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CHARLOTTE
LABOR JOURNAL
CHARLOTTE. N. C„ THURSDAY. AUGUST 21. 1947
Subscription $2.00 Per Year
VOL. XVII; NO. 15
Typographical Union
Adopts No-Contract
Working Provisions
No Local Uoion Authorized to
Roprosoot lotenatM la
SigiiBK Now Amoneits.
(Special To The Labor Journal)
Cleveland^, Ai|. 21, — The 89th
convention of tko International
Typographical Union yesterday
adopted a declaration of policy by
unanimous vote which puts the
union printers of the United States
and Canada on record ag not be
ing in a mood to sign written
agreements which would make it
liable under provisions of the
Taft-Hartley act. This means that
as existing contracts expire under
the Typographical union’s juris
diction no written agreesMuta will
be signed, until the drastic pro
visions of the Taft-Hartley law
have been repealed. Instead, tbe
printers will post in their chapels
the provisions under which they
will work, this in no manner to
be construed as being a contract,
according to an announcement
made during the debuts on the
proposed change in ITU policy.
ITU officials announced that
this does not moon that the Typo
graphical unions will not engage
in collective bargaining under pro
visions of the Taft-Hartley act,
but that inasmuch as the act does
not compel either party to
to the signing of a written
meat, the printers have go
to refrain
wtl
come liable to
the act's provisions.
suits
Charlotte delegates and their
wives attending the convention are
Mr. and Mrs. A. R. Louthian, and
Harwood E. Series. Mr. and Mrs.
Hugh M. Sylces are attending as
visitors.
BUILDING MATERIALS CO-OP
FORMED BY DANE WORKERS
Copenhagen, Denmark. — Dis
crimination by the building-mate
rials cartel against housing co
ops led the Danish workers’ co-op
council to form a co-op to han
dle building materials and home
furnishings.
MACHINISTS TURN DOW!
BEAFFIUATION WITH NFL
Washington, D. C.—The exec
utive council of the International
Association of Machinists notified
AFL President William Green by
letter that its members voted
against immediate reaffiliation
with the American Federation of
Labor.
The letter extended an offer by
IAM officers to meet with AFL
representatives at any time to
work out an agreement which
“will justify our again becom
ing an active affiliate of the
AFL."
METAL TRADES DEPARTMENT
OF AFL URGES STRONG
U. S. MERCHANT MARIME
—
Washington, D. C.—The AFL’s
Metal Trades Department ap
pealed to Congress, the admini
stration, and the American people
to maintain a first rate United
States merchant marine.
In an exhaustive report on the
subject, the department cited the
fact that after World War I,
American shipyards were allowed
to lapse into idleness. American
shipping almost disappeared from
the seas and hardly skeleton
forces of shipyard workers re
mained.
“We must not throw away once
again the opportunity to maintain
| nd develop an American mer
chant marine,” the department
declared.
This nation turned out a record
number of cargo ships during
World War II and uniop mem
bers gave their “fullest service to
the building of ships so neces
sary to victory,” the report point
ed out.
However, most of those vessels
were slow-moving Liberty ships
and tankers, and a large number
of these have been disposed of to
foreign lands.
The great need now, the de
partment said, is for speedy, ef
ficient, modern ships, for coast
wise and overseas trade, so as to
Lmast foreign comsetitiea the
requirement* of American chip
per*.
Such a fleet should also be
built up in the interests of na
tional defense, as auxiliaries to
the army and navy, the depart
ment urged. |
“There ought to be at all
times,” it said, ‘sufficient em
ployes engaged in the private
shipyards and navy yards to ba
able to meet immediately any na
tional emergency, and because of
experience to be able to train a
rapidly expanding force of work
ers which might be required dur
ing war.
“Just as we cannot permit! our
army, navy or air force to dimin
ish to a point where they cannot
defend the nation, so we cannot
afford to let our shipyards de
cline into insignificance.
