n Aug. 11-12-13
WIRE tr WIITE to
Ttir Ceagressasi to
Prates!. Afsisst All
AITI-LABOI Bills!
LABOR JOURNAL
VOL. XVII; NO. 12
CHARLOTTE. N. C„ THURSDAY. JULY 24, 1947
Subscription $2.00 Per Year
NLRB CALLS FOR
QUICK ACTION BY
BRANCH BOARDS
CALLS FOR PROCESSING OF
4.3M CASES NOW ON FILES
IN REGIONAL OFFICES.
Washington, D. C. — The Na
tional Labor Relations Board di
rected its regional offices to proc
cess as soon as possible all of the
4,300 cases now on file that can
be handled under provisions of
the Taft-Hartley Act.
The offices were directed to
serve promptly upon the parties
copies of all charges and amended
charges, in accord with the law's
provision that no complaint shall
issue based upon an unfair labor
practice occurring more than six
months prior to the filing of the
charge with the board.
The field offices were advised
not to accept employer charges
of unfair labor practices against
unions until August B. the ef
fective date of this section of the
law. Similarly, actions on re*
quests against unions for injunc
Since the law bans protection to
supervisors, the offices were asked
to dismiss at once all petitions
seeking certification of units in
volving such employes. Cases
concerning guards, whose organ-!
izing is now restricted, must be1
cleared with Washington.
The field agents will not make
a complete record in cra|t union
cases and those involving* profes- i
sional employes.
The law states that the board
shall not . . . decide that any
craft unit is inappropriate for
(collective bargaining) on the
ground that a different unit has
been established by a prior board
determination unless a majority
of the employes in the proposed
craft unit vote against separate
representation.”
The new act prevents the NLRB
from naming a unit for bargain
ing which consiata both of pro
feaaional employee and non-pro
feaaional employee unleaa a ma
jority of the former vote for
incloaion in aocM a unit.
In dealing with unfair labor
practice caaea it waa directed
that all current hearinga be com
pleted. Caaea for which hearinga
have not yet begun will be re
examined and if the alleged vio
lationa constitute illegal conduct
under the act as amended, hear
inga may be scheduled. Ail other
cases should be sent to the Wash
ington office with recommenda
tions. ,
No further prehearing elections
will be scheduled since the act
bans this device for handling
elections. But prehearing elec
tions in .which notices of election
have issued may be concluded un
less some categories of. empolyes
otherwise excluded by the act are
involved.
In •lection cues neia on ices
were requested not to submit to
the board analyses of the record,
complying with the law’s ban on
such recommendations.
Regional offices will not allow
any further cross-checks but will
complete those provided by exist
ing agreements. A cross-check
is a device whereby a company
and a union agree to settld a dis
pute over representation by a pay
roll check of employe designation
of the union as bargaining repre
sentative.
The offices were ordered to com
ply with the act’s provision ban
ning any election in any bargain
(Please Turn to Page 2)
6reea Urges Labor .
Representation Oi
Rent Control Boards
Washington. D. C.—AFL Pres
ident William Green urged all
State Federations of Labor to
•'ress for the appointment of la
bor representatives to local advis
ory boards to be set up under the
new Housing .and Rent Act.
“Real responsibility for the kind
of rent controls we have under
this law depends on these boards,”
Mr. Green wrote in a letter to
the State Federation of Labor.
“Do your utmost to have good
boards recommended to the Hous
ing Expediter by your Governors.
Make every posaible effort to
make sure that labor is well rep
resented on each rental area ad
visory board. ^Rent control is the
only remaining tool to curb •
further drastic rise in living costa
for our workers." Harry C. Bate*
Chairman of the AFL Housing
Committee, likewise urged all.
Central Labor Unions to press
for the appointment of labor rep
resentatives- to the Rent Advisory
Boards, He said:
“Unquestionably the well-or
ganized interest groups who have
long fought to cripple any form
of rent controls quickly made their
recommendations to the Governor.
Workers and their families will
be the ones to suffer if the wrong
persons are appointed to these
local boards. It is up to your
Central Labor Unions, therefore,
to take immediate action in ree
oramending qualified labor repre
sentatives for service on these
boards.
“President Green has written to
all State Federations of Labor
asking them to receive recommen
dations from our Central Labor
Unions in each state, for prompt
submission to the Governor.
Please write without delay to the
secretary of your State Federa
tion of Labor giving him the
name or names of able and quali
fied labor representatives you pro
pose for service on the area rent
advisory committee. The Statrf
Federation will submit these
names to the Governor and will
make strong representations to
him.
' “Immediate action is impera
tive, for the Housing Expediter
has already written to all Gov
ernors requesting their recom
mendations for appointments to
the boards. Rents are a big part
of our present high cost of living;
we must exert every effort to pre
vent further increases by making
rent controls as effective as pos
sible under the present law. That
will depend on the character of
the men appointed to the local ad
visory boards.”
