United Mine Workers Make Great Contract Gains
WIRE ar WRITE <•
Tor Goagrassaea ia
Pratast Agiiast M
AHTI - LABOR Rills!
HARLOTTE
. a d^o journal
VOL. XVII;
CHARLOTTE. N. C., THURSDAY, JULY 10. i94<
Subscription $2.00 Per Year
Southern Goal Operators
Sign Pacts With Miners
LARGE PAY BOOST. CUT IN HOURS, WELFARE HIKE,
ARE REPORTED
S.i—■ — ■■■
Washington, D. C. — The United Mine Workers Union
signed a new contract, described as the “most beneficial”
in the union’s history, and voted to return to work im
mediately in the Northern coal mines.
At the same time it was reported that the Southern
operators, who formed the hard core of die-hard opposi
tion to the UMWA’s terms, had capitulated and oniered
their representatives to sign the agreements, and that at
least ten of the f3 Southern operators had signed.
Thus the threat of a nation-wide soft coal strike van
ished and the coal miners gained the greatest collective
bargaining advance in years.
Pay increases provided for in
the new pact are 46 cents an
hour or $8.06 a day. - A near
masic daily wait of $13jM is
established and working hours are
reduced from 9 to 8 with the
lunch period increased troat. II
minute* to a half hour, fa ad
dition, UMW president Johu L.
L€W1| I Iff pr MR| V
crease in the royalty paid for the
miner's health and welfare fund.
The UMW escapes some of the
harsh terms of the Taft-Hartley
Act by the inclusion of a clause
• stating that the miners will work
when they are "able and willing
to work," and through the elimi
nation of penalty clauses and the
"no strike” guarantee included
in previous contracts. The dues
check-off is continued, but on a
■ voluntary basis to conform to
the requirements of the new law.
The UMW- ’policy committee
unanimously ratified at a night
meeting the contract drafted at
conference* between Mr. Lewis
and the Northern coal operators
during the July 4 weekend. No
working time was lost between
the expiration of the union’s con
tract with the Government and
the negotiation of the new con
tract with the private employers
because* the miners were on their
annual vacation during the in
terim.
The agreement provides a wage
increase of 46 cents an hour for
the miners and other important
concessions. .
The agreement calls for a one
year contract although th^ope
rators had asked for a twio-year
agreement.
Other terms are as follows:
A six-and-a-half-hour workday
at the face of the coal. This Is
arranged by having an eight-hour
day from portal to portal in place
of the prgsent nine-hour day. It
would cover about one hour for
travel time below ground and half
an hour for lunch. The present
lunch period is 15 minutes.
The union welfare fund will be
doubled. At present 5 cents a
ton is deducted for this fund. At
the 1947 production rate this
means close to $30,000,000 a year
The new agreement will provide
about $60,000,000 a year.
The operators agreed to the
Federal safety code.
The contract makes permanent
the welfare fund originated under
the UMW’s agreement with the
Federal government. It will be
administered by a three-member
hoard of trustees composed of un
ion and employer representatives
and a neutral party selected by
them. Mr. Lewis was designated
the miners’ trustee and Ezra Van
Horn, the employers’ trustee.
Watt Workers’ Detente to
letenatieial Later Meet
Washington, D. C. — President
Truman named Robert J. Watt,
the AFL’s International Repre
sentative, as American labor del
egate to the International Labor
Conference at Gwnsva/ Swltser
land.
His advisers are: James M.
Duffy, AFL, East Liverpool,
Ohio; H. W. Fraser, Railway La
bor Executives Association, Cedar
Rapids, Iowa; John T. Kmets,
United Mine Workers of Ameri
ca, AFL, Washington, D. C.; Pet
er T. Schoemann, AFL, (Washing
ton, D. C.; P. L. Siemiller, In
ternational Association of Ma
chinists, Chicago, Illinois; John
R. Stevenson, AFL, Indianapolis,
Indiana; and J. H. Sylvester,
AFL, Chicago, Illinois.
The conference lb composed of
two delegates each from the gov
ernment! of the 52 member States
and one delegate each represent
ing management and labor of the
member States. Its principal
function is the formulation of in
ternational social standards in the
form of International Labor Con
ventions and in Recommendations.