“Our navy, army and air force,
in the last analysis, are not any
stronger than the supply ships
that keep them going in war
time.”
AFL GROUP WINS ELECTION
AT DRYDEN RUBBER CO.
Springfield, 111. —*■ Employes at
the Dryden Rubber Company plant
here voted for the AFL as col
lective bargaining agent. Results
of the 4-way ballot gave the AFL
55 votes against 24 for the CIO.
The election was the first con
ducted here since enactment of
the Taft-Hartley law.
Taft-Hartley Slave Law
Challanged; Teamsters
Defy Senator Taft To Act
, Indianapolis.—The AFL Inter
hfational Teamsters Union delib
erately challenged the Taft-Hart
ley law and defined Senator Taft
(R., Ohio) to "do something”
about it.
The union's magazine, the In
ternational Teamster, published
the names of the Congressmen
who voted for the measure over
President Truman’s veto beneath
the headline: “Here are your en
erties.”
"Senator Taft says we can’t tell
you this (how to vote). He says
this is a violation of the law he
wrete,” an accompanying editori
al said, “Well, that’s just too
bad. But we are doing it. If
Senator Taft wants to do any
thing about it, let him get start
ed.’
“The next move is up to Taft,"
the editorial said. “Let him fik
charges ... and then we can
go into court and find out what
the constitution means."
The editorial said the union’s
attorneys advised that the pro
vision of the law which fcrfjids
political activity by unions was
unconstitutional. The magazine,
edited by union President Daniel
J. Tobin, said it had been advised
by general counsel Joseph A. Pad
way to print the voting records
of Congress “on this and all oth
er matters of interest to labor.”
“FREEDOM OF tSSOGMTIOr
RESOLUTION ADOPTED NT
INTERNATIONAL MEETING
Geneva, Switzerland. — The
unanimous adoption of resolutions
asserting the right of workers
and employers to enjoy freedom
of association highlighted the
work of the International Labor
Conference which met here for
its 30th session. A total of 48
unions were represented.
The controversial subject of
freedom of association was re
ferred to the ILO by the United
Nations following action by the
American Federation of Labor
which raised the issue of trade
union rights throughout the world.
It was the first referral of such
a task to a specialized agency
of the United Nations.
The conference also adopted six
conventions, or international la
bor treaties Five of these were
aimed at the improvement of la
bor conditions in non-metropolitan
areas and represent an economic
and social “Bill of Rights’’ for
the peoples in non-setfgoveming
areas. The conventions covered
broad social policy, the right of
association and settlement of la
bor disputes, the extension of in
ternational labor standards, the
maximum length of contracts for
the employment of native work
ers, and a system of labor in
spection in the colonial areas.
The sixth convention concerns
the establishment of an interna
tional labor inspection service and
represented the completion of
work on this subject begun by the
ILO in 1923 and since interrupted
by wartime conditions.
The committee which studied
the subject ef freedom of associ
ation was headed by David A.
bor and head of the U. 8. delega
tion. The report and recommen
dations of the committee received
unanimous approval by the con
ference.
One resolution asserted the
right of workers and employers
to join organizations of their own
choosing without previous govern
mental authorization and listed
the guarantees required, to be
given for the free exercise of this
right. It sets forth the respon
sibility of workers and employers
to bargain collectively, bans the
“yellow dog” contract, prohibits
discrimination because of union
activity, and condemns company
domination of unions. One clause
states that a freely concluded col
lective bargaining agreement mak
ing union membership a condition
of employment would not be in
consistent with the resolution.
The second resolution calls for
a study of the desirability of cre
ating international machinery for
safeguarding the right to freedom
of association. The ILO’s gov
erning body was designated to
report on the matter at the next
conference after consulting with
the United Nations.
Action by the conference in
adopting the recommended pro
gram paved the way for formu
lation of an international treaty
for consideration by the 1948 ses
sion of the International Labor
Conference.
