AFFILIATE
WITH YOUR
CENTRAL LABOR
UNION
AND THE
N. C. FEDERATION
NOW!
Unionists, Do Everything Within Your Power To
Aid In the Southern A. F. L. Membership Drive
Working For A Better Understanding Between
North Carolina AFL Unions and Employers of Labor
Charlotte Labor Journal
A New*paper Dedicated To The Interest* 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
preo*, the labor movement
would not be what it ia to
day, and any man who
trie* to injure a labor pa
per ia a traitor to the
cause.”—Samuel Gompers.
VOL. XVI; NO. 26
Subscription Price $2.00 Per Year
CHARLOTTE, N. C.. THURSDAY, OCTOBER 31, 1946
GREEN URGES LABOR TO ELECT ITS FRIENDS
Union Label And Industrial Exhibition In St Louis
Urges Weighing
Candidates* Records
_ Washington.—Playing host to the leaders of the Repub
lican and Democratic National Committees over a nation
wide radio hook-up Saturday, October 26, APL President
William Green sounded a strong nonpartisan appeal to Amer
ican workers to elect their friends and defeat their enemies
in the approaching national elections.
Voting a straight party ticket "may be smart politics,”
he said, but it “does not make for good government” and is
highly injurious to the worker, in view of the fact that the
views of candidates range from “extreme conservatism to
extreme liberalism.”
Carroll Reece, chairman of the Republican National Com
mittee, and Robert E. Hannegan, chairman of the Demo
cratic National Committee, spoke for the major parties.
Each assured labor that its interests would best be served
by voting a straight Republican or Democratic ticket.
However, tnougn ne welcomed
the opportunity to permit the
lenders of both major parties te
present their platform* as they
affect labor issues, Mr. Green
aounded a word of caution with
1 reference to the use of the bal
lot. People who are friendly to
the cause of labor, he said, should
be elected without regard to party
label, and those who are known
to be unfriendly should be em
phatically rejected.
“To make democracy effective,”
Mr. Green said, “it is vital that
the American people vote and
that they vote intelligently. But
it should be emphasized that in
presenting the campaign argu
ments of the chairmen of the
Republican and Democratic Na
tional . Committees, the American
Federation of Labor does not as
sume responsibility for their
statements, nor does it necessar
ily endorse their views.
“Political leaders, from time
immemorial, have exhorted the
public to vote a straight party tic
ket. This may be smart politics bat
it does not make for good govern
ment. Both major parties are
sponsoring candidates for Con
gress in this election whose views
range from extreme conservatism
to extreme liberalism. The voter
cannot determine their views
merely by their party label. He
must judge by their records.
“The American Federation of
Labor has compiled the voting
records of all members of Con
gress on key legislation of direct
concern to every wage earner in
the nation. We have distributed
these voting records to all our
State and city federations of la
bor so that they can be given the
widest publicity at the local level.
By consulting these records, the
workers of our country can tell
whether congressional candidates
have been friendly or unfriendly
to labor.
“The nonpartisan political pol
icy of the American Federation of
Labor is based on the principle
that the workers should elect the
friends of labor and defeat Ms en
emies, regardless of their politi
cal affiliation.
“This year, it is more impor
tant than ever before that we
elect a Congress sympathetic to
labor’s cause and responsive to
ita needs. As part of that effort
we must defeat candidates who are
prejudiced against labor and hos
tile to trade union objectives.
“The enemies of labor are mar
shalling their forces for an all-out
drive in the next Congress to
bring about the adoption of legis
lation which would restrict the
freedom of American workers and
desroy their trade unions. Labor
will need many friends in Con
gress to checkmate these reaction
ary groups. Our enemies can
count on support from members of
both political parties. We - must
be able to do the same.
“Furthermore, the American
Federation of Labor intends to
sponsor a positive legislative pro
gram for the enactment of ade
quate housing legislation, for the
improvement of the social security
system and for the establishment
of national health insurance. To
obtain support for this legislation,
we must elect progressive and
forward-looking members of Con
gress from both parties.
“I urge every qualified Amer
ican citizen to make certain to
go to- the polls on Election Day
and vote for candidates whose
record shows they have the best
interest of our country at heart.’’
MOST FOODS, BEVERAGES, OTHER ITEMS
FREED FROM PRICE CONTROLS RT OPA
Washington, D. C. — In two
sweeping orders, the OPA wiped
out price controls over virtually
all foods, liquor, beer, and a long
list of non-food products ranging
from cosmetics to lumber.