If a country ratifies a convention
adopted by the conference it as
sumes the obligation to take
measures to bring its legislation
into line with the convention’s
provisions. Machinery is avail
able to enforce the application by
a country of the terms of a con
vention it has ratified. •
The matters with which the
conventions deal cover a wide
range. They include hours of
work, the minimum age for em
ployment, the working conditions
of women and young workers,
workmen’s compensation, social
insurance, minimum wage-fixing
machinery, social standards in
non - self - governing territories,
holidays with pay, industrial safe
ty, statistics and subjects relat
ing to immigration. By refer
ence from United Nations the
subject of trade-union rights is
also on the agenda.
' MORE VETS SEEK TO BUILD
Washington, D. C.—Although
dropping off steadily since last
fall, veterans’ applications for
loans to build homes under the
JGI bill rose 25 per cent in April
over figures for the previous
month, the Veterans Administra
tion disclosed.
“Seasonal factors" were attrib
uted to raising the March total of
41,000 loan applications to 61',*00
for April. Total home loans ap
proved during April were 6^,000
and only 2.281 defaults on loans
were recorded.
"" * ..!■ ■■!■■«■ I - II ,
BULLETIN NO. 1
(This information issued by the
American Federation of Labor ex
plaining the Taft-Hartley Act
was prepared by the office of its
General Counsel, Joseph A. Pad
way.)
Now that the Taft-Hartley Bill
has become the law of the land,
every' labor union in tne country
uni oe faced with the tremendous
tasx of understanding the very
numerous and complex changes
in the law and of adjusting their
operations to these changes. In
order to aid in this difficult task,
the office of the General Counsel
of the American Federation of
Ijabor, will from time to time pre
pare and distribute bulletins and
memoranda advising our affiliates
of their new obligations and of
various steps they should take to
protect their interests.
This first bulletin is intended
' to anticipate and answer the mere
important practical questions im
mediately confronting labor un
ions, including questions arising
under those provisions of the new
law which became effective when
it was passed on June 23.
At the outset, some comment
must be made respecting the ap
plication of the Taft-Hartley Act
to the building trades industry and
other local industries. As is wea
known, the old Labor Board, as a
matter of administrative discre
tion, did not apply the Act to
such industries. However, that
cannot be relied upon as a guar
antee that the new Board will
follow the same practice.
1. What to the state* at ex
isting agreements containing ^
All existing closed-shop, onion
shop, maintenance-of-membership,
or other union-security agreements
entered into prior to June 23.
1947, are valid and enforceable
for the full term of the agree
ment, even though that agreement
has two or three or more years
to run. It is important to note,
however, that if any such exist
ing agreement is renewed or ex
tended, automatically or otherwise,
at any time after August 22,
1947, then the union-security pro
vision U nd longer operative.
Therefore, its is recommended
that any presently existing agree
ments containing union-security
clauses which have more than a
year to run be left untouched un
less it is deemed more important
to obtain a new agreement at the
expense of union security.
2. May Unions negotiate new
dosed - shop or union - security
agree smuts?
The new law on union-security
agreements does not go into ef
fect until sixty days after the
enactment of the law, namely,
August 22, 1947. Accordingly,
until August 22 unions will re
tain the same freedom they now
have to negotiate any type of
closed shop or union-security
agreement but these can be made
only for a period of one year.
In the case of any existing un
ion-security agreement having no
more than ten months to run, it
is suggested that unions attempt
to renegotiate or renew; such
agreement prior to August 22,
1947, thereby getting the benefit
of the added year of union se
curity. I
3. What la the status of chttk
off provisions?
All check-off agreements' ex
| ecuted prior to June 23, continue
in full force and effect until the
expiration of auch agreements or
until July 1, 1948. whichever date
occurs first. Check-off provisions,
unlike closed-shop provisions, may
not be extended or renewed or
negotiated after June 23, 1947.
liter June 23 the new regulations
on chock-off agreements which re
quire individual authorizations go,
into effect as do all agreements
executed after that date. Any
check-off agreement made after
June 23, 1947, whether it be a
new agreement or an extension or
renewal of an old agreement, |
must comply with the new lawj
relating to checkoff provisions in
order to avoid both criminal and
Injunctive proceedings.
After June 23, 1947, the only J
lawful kind of chock-off agreement
.hat may be negotiated is one
whereby the individual employes.
involved have given to their em-1
ployer written, individual authori
sations, which authorisations may
be revoked after one year or at
:ne expiration of the agreement,
whichever occurs first.