Hailing the action of the con
ference, Mr. Morse said:
“The agreement reached here
on this question is probably the
most significant development that
has occurred in the history of
this organization and it certainly
is the most significant develop
ment in this field in the world.
“Twenty years ago this whole
problem was before the ILO, and
the conference split Now, twen
ty years after, in less than three
weeks, with the governments of
the, world, except thd Soviets
represented, we have been able
to come to a unanimous agree
ment on this great problem.”
JAMES F. McCAFFERY DIES
Cleveland, Ohio,—James F, Mc
Caffery, widely known in union
circles, died here at the age of
50. Mr. McCaffrey was past sec
retary of the Theatrical Em
ployes’ Union and past president
of the Motion Picture Studio Me
chanics. At the time of his
death he was a member of the
Stagehands Union.
I
BUY UMON PRODUCTS
SOYS LABOR OFFICIAL
Washington, D. C. — John P
Burke, president. Brotherhood ol
Pulp, Sulphite and Paper Mil!
Workers, urged promotion of a
drive for the purchase of union
made goods by consumers.
Excerpts from Burke’s state
ment, released by the AFL’s Un
ion Label Trades Department, fol
low:
“By promoting a drive for the
purchase of union-made goods,
let us start a counter-offensive
against the Congressmen and Sen
ators who are trying to enact an
ti-union shop legislation.
“If the more than seven mil
lion members of the American
Federation of Labor, their fami
lies and their friends would make
a solemn resolve to buy union
made goods only -and stick to this
resolve—we could laugh at the
efforts of some of our Senators
and Congressmen who pass anti
union legislation.
“It Is consumers who furnish
the markets for the products of
American industry. When we
spend our union wages we should
spend it for products made by
union men and women. Not a
single dollar earned in a union
shop should ba spent for the pur
chase of products made in non
union shops.”
PRICE INCREASES ERASED
1946 FAMLY INCOMES 6AIN
Washington, D. C.—The Fed
eral Reserve Board reported that
“substantial increases in prices
of consumer goods” offset in
creases In 'Malty income during
1940.
The board said that “middle
income” for the nation's 46,500,
000 families rose from $2,020 in
1945 to $2,300 in 1946. The term
“middle income” means that half
the families received more, half
less than the given figure. The
survey defined a family as * re
lated group living together and
pooling incomes.
The board said So per cent of
the families had a combined in
come of $2,000 or more in 1946
as compared with $3 per cent the
year before.
Incomes of salaried workers im
proved more on an annual basis
than those of wage earners, the
report showed, largely because
wage workers, while enjoying
higher hourly rates, were not em
ployed full time.
For families of skilled workers
alone, the “middle income'* was
$2,800, but for skilled, semi-skilled
and unskilled workers* families
taken together it was $2,300, up
only $100 from 1945.
A concentration of high incomes
and savings among a compara
tively few families was reported
by the board.
Ten per cent or 4,650,000 fam
ilies had incomes of $5,000 or
more and got almost a third of
the total income received by all
families. They alsd owned about
40 per cent of total savings in
bank accounts and government
bonds.
The low 40 per cent or 18,600,
000 of the families had incomes
below $2,000 and owned about 15
per cent of the bank account
government bond savings.
Hiring Dowt, Layoffs lip
In Second Quarter 1947
Washington, D. C.—The Bureau
of Labor Statistics reported that
hiring rates in manufacturing in*
duatries decreased daring May
while layoff rates Increased. Vol
untary quits declined in the same
period.
The hiring rate fell from 61
to 47 for every 1,000 employes
on the payroll, the lowest figure
for any May since 1940. Layoffs
rose from 10 to 15 per 1,000 em
ployes with the acceleration felt
most sharply in the iron and
steel, electrical, nonelectrical, and
radio equipment industries.
Hiring sates for women in all
manufacturing industries declined
more sharply than for men.
ARTICLE SAYS SWEDISH
PUN IS KEY TO SOLUTION
OF OUR ECONOMIC PROBLEM
New York City.—Sweden is a
| land which has solved some of
the problems now torturing our
.! national economy and to which we
may turn for guidance and ex
perience.
