 14, 1845 “Mr. E. S. Dillard, Viee-Pres. Gen. Mgr. “Old Dominion Box Company, Inc. “Charlotte, N. C. “Dear Sir: “During the past four and one half months the workers in the Charlotte plant of your company have spent a great deal of time and effort toward the end of or ganizing themselves into a collec tive bargaining unit for the pur pose of entering into negotiations with you, and coming to an agree ment with you concerning wages and conditions of employment af fecting their welfare. “As every one in this vicinity knows, the battle between the workers and yourself is rapidly approaching a climax. They also know that you have spent consid erable sums of money in the prep aration and dissemination of uni lateral propaganda on controver sial issues pertaining to the organ isation of the workers. “We are in accord with the statement made by you in your letter of July 9, addressed “to the employes of Old Dominion," in which you said, and we quote: ‘It seems to me that nobody should make up his or her mind on any subject without hearing and con sidering both sides.’ “If you are sincere in your quot ed statement, we invite you to meet a representative of the Inter national Union in a debate, to be held in the presence of your em ployes, on the issues involved in the forthcoming election. “We assure you that nothing you might say, excepting threats to the workqys, will be used as a basis for the filing of unfair labor practice charges with the National Labor Relations Board, however; if we do not receive a reply to this letter by October 18, we shall be forced to believe that you have, and are now, seeking to prevent your workers from hearing the truth. "Yours truly,* “International Brotherhood of Pulp, Sulphite, and Paper MU Workers. “Donald W. Hunt, Repre sentative." > DILLARD’S REPLY. “Charlotte, N. C., Oct. IS, 1946. “Mr. Donald W. Hunt, “hotel Charlotte, “Charlotte, N. C. ‘Sir, there is no battle between me and the people who work for Label Convention Gets Report On Elaborate Preparations For Show Chicago—Elaborate plans for the big Union Label exposition, open ing October 29 in St. Louis, Mo., and extending through November 3, were announced at the opening session of the AFL Union Label Trades Department ' convention here. Officers of the department stressed particularly in their re ports the necessity of expanding recognition of the Union Label, Shop Card and Service Button as insurance of steadily improved liv ing standards through out the world. “We must bear in mind that as •ur Nation attempts to build and further our international trade re lations,” the report of the officers said, “we will at the same time throw open the markets of Ameri ea to the production centers of the world. “This form of foreign compete Horn in not an immediate threat te American job opportunities, and our American rtandard of living, ar.d will not become one for a few years to come. The situation, how ever, contains the very potent germ of a very great evil when the for eign ceun,tries return to normalcy ar.d begin to trap the benefit of modern methods of production. It is then that we will be faoed with portataon facilities including air the Union Label, card and button must prove the defender of securi ty and prosperity of our American workers.” Detailing the plans for the big St. Louis show, I. M. Ombum, Sec retary - Treasurer of the depart ment, told the delegates: “This exhibition will be an All American affair and one of the greatest events of its kind in the history of the American labor movement. It gives union manu facturers an opportunity to show (Ceatinaed ea Psge 4) Old Dominion. I im with the same company they are. My interests and theirs are the same. You rep resent the interest of your union —not theirs. I am certainly not yning to be a party to any ar rangement setting you up as a de bater for them. “If you’ll let me speak for the Old Dominion employes as I want to—and you speak for the union you represent—then I’ll debate you —whenever and wherever you j say.” SUNT COUNTERS. Below is reproduced Representa tive Boat’s counter reply to Mr. Dillard's letter of October 15: ‘Mr. E. S. Dillard. •‘Vicb President-Gen. Mgr. ‘Old Dominion Box Co., —i-*s A v r vnBriVevVf fit Vi “Dear Sir: “This will acknowledge receipt at year letter of Oct. 16 in which a representative of the Union to be held fat t*e>*»enee'of your em ployes. ‘‘It is obvious that you have side-stepped the issue, and are again using subterfuge to mislead both the workers and the public. Referring to our letter of Oct. 14 you will find the invitation to de bate reads as follows: “If you are sincere in your quoted statement we invite you to meet a represen tative of this International Union in a debate to be held in the pres ence of your employes, on the is sues involved in the forthcoming election.’ “This invitation does not make any reference to anyone repre senting the workers as your letter implies. In fact, it is very clear that we desire for the workers of Old Dominion to be the Judges of the facta to be brought eut in this be your desire. It is also obvious that this International Union will not at any time recognise any member of management as a rep resentative, or spokesman for its workers. idd the terms whereby enter into a debate with debate. Again we must say that if you are at all sincere this should "We still desire to m«et you in a debate on the iaaaea involved in the election, with no one designat-; ed to represent the workers, but i for the WORKERS TO BE THE JUDGES of the issues as repre sented by yourself and our repre sentative. We suggest that this debate be held in yeur plant on Monday, Oct. 21, at an hour when the majority of the workers may attend. “We must repeat that if you re- j fuse to debate on the issues in-1 volved ia the election, we shall be force<l to believe that you have, i and are now, seeking to prevent your workers from hearing the trut’., and furthermore you do not 1 lare defend the statements you have made concerning the Union in the presence of the workers. “Yours truly, “International Brotherhood of Pulp, Sulphite A Paper Mill Workers. “Donald W. Hunt, Repre sentative." To the foregoing counter reply made by Representative Hunt for the Pulp Workers he is now await- 1 ing a reply. Mr. Hunt stated to a Labor Journal representative last night that the purpose of challenging Mr. Dillard to a debate eras to give Mr. Dillard an opportunity to do his “name-calling” man to man, face to face. “He cannot defend ‘Our (Continued an Pag* 4) President Greets Labor PRESIDENT TRUMAN Spaatz Pays Tribute To Labor’s Aid In Victory Chicago.—High tribute to the powerful contribution mode by American workers to the win* Ring of the war waa expressed by Gen. Carl Spaatz. Command* ing General of tbo Army Air Forces, before the convention of the American Federation of La bor. “Daring the war,* ho told tbo delegatee, “there came overseas an unbroken flow of weapons and supplies. Those wore pro duced by American skill, mus cles and brains. The American arsenal sustained us in battle; it saved the cause of democracy; it gave the sinews of life to the United Nations. That waa the impact of American free and highly skilled labor on oar to talitarian enemies. "We had good reason to know yon were then on the Job, shar ing in oar country's defease. We were glad then to feel year pres ence in every instrument, in every ton of war supplies. Aad I am glad to be with you now.*' The United States, Gensrsl Spaats told the delegatee, moot never again be caught in a po sition where a surprise attack by another nation will aee the enemy "knocking at our gates." Such s situation, he declared, (Continued on Page S) Central Labor Union Notes Charlotte Central Labor Union held ita regular weekly meeting Thursday night with President Hicks presiding and Secretary Efird at his post. An enthus iastic meeting »i» bad and the reports of the delegates showed much progress being made by local affiliated unions. Several brief addresses were made and reports from regular and spe cial committees were beard. Central Labor Union voted to contribute financially to the North Carolina Committee for Human Welfare, an affiliate of the Southern Human Welfare Conference. Miss Mary Price of the Carolina committee ap peared before the meeting last week and explained the organi zation's activities. Last Friday night she alao conducted a meet* inn for the Mine purpose at the Charlotte Chamber of Commerce and a Charlotte Chapter was formed, with a steering commit tee, headed by Burke Davis, to work out the initial details aft er which time another meeting will be called and permanent local officers elected for the local chapter. J. J. Thomas, president of the Firemen's Union, was present and made a brief talk, telling of a recent banquet which hia local held and also of a demonstra tion which the Fire department put on at the Tower for the benefit of the public John Lovett made a talk as a delegate from the Carpenters and also as a rice president of the N. C. Federation of Labor. Strike Is Settled At Bast Plant The strike of Carpenters at the plant of the Bost Building Equip ment company of Charlotte has been settled between the Carpen ters and Joiners of America and the company management, accord ing to • statement issued tins week by Claude Nolan, business agent for the Charlotte Carpen ters’ local. The walkout occurred about (Continued eu Page 4) Green Says AFL Won’t Join Groups Ruled By Dictators Chicago.