What is rendered unlawful are
the so-called “automatic” check
off provisions whereby the em
ployer, without the individual writ
ten authorisation of each of the
employes invoked, makes direct
payments to the union. Such
agreementa, if made after June
23, constitute a crime subject to
a ft no-of $10,000 or a year's im
prisonment, or both, and in ad
dition, are subject to immediate
injunctions without any of the
protections of the Norris-La
Guardia Act.
(To be continued in inter issues)
CALIFORNIA LABOR EDITOR8
PLAN PRESS CONFERENCE
Sen Francisco. Calif. — Repre
sentatives of AFL Councils pub
lishing newspapers in nine coun
ties. met to organise the North
ern California AFL Labor Press
Conference.
Jimmy Hicks, editor of the Sac
ramento Valley Union Labor Bul
letin, was elected chairman, and
Louij Burgess, editor of the East
Bay Labor Journal, was elected
Secretary-Treasurer.
The officers of the conference
were instructed to recommend
that a similar organisation be
set up in southern California,
with a view to holding a state
wide conference and working out
meand of strengthening the AFL
press throughout the state.
VETO OF LABOR BILL ASKED
New Brunswick, N. J. — The
Cify Commission called upon
■sident Truman to veto the
TOft-Hartley labor bill in the
name of “fairness and decency,”
declaring that the measure is
nothing more than a vicious at
tempt to reduce all of labor to
a state of complete ineffective
amts. The resolution added that
the few labor abuses that exist
could have been eliminated with
single and specific legislation.
House Freezes Tax
For Social Security
Washington, D. C.—The House
passed unanimously a bill to
freeze the social security pay
rol’ tax at 1 per cent until I960.
Representative Reed <R., N. Y.i
predicted it is “the last freeze”
of present rates that Congress
will approve.
The measure will block a two
billion-dollar annual increase in
the social security levy beginning
"ext January 1 if passed by the
Senate and accepted by President
Truman. But it provides increases
beginning in 1960. •
Without the freeze, the security
level would jump automatically
from 1 per cent againft employes’
wages and employers’ payrolls
to ^.percent against each start*
ing the first of next year.
The present 1 per cent rate
collects about $1,500,000,000 an
nually and has accumulated $8,
?00,000J)00 in the security trust
fund.
The “freeze" measure was pre
sented after a Way* 0*4 Means
Subcommittee, of which Reed is
chairman, examined the needs of
the trust fund from which the
Government pays old age and
survivors insumnce.
The new. legislation provides
for an increase in the tax to U
per cent against wages and pay
rolls in 1960, and to 2 per cent
in 1957 and thereafter. With
the inclusion of this formula for
future increases, the bill had the
support of both Republicans and
Democrats.
The measure also continues, to
June 30, 1960, increases in Fed
eral contributions, to needy aged
persons, the blind, and dependent
children.
The maximum Federal contribu
tion for each needy case was
raised from $20 a month to $26.
States also contribute to these
benefits.
PULLMAN PORTERS HONOR
LEADER OF AFL UNION
New Yorhf City.—A testimonial
dinner honoring A. Philip Ran
dolph, president of the Brother
hood of Pullman Porters (AFL),
was given here at the Hotel Com
modore. Mr. Randolph is also co
chairman of the National Council
for a Permanent Fair Employ
ment Practices ‘Commission.
The affair, over which Leon
Henderson presided, was given
under the auspices of the Re
union of Old-Timers, an organi
zation of* labor, liberal, religious
and civic leaden.
Mr. Hendenon paid tribute to
Mr. Randolph “for the inspira
tion and leadenhip which he has
given in the past quarter of a
century to causes engaged in
eliminating racial and religious
bigotry, intolerance and injus
tice."
SWITCHMEN ELBCV GLOVES
TO SUCCEED T. C. CASHBN
Buffalo. N. Y.—Arthur J. Glov
er at Kanasa City, Mo., wa« elect
ed president of the Switchmen's
Union of North America, suc
ceeding Thomas C. Cashen, of
Buffalo. The union's convention
delegates gave'Mr. Glover a win
ning* vote of 134 to tl.
The1 42-year-old Mr. Glover was
formerly the Switchmfcn’s general
chairman on the Sock bland Rail
road.