I * ---
BUSINESS ORGANIZATION
SAYS WORKERS’ OUTPUT UP
New York City.—Bosses them
selves in many industries are now
.-onceding that labor productivity
is rising. The National Industrial
Conference Board, a business re
search organization, so reported
on the basis of a nation-wide poll
unong industrial executives.
At least two out of five com
panies declared that' production
per worker is greater than' a year
ago. The increases ranged from
8.5 to 30 per cent. Many - firms
also reported that "quality of
output has improved noticeably.”
Says Moderate Wage
Increases, Lower Prices
Will Preieat Slump
Washington, • D. C. — Matthew
Woll, AFL vice-president, told a
Congressional committee that
Tolerate wage increases coupled
with price decreases are required
to prevent economic recession and
to restore the proper balance in
, once, profit and wage relation
ships.
In testimony ! efore the Joint
Committee on the Economic Re
?ort, Mr. Woll said:
“The American Federation of
Labor i* convinced that the feast
and famine policy of American
industry which in general has al
lowed prices and profits to climb
to such unprecedented heights
that consumer buying power is
dangerously lagging will inevitab
ly lead to economic recession un
less corrective action is taken im
mediately.
“We do not mean that in the
ease of each individual firm, prices
and profits are exorbitant while
wa^es are depressed. However,
when the actions of each segment
of our economy are added up, the
aggregrate figures have startling
implications. Let me illustrate:
. “1944 was the wartime high
jjoint in income payments to wage
and salaried workers. Since that
time wage rates have sharply ria
on, but wage rates are illusory
things. Because of downgrading,
shortened hours, and shifts to
lower wage industries, average
weel^Jy earnings and total income
payments in the form of wages
ind salaries dropped appreciably
since that time.
“Average weekly earnings for
factory workers were 947.50 in
January, 1946—the wartime peak.
After a severe drop from this lev*
el it was not until April of this
year that average weekly earn*
ings again reached this amount.
“Department of Commerce fig
ures indicate that income pay
ments in the form of wages and
salaries dropped from 116.0 bil
lion dollars inf 1944, to 106.2 bil
lion dollars in 1946—a decline of
9.3 per cent. *' ,
“But during this same period
between 1944 and 1946, net in
come to proprietors jumped 26.5
per cent* from 24.1 billion to 30.2
billion dollars, interest and net
rent jumped 22.6 per cent from
10.6 to 13.0 billion, and net cor
porate profit jumped 21.2 per cent
from 9.9 to 12.0 billion dollars.
“These figures give some indi
cation as to who was responsible
for the increase in the consumers’
price index of 23.9 per cdnt be
tween 1944 and May, 1947.
“Obviously we do not contend
that business could operate with
out making a profit, but we, do
contend that many segements of
industry, are following a price
profit policy that is rapidly pric
ing their products out of the
market and must inevitably lead
to production cutbacks, unemploy
ment, and eventual recession. If
business as a whole >could realise
such targe profits in a year char
acterized by vexing reconversion
problems and price controls dur
ing the better part of the year,
either profits must boom to un
precedented heights in 1947 with
a consequent bust or a new lowet
pjice policy must be instituted
with more reasonable profits but
a continuing strong stable, mass
market.”
Mr. Woli warned that food
: prices must come down if further
I pressure for wage increases is to
! I* avoided. Pointing out that I
wage earner spends about a third
of his income for food, he said
additional food price increases
will necessarily reduce demand
for other goods. This, in turn,
(Continued on Page 2)
FLASH! FLASH! FLASH!
William Green, president of the American Federation
of Labor, and I. Ornburn. secretary of the Union Label
Trades department of the American Federation, will ad
dress the North Carolina Federation convention, meet
ing in Wilmington August 11-12-13. Other notable vis
itors will also be present.
i
BULLETIN NO. 1
PART III
(This is the Anal installment
of the first bulletin issued by the
American Federation of Labor
.axplaining the Taft-Hartley Act.
It was prepared by the office of
its Genera} Counsel, Joseph A.
Padway1.) t
1 May inions be guilty of an*
| fair labor practices before August
‘ 22. 1947?
j No. As indicated above. Title
I of the act does not become ef
fective prior to August 22.' 1947.
however, to avoid any misunder
standing, we repeat that unlawful
boycotts, jurisdictional strikes
and breaches of agreements are
dealt with in Title III and hence
subject unions to immediate dam
age suits; and we repeat, too. our
recommendation respecting termi
nation of modification of agree
ments that expire within 69 days
after August 2, 1947.
7. What reports, affidavits,
etc., must unions file before they
may secure any relief from the
labor board?