Officials conceded that prices
of these items would soar as a
consequence of this action, but
expressed confiidence they will
level off when supplies approach
demand.
Ceilings were retained on sugar,
sugar products, finished rice, soap,
and a long list of inedible oils,
fats and tallows needed in mann
facture of paints.
Ceilings were removed on food
and liquor prices, also, in public
eating places.
There was no immediate indica
tion when the agency will give
*
way in rfuch fields as rents, build
ing; materials, clothing, auto mo
biles and still scarce household
ippliances.
The food price order, which
leaves only 3 per cent of the
family food budget under price
control, frees flour, bread and
bakery products, canned fish, j
candy, bananas and oranges,
canned tomatoes and tomato prod- j
ucts, canned pineapple and pine
I apple juice, breakfast cereals,
, macaroni and spaghetti.
The list of non-food items re
I leased from price control follows:
Bone ash, lamp black, photo oil
colons, stove polish, compressed
ethylene, vegetable tanning ex
tracts, bicycle tires and tabes,
rubber boat fenders and bump
(Coattaaod On Page 4)
J
CHARLOTTE SYMPHONY
ORCHESTRA IS BACKED
BY ORGANIZED LABOR
The Charlotte Symphony Or
chestra, soon to be renamed the
Charlotte Municipal Symphony,
has the full endorsement of
Jaaaes Petrillo and the Ameri
can Federation of Musicians,
not to mention Local 342, of
Charlotte. In fact, it has been
mainly through the efforts of
certain officers and members
of Local 342 that the orchestra
was carried through a period of
uncertainty about two years
ago. For the last two years
the above local has been the
largest single financial contrib
utor to the orchestra.
The orchestra is announcing
its second concert of the new
season for Wednesday, Novem
her 4th. at 8:30 P. M„ in the
Arawry Auditorium. All mem
bers and friends of organised
Labor are urged to attend and
giro this deserving organisation
I the hocking it merits.
Joan Geilfuss, well-known pi
anist of Charleston, S. ' C., is
the featured soloist, and will
I be prfaented with the Orchestra
! In Purple" and “Warsaw
Concerto."
Tickets will be put on sale
Monday at all Charlotte Music
Stores, single concert tickets
at $1.75 and 90c and Season
Tickets at $6.00 for Adult and
$3.00 for Students.
Old Dominion Head
Charges NLRB-Union
With Collaboration
Following the postponement of
a National Labor Relations Board
election at the plant of the Old
Dominion Box company’s Charlotte
plant last week E. S. Dillard,
general manager, issued a state*
ment in which he charged an
“amazing display of collaboration”
between the NLRB and the Pulp.
Suphite and Paper Workers Un
ion. The NLRB postponed the
holding of the election on Octo
ber 22, the day before it was to be
held, after charges of unfair la
bor practices had been filed by
the union' against the Old Domin
ion plant. Thie is normal pro
cedure, it is understood.
However, tfee Old Dominion
plant went ahead and held an un
official election on October 23. Rev.
George D. Heaton, pastor of My
ers Park Baptist church, who is a
member of the North Carolina Ar
bitration board, was called in by
Mr. Dillard to conduct he unoffi
GREEN CULLS ON NEBRASKANS TO DEFEAT
AMENDMENT OUTLAWING UNION SHOPS
Washington, D. C.—AFL Presi
dent William Green, in a special
message to the recent convention
of the Nebraska State Federation
of Labor at Stock Bluff, sounded
an urgent call upon labor in that
State to defeat the proposed
amendment to the State Consti
tution designed to “abolish the
union shop.”
Warning that such an amend
ment, upon which a vote will be
taken ia the November elections,
would undemine the liberties of
labor in that State and throw la
bor relaions there into constant
turmoil, Mr. Green said:
“There ia abundant evidence
that the enemies of labor are
carrying on a concerted dove
against the trade union move
ment and the high standards it
has succeeded in obtaining for
American workers.
“Right here in the State of Ne
braska, for instance, there is a
move on now to abolish the union
shop by amendment to the State
Convtution. A referendum will
be held on Election Day to let the
people of this State decide the
fate of this anti-labor proposal.
“I appeal to you with all the
earnestness at my command to
defeat this proposed amendment.
By so doing, you will not only be
protecting the rights of the work
ing people in Nebraska, but you
will be striking a decisive blow
against the development of Fasc
ism in America.