Other Unions May
Make Contributions
* _______
LOCAL CARPENTERS UNION INTERESTED
IN UPBUILDING OF COMMUNITY
The Charlotte local of the United Brotherhood of Car
penters & Joiners of America have voted to contribute
$1,200 for the building of a doctors’ conference room in the
new addition to Charlotte’s Mercy hospital, according to an
announcement ir.nde by Claude Nolen, business agent of the
local, here this week. The Charlotte union’s donation is
to be made during the current drive of local Mercy hospital
committees in their efforts to raise $400,000 to take care of
construction on the new proposed addition to the institu
tion. It is understood that other unions affiliated with the
Charlotte Central Labor union are contemplaing making do
nations to this worthy cause.
IFL Hits Farm Labor Bill;
Says Coaiitloas Deplorable
Washington, D. C. — In testi
mony before the Senate Commit
tee on Aarriculture, H. L. Mitchell,
president of the AFL’s Farm La
bor Union, protested vigorously
against the proposed farm lafroo,
bill. “In my opinion,” he said,
“the bill in its present form
would merely perpetuate the de
plorable conditions of farm la
borers.”
Condeming the legislation as
favoring the Interests of the big
farm operators, Mr. Mitchell
urged the committee to rewrite
the measure to provide some de
gree of “decency and human dig
nity” for the three million farm
laborers in the United States.
He said:
“These workers who perform
one of the most necessary func-j
tions in society, are now excluded
from the protection for the young,
the unemployed, and the aged.
Likewise, they are generally de
nied health, medical, and educa
tional services normally accorded
other American working people.
There have been no fundamental
changes in the conditions affect
ing farm labor since John Stein
beck wrote about the Oakies in
“Grapes of Wrath."
In additional testimony, Mr.
Walter J. Mason, AFL legislative
representative, attacked another
provisions of the bill establishing
a permanent farm labor place
ment service within the Depart
ment of Agriculture. He branded
the proposal as wasteful duplica
tion of facilities already available
in the public employment offices
of the United States Employment
Service.
The bill under consideration
continues the importation of for
eign labor for farin work, pro
hibits state or federal action to
establish wage rates or hours( of
work for farm labor, and to all
intents and purposes bans vol
untary collective bargaining
agreements between employers
and farm laborers.
Office Employes of the Ingalls
Shipbuilding Company at Pasca
goula, Miss., have voted in an
NLRB election for representation
by the Office Employee Interna
tional Union, AFL. The vote was
56 to 31. Vice President Blood
worth and President Hines of the
Mississippi Federation worked to
gether on this election. President
Hjipes also reports that office em
ployes of the Moss Point Paper
MN1 Company at Creole, Miss.,
have organized and a charter will
be installed shortly.
The Carpenters’ union is to be
commended for its worthy action.
Likewise, other unions making do
nation^ to the hospital fund will
be making a noble contribution to*
ward the betterment of local hos
pital conditions. Mercy hospital
has a policy which never turns a
sick person away, provided the
staff has the room and facilities
'to provide necessary treatment.
Those who contribute may rest as
sured that it will, aid the Mercy
authorities to better meet local
demands.
Meat Prices Stmt Hi(lter
Is Consumers Are Hooked
Washington, D. C.—Meat price*
are shooting skyward throaghout
the country.
In New York City, Jack Kranis,
president of the National. Meat
Industry , Council, stated that
prices are currently higher than
they were at the peak of the
“black market" days under the
the OPA.
Mr. Kranis said increased for
eign buying is the principal reas
on for the upswing in the price
level. European buyers are will
ing to pay up to 4 cents a pound
more than domestic buyers, he
stated. Opposing his views were
meat industry spokesmen in Chi
cago who denied that experts had
been large enough to have any
appreciable effect upon the do
mestic price structure.
“Summer months always see
an increase in meat prices,” said.
Carl Bromann, executive secre
tary of the Associated Food Deal
ers of Greater Chicago. “For the
past 60 to 90 days retailers have
been holding prices steady and
wholesale prices have been going
up. It reached the point where
the only economical thing the re
tailer could do was raise his own
prices.”
Regardless of the reasons, the
fact that meat prices are up
again comes as disillusioning news
to the vast majority of Ameri
cans whose incomes have by no
means kept up with high flying
prices. The news is double bit
ter in the light of statements
made a year ago when industry
leaders waged their successful
campaign for the death of the
OPA. Flowing promises were
made that ence Government con
trols were ended prices would
come down.
.P
It looks as though the National
Association of Manufacturers and
other big business propaganda
agencies have played the Ameri
can people for suckers again!