As before stated. Title 1 which
establishes the new Labor Board,
prescribes unfair practices for un
ions, and requires the filing of
rejforts and affidavits as a con
dition of obtaining relief under
the act, is not effective until
August 22, 1947. Therefore, there
is no need to be immediately con
cerned with the filing of reports
and affidavits, because these need
not be filed until August 22.
Further information and advice
concerning the filing of such re*
ports will be sent out in a sub*
sequent bulletin.
8. What limitations does the
law impose on the politicial ac
tivity of labor unions 7
Labor organisations as such
(but not officers or members act
ing personalty and on their own
Dehalf) are prohibited from mak
ing any contribution or “espend
aure” in connection with the elec
tion of any federal legislator such
as Senator, Congressman or other
official. This prohibition applies to
regular elections, primary elec
tions, political conventions or po
litical caucuses involving federal
candidates. The prohibition clear
ly forbids direct or outright
money contributions to a politi
cal candidate and also includes a
contribution of anything of value,
such as a donation maae airecuy
to the candidate, and (or his own
use, of literature, radio time, paid
ads, use of meeting halls for
speeches to the public (but not
speeches to union members,) etc.
Thus far the act is clear. How
ever, by the addition to the above
boldface word “expenditure” ti
the previously existing law, it
may be claimed that the prohi
bition extends to any type of ex
penditure whatsoever made in
connection with any federal po
I litical election or nomination, such
as. for instance, expenditure of
money by a labor organisation
to publish a labor newspaper set
ting forth a candidate's qualifica
tions, or the hiring of radio time
or newspaper space for a union’s
own use to urge the election or
defeat of a political* candidate.
If that is the intent of Congress
in amending the Corrupt Practices
Act through the Taft-Hartley Act,
*
‘hen it is our Arm opinion that
:he law as so applied would be
il egal and unconstitutional as
\n invasion of t he freedom of,
peech and press guaranteed as
a civil liberty under the First
.r.Hndment of the United States
onstitution. In recently declar
ing unconstitutional comparable
law proposed for referendum in
the State of Massachusetts, the
Massachusetts Supreme Court, in
a unanimous decision, stated as
follows:
“But under the proposed law
the political activities of labor
unions are not regulated or purbed
! but are substantially destroyed.
Deprived of the right to pay any
sum of money for the rental of
a hall in which to hold a public
rally or debate, or for printing
or circulating pamphlets, or for
advertising in newspapers, or for
buying) radio time, a union could
I not carry on any substantial and
effective political activity. It
.ould not get is messages to the
electorate. Its rights of freedom
the press and of peaceable as
sembly would be crippled.” (Howe
v. Secretary of the Common
wealth, 69 N. E. (2) 115, decided
September 20, 1946).
Under the Bill of Rights any
union whose purpose it is to
further its own social and eco
election of candidates favorable
to such program and the defeat
of candidates uqfavorable to such
program has full freedom to use
the facilities of press, radio, hand
bill or speech to accomplish its
objective, and no law can flatly
and unqualifiedly destroy this
freedom.
We therefore advise that, in
connection with either a caucus,
convention, primary election or
Anal election, labor organisation*
may expend such, funds as
they desire to compile and dis
tribute to their membership and
affiliates and to the public the
voting records, speeches, or other
statements of federal candidates;
the unions may purchase radio
time and discuss the merits and
demerits of candidates and their
platform in relation to labor's
welfare; unions may print or have
printed newspaper ads or articles
containing similar discussions;
they may send officers and or
nomic program by
(tanners to make speeches at on
ion as well as public meetings
and may pay for advertising and
hall hire of such meetings; they
may even invite a candidate to
appear at such meetings if
the purpose is to have him ex
plain his position on matters of
interest to labor. In short, la
bor unions may continue to en
gage in all the ordinary activities
(except, of course, direct financial
contributions t£ political candi
dates as discussed above) which
in the past had citstomarily been
engaged in by them affecting po
litical candidates and parties,
when the union's purpose is "to
“further its own social and eco
nomic program and when ' such
activities are undertaken without
agreement or arrangement with
any candidate.
Labor Press Sends
Call For Convention
Newark N. J.—The Internation
i al Labor Press of America issued
! an official call for its 36th annual
j convention, to be held in San Fran
cisco on October 4th. Sessions
will be held at the St. Francis
Hotel.
Matthew Woll, ILPA president
and Lewis M. Herrmann, secre
tary-treasurer, in an official com
munication, urged all members to
attend the convention which they
said will be one of the “most
important” in the 36-year history
of the organisation.
Citing the labor press as an
“important weapon in the wage
earners’ defense against enemies
in and out of Congress,” the let
ter said, “plans must be per
fected to intensify our fight
against forces which would shac
kle the workers of America
through the legislative process.”