—Substandard wages and inflationary prices must be overcome and the key to this is full production. President Truman declared in a special message to the 65th convention of the American Federation of Labor. Citing the “decisive part" which is labor’s role in “this great moment of history," Mr. Truman said: “There are those who doubt labor’s motives and question labor's aims. Now, as always, the answer to that challenge must come from within the ranks of labor. I am confident that the delegates to this great convention will be eager to reply.” Mr. Truman’s message was received by the convention shortly before AFL President William Green served em phatic notice on labor groups throughout the world that the AFL will continue to refuse participation in the world fed eration of. trade unions because that organization embraces unions operated and dominated by totalitarian governments. Other highlights of the current session included: 1. Stern warning by Joseph A. Padway, AFL general counsel, that antilakor forces are waging an in* cTeasingly vigorous campaign to wear down labor’s rights to strike and bargain collectively, and that workers must be constantly on the alert to counter these moves. 2. Announcement by George L> Googe, director of the AFL cam paign to enroll 1,000,000 more southern members, of enormous gains already recorded for workers in every southern state. These in clude increased wages, improved working conditions, shorter hours and extensive membership expan sion. , • 3. A stirring tribute by Secre tary of War Patterson to Ameri can labor for its great contribu tion to the winning of the war, a record which he declared he could never forget so long aa he lives. 4. Declaration by General Carl Spaatx, commanding general of the army air foreee, that the unbroken flow of weapons and supplies from American workers won the war and saved the cause of democracy. 6. Chargee by John P. Frey, president of the AFL Metal Trades Department, at a banquet of the Federation, that high communist officials were attempting to aeise control of American labor and had even come to Chicago to observe the AFL convention to further this purpose. Replying to an address by Thomas O’Brien, Member of Par liament and general secretary of i the British National Association of Theatrical and Kine Employes, who had appealed for AFL sup port of the WFTU, Mr. Green de clared: “We want our fraternal dele gates to go back to Great Britain free from any doubt whatsover of the attitude of the American Fed eration of Labor toward this world | federation of trade unions. Ot» federation is entirely in aceerd with the objectives of an interna tional labor movement and from ‘he very beginning has played a most important part in the devel opment of the program of the International Labor Organisation. “We object to affiliation with this new world federation of trade unions because we are committed to the maintenance and establish ment * Of freedom, liberty a«d democracy. We believe only in free democratic unions formed by the workers, maintained by the workers, officered by the workers and administered by the workers themselves. “We are opposed to trade unions formed by a government, financed by a government, dominated by a government and controlled by a government. Because the new world federation of trade anions is not composed exclusively of free dem ocratic unions, we refuse to be come a part of that movement. We are not willing to jeopardise our freedom, liberty and democracy by associating our 7,100,000 members with a movement that runs the risk of having something voted upon us that originated in some country governed by a dictator.” Truman Hopeful To Halt A Decline Of Workers’ Earnings Washington, D. C.—President Truman expressed grave fears that wages will decline still further in terms of purchasing and pledged the nation the Government will take every step to avert such a trend. n Discussing a wide variety of is <ueg confronting the administra tion, the President declared the Government will wind up the pres ent fiscal year in the black. He was reminded of his previous •stimate that this fiscal year, which ends June 30, would see a deficit of $1,900,000,000. He re plied that expenses have been cut by $2,100,000,000. One of the highlights of Mr. Truman’s press conference was a statement embracing • report by Reconversion Director Steelman on the Nation’s economic health. This report contained a dual ap> peal to labor and industry to eaa* up on wage and price increase de mands “or face a boom and bust situation.” Emphasizing the unfortunate po sition in which the American work er finds himself today, Mr. Steel man's report said that real wages have dropped about one sixth in the last year. He said a married man with three dependents, for ex ample, finds that $36 he earned in 1945 now is worth only a little more than $30 in things he buys. “This downward trend in real wages should be reversed,” Steel man said. The Government is doing every thing it can, the President said, te keep prices from going up, but is limited in its tools in dealing with this situation. However, the President told newsmen, he does not feel that (Continued an Page 4)
The Charlotte Labor Journal and Dixie Farm News (Charlotte, N.C.)
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Oct. 17, 1946, edition 1
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