“The courts have held in any
number of decisions that the union
shop is lawful, that it is Consti
tutional, that it is in the public
interest and that it does not deny ,
to any man or woman the right'
to work.
“The union shop is falsely:
termed a closed shop by the ene
mies of labor in order to make it
appear that opportunities for jobs
are shut off 'to those who seek
work. That is propaganda of the
lowest tyfe.
■bop Is part
of the American free enterprise
system which has made our coun
try great. JJust as individual
investors are permitted under law
to pool their funds to form cor
porations for large-scale produc
tion, so workers are allowed under
free, democratic government, to
pool their economic strength into
trade unions so that they can bar
gain collectively and lift their
standards of work and living by
peaceful means.
“The union shop is specifically
endorsed in the National Labor
Relations Act, the law of our land.
Is Nebraska now going to repeal
this ‘Magna Carta’ of labor?
“Furthermore, to abolish the
union shop would destroy the
freedom of contract guaranteed by
our Federal Constitution. There
is no reason in law, in ethics of
<n common decency why an em
ployer and his employes should
not be allowed to enter into an
agreement providing, among other
things, that those who seek jobs
in the concern should be required
to join the union in order to
qualify.
“The citizens of the United
States—members of the greatest
union in the world—are required
to pay taxes to maintain their gov
ernment, to protect their free
doms, to provide for necessary
public services and to help im
prove the American standard of
living. In the same w-ay, union
workers employed in a plant be
lieve each worker should be re
quired to pay dues to maintain j
the organization formed to pro-|
cect and improve their interests
and their working standards.
“The union shop is so thor
oughly American, it is so com
pletely just and fair and it is so
vitally necessary to uphold the
way of life which all Americans
cherish that it cannot be de
stroyed without throwing our na
tion back aT hundred years into
(Coatianed On Page S)
cial election. As a result of this
action Donald M. Hunt, union rep
resentative, said that it is a viola
tion of the labor laws and that his
union has taken steps to oppose
it.
Relative to the postponement of
the election and the holding of an
unofficial eletcion on October 23,
Mr. Dillard and Dr. Deaton issued
statements. These were answered
by Julian Green, of the Pulp
Workers. All three statements
follow:
MR. DILLARD'S STATEMENT
“Ah amazing display of effectivt
collaboration between the Nation
al Labor Relations Board and the
United Brotherhood of Pulp, Sul
phite, and Paper Workers result
ed in postponement of the election
on October 23 which the union,
for many months, has been so
urgently insisting upon.
“A meeting with a National La
bor Relations Board agent—the
union representatives—and man
agement representatives—for the
purpose of checking the eligible
voting list was scheduled for 5 p.
m. Oct. 22. Around 6:20 the un
ion representative called us on
the telephone and advised that
the election was being postponed
in view of unfair labor charges
they were filing against us. At
5:25 we received a telegram from
the NLRB confirming the post
ponement of the election. At 5:30
the union representative was in
front of our plant distributing
pamphlets to our employes advis
ing them of the postponement of
the election.
“It is perfectly obvious that
both the Labor Board and the un
ion knew that the election would
be postponed at least several
hours before the company was no
tified, in order to give the union
a chance to be first to break the
bad news to our employes in an
attempt to pull the union's’ chest
nuts ou of the fire.
“We immediately contacted a
prominent Baptist preacher—who
is also a member of the North
Carolina Arbitration Board—Dr.
George D. Heaton—and requested
that he talk to all of our employes
in the prospective bargaining unit.
After requesting all representa
tives of management to leave the
meeting. Dr. Heaton asked for an
expression from the employes as
to whether or not they wanted to
hold an election anyway. All em
ployes—except two—wished to ex
press themselves on the matter,
so Dr. Heaton conducted an elec
tion by secret ballot, which result
ed in a vote of 151 against the
union and 61 for the union. The
attached statement by Dr. Heaton
outlines specifically the basis upon
which the election was held.
“As for the charges filed
against us—these are ludicrous
and only intended to delay an of
fcial election. We are surprised
chat a great deal more charges
have not been filed against us.
"As matters now stand, the of
ficial election has been indeflnite
y called off. Anybody can draw
lis own conclusion as to where
>ur people stand.”
DR. HEATON’S STATEMENT
Dr. Heaton's statement follows:
"At the request of Mr. B. S.
(Continued Oa Page I)
Union Label Proof Of
Labor Co-operation
• _.
St. Louis, Mo.—The union label, shop card and button
constitute the American consumers’ greatest insurance that
the products they buy are the finest in the world and pro
duced under standards unmatched by any other nation.