All labor publications were
asked to submit entries for the
1946-47 Journalistic Award Con
test not late; than September IS.
Winners will be announced at the
ILPA convention.
WAGE DISCRIMINATION
AGAIN8T WOMEN BANNED
UNDER PROPOSED BILL
Washington. D. C.—A bill to
eliminate wage differential* baaed
upon sex was introduced by Sen*
a tors Claude Pepper of Florida
and Wayne Morse of Oregon.
The bill would make it an un
fair wage practice to discrimi
nate in payment of wages be
tween the sexes for comparable
quality and quantity of produc
tion On similar operations.
Discriminatory wage practices
against women, the sponsoring
Senators said in a Joint state
ment, “fly in the face of de
mands of ordinary justice, de
press wages and living standards
for all employes, both men and
women, cut into the living stan
dards of womni workers and the
families dependent on them, and
prevent the maximum utilisation
of our available labor resource*
so necessary for full production,
full employment and full purchas
ing power.”
“New factor* in the American
economic acene make even more
imperative now corrective lefts
tion to eliminate discriminatory
wa^e practice* baaed on sex,”
they continued.
“Growing unemployment in
crease* the tendency to lower
women’s rate* of pay with conse
quent lowering of men’s rates and
the entire wage structure in in
dustry, with serious consequences
for purchasing power and living
standards.
“Soaring prices make impera
tive the elimination of wage prac
tices that further, worsen the liv
ing conditions of working men
and women.
“With the Taft-Hartley Law on
the statute books, creating great
er obstacles to peaceful settle
ment of workers’ grievances, it
is all the more important to elim
inate wage differentials based on
sex as one cause of labor dis
putes.”
CONCILIATION CHIEF QUITS
Washington, D. C.—Labor Sece
retary Schwellenbach accepted th«
resignation of Edgar L. Warren,
director of the United States Con
ciliation Service. The resignation
is effective when the director of
the new Federal Mediation and
Conciliation Service, created by
the Taft-Hartley Act, assumes
office, but in no event later than
August 21. •
' (
Wans Against Props Now
Sustaining Present Boom
Washington, D. C. — President
Truman tjpld Congress that basic
adjustments are needed to sup
port the nation’s booming econ
omy now being sustained by “tem
porary props.”
In a special mid-year economic
report, the President said, “The
unprecedented prosperity of our
nation must not be a cause for
idle self-congratulation.”
Mr. Truman named thf recon
version demands of business, the
abnormal consumer demand for
goods, the extensive use of sav
ings and credit, and the excess
of exports over imports as the
temporary props now holding up
the high levels of production and
employment.
“As they weaken, we shall need
to make many basic adjustments
to complete the transition to a
permanently stable and maximum
level peacetime economy.” the
i President declared.
Mr. Truman said that price and
income adjustraenta “stand fore
most in need of attention.”
Referring to a general improve
ment in the price level, the Presi
dent emphasised that the improve
ment ^should not blind us to fur
ther need for price reductions in
some cases.”
Mr. Truman called for wage
increases where needed to attain
workable relations in tne wage
and salary structure. He report
ed that the majority of consum
ers were not benefited by wage
increases during the first half of
1U47 “because of increases, in the
cost of living."
“The purchasing power of total
consumers’ incomes is no higher
than at the beginning of the
year,” the President said.
Mr. Truman urged Congress to
enact legislation to raise mini
mum wage*, to broaden the cov
erage of the Social Security Act,
to bring about effective rent con-,
tool, and to encourage n long
range housing program.
On the whole, the President’*
report was optimistic. It summed
up the first six months of 1947
as follows:
“At midpoint fn the year 1947,
we have aurpaaeed previous'high
records of civilian production, and
are now producing ffoodt and
services at a rate of 226 billion
dollars annually-.. Month by
month there has be«M talk of re
cession; month by month reces
sion has failed to materialise. In
June we reached a level of 60
million civilian jobs, regarded by
many as impossible of attainment.
Our standard of living is excep
tionally high, and purchasing
power has thus far been adequate
to absorb completely the enor
mous production of American
farms, mines, and factories. Farm
income has attained a record lev
el. The financial position of bus
iness is strong. A healthy slow
ing down in inventory accumula
tion has taken place. Business
investment in plants and equip
ment has increased this year,
even above the record highs of -
last year. Management and labor
have cooperated in maintaining
industrial peace, and a wide
range o£ important collective-bar
gaining agreements have been
signed without widespread strikes.
With a slight reduction in the
workweek, productivity is on the
increase.”
The President called upon all
groups to make, the voluntary ad
justments required and upon Con
gress to enact legislation needed
to place the country’s economy
on a firm foundation:
“We must adjust our minds to
(Continued on Page t)