This was the declaration of AFL President William Green
at the opening here of the AFL Union Label and Industrial
Exhibition in ceremonies broadcast over a nation-wide
hookup.
Expansion of the free enterprise system, and less depend
ence upon government, is the key to American prosperity,
Mr. Green told the nation.
we in the American Federa
tion of Labor,” he declared, ‘‘are
determined that free enterprise
shall survive in America because
it has brought to the people of
our country a higher standard of
living than is enjoyed in any
other nation on earth.
“But the free enterprise system
is not a one-way street. Labor
must be assured of its freedom,
as well as industry, in order to
make the system work effectively.
The two are mutually interde
pendent One cannot exist or
make any progress without the
other. The sooner we all recog
nize the truth and abide by it,
the sooner lasting prosperity and
industrial peace can come to
America.”
The union label, Mr. Green de
clared, is an assurance to the
consumer that the products he
buys “are made, in America by
union workers under decent union
standards.”
Gov. Phil M. Donnelly, who pro
claimed the opening day of the
exhibition, October 29, “Missouri
Day,” and Mayor A. P. Kaufman
of St. Louis, who set aside t)|e
entire week as "Union Label
Week,** participated in the cere
monies. Both extolled the stan
dards established by union work
men.
Mr. Green’s address, in part,
follows:
“These ceremonies mark the
opening of the Union Label and
Industrial Exhibition of the Amer
ican Federation of Labor, here in
St. Louis—an exhibition of pro
ductive efficiency, modern ingenu
ity and masterful workmanship
which are unmatched anywhere in
the world.
“In the transition from a war
time to a peacetime economy,
many upsetting developments
have occurred. Irritating short
ages of consumer goods persist
and troublesome industrial dis
putes are still causing interrup
tions of production. The Amer
ican people are becoming under
standably impatient with these
delays.
“Labor shares tneir concern.
The workers of this country are
anxious to have the cost of liv
ing stabilized at a reasonable lev
el. They want to make their
contribution to full production by
working steadily at good jobs for
wages which will enable them to
meet necessary family expenses
and save a little for a rainy day.
“I predict that most of our
present economic troubles will dis
appear once the difficult period
of readjustmnet is ended. We will
then be able to set our economy
on an even keel, steer a straight
course and call for full speed
ahead on production.
“The coming of that day can
be expedited by sincere teamwork
between labor and management.
I am convinced that the time has
arrived when American industry
and the trade union movement
must stand on their own feet and
solve their own problems, by mu
tual understanding and co-opera^
tive action, instead of running
to the Government for help. Sure
ly, our experience should have
taught us that Government inter
vention leads only to Government
control. And, surely, we have
learned by now that we need less
Government control, not more, if
the American free enterprise'
system is to survive.
“Labor's willingness to give
constructive co-operation to in
dustries which are fair to their
workers is perhaps most graphi
cally illustrated by the union la
bel. The union label on a product
means that it is made in Amerrca
by union workers under decent
union standards and under clean
and sanitary conditions. The same
is true of the union shopcard and
(Continued On Page 4)
WIDE GAINS MARK SOUTHERN DRIVE;
AFL SCORES ONCE MORE AT OAK RID6E
Atlanta, Ga. — Far reaching
gains in the AFI/s drive to or
ganize 1,000,000 workers through
out the South, revealed in daily
reports pouring into the head
quarters of the campaign here,
were highlighted ' by 'announce
ment that the AFL was elected
the collective bargaining agent
for the 1,100 service and mainte
nance workers in Oak Ridge,
Tenn., seat of the atom bomb
project.
In an NLRB election at the
Roan-Anderson Co., the AFL re
ceived 700 votes and 43 workers
voted for no union. The CIO
and the International Machinists
Union withdrew from the contest
when it' became obvious they
didn’t have a look4a.
This victory followed by several
weeks that registered when em
ployes of the Monsanto Chemical
Co. at Oak Ridge selected the
AFL as their bargaining agent.
Other reports from widely scat
tered areas revealed important
expansion of existing AFL unions,
establishment of many new or
ganitions, NLRB election victories
and negotiation of new contracts
carrying pay increases, improved
working conditions and other
major benefits.
Outstanding among these re
ports are the following:
The Tobacco Workers Interna
tional Union won 11 elections and
established contract relationship
for these companies in the East
ern Carolines and Virginia since
the Southern campaign got under
way. Wage increases up ta 18
(Continued On Pago 4)