This is the view expressed by
Arnold S. Zander, president of
the American Federation of State,
County and Municipal Employee)
in an article which is the first
of a series of six on the general
topic “Sweden: Laboratory in Ec
onomic Democracy.” The articles
(were prepared for the Workers
Education Bureau of America
and are being published by that
organisation.
“The U. S. A. is heading for
trouble” says Mr. Zander, “When
we ask what, if anything, is being
j done to avoid economic collapse,
i no one is able to mention anything
. of sufficient consequence to give
j us a satisfactory sense of *e
l curity. It seems to some of us
that we not only are not taking
positive steps to avoid a major
recession, but that Congress i& de
) termined to do every wrong thing
possible.”
I Calling for the right kind of
j political action to elect socially
minded men to Congress, for the
development of a system of work
ers' education, for concentration
upon the economic aspects of the
I trade union and co-operative
' movements. Mr. Zander points to
Sweden as the nation which has
met the same problems and has
solved them satisfactorily. He
says:
“Although we recognise the nec
essity for undertaking these tasks
wa should probably fe#,# MtHf
more sure of onrselsM If we
knew that in some other land sim
I ilar steps were once taken and
1 that they had proved themselves.
If we knew that, in some distant
laboratory, problems which beset
us have been solved. It would give
us assurance.
"Such a land and auch a lab
oratory is Sweden.
"Briefly, the Swedish program
is about like this; They want a
middle-of-the-road government and
economy. They want to avoid
dictatorship from either the right
or the left. One prominent Swede
said their program is an anti
communist campaign. He could
say this because they have se
cured themselves against fascism.
To avoid communism they must
have stability; they must be able
to avoid economic ups and downs.
To do that they must be able to
maintain full employment. That
requires planning for full employ
ment and keeping a comparatively
high" level of purchasing power
in the mass of their citisens.
“They have extensive plana for
employment, and strong labor and
co-operative movements to dis
tribute and maintain mass buying
power. The elements of the pro
gram are most interesting and I
shall try to tell something about
them ii\ future articles.”
N. Y. PAINTERS TO RATIFY
3*-CENT PAY INCREASE
New York City. — Ten thous
and Manhattan and Bronx paint
ers received pay increases of 30
cents an hour.
The agreement between District
Council 9 and the Brotherhood of
Painters and Decorators, AFL,
and the Association of Master
Painters, also provided for estab
lishment of a joint labor-manage
ment “fair practice” committee to
consider disputes over discrimina
tion in layoffs.
The union had originally sought
a 75-cent pay rise and a cut in
working hours from seven a day
to six. Under the agreement,
which union leaden predicted
would be ratified by all of the ten
locals involved, the wage rate
will be $2.30 an hour and the
work day will nemaln at seven
hours.
Representatives of both sides
said they expected a “boom” in
painting this Ml u a result of
tenant demands for redeceration
when agreeing te 15 per cent ran)
increases. ' .
Central Labor Union
Delegates Opposed
To New Labor Laws
j MINER'S WELFARE FUND
TRUSTEES PliX SAYERS
AS MEDICAL CHAIRMAN
Washington, D. C.—The AFL’s
United Mine Workers announced
the appointment of Dr. R. R.
| Sayers as chairman of thei medi
cal board established by the trus
tees of the UMWA Welfare and
Retirement Fund to serve the bi
tuminous coal industry.
In his new position, Dr. Sayers
will advise trustees of the Wel
fare and Retirement Fund on
health and medical problems. He
will also assist state and local
public health authorities, as well
as coal operators and unions, in
carryinK out recommendations
contained in the Madical Survey
of the Bituminous Coal Industry
issued last spring by Rear Ad
miral Joel T. Boone. This sur
vey, provided for by the Krug
Lewis agreement when the Gov
ernment waa operating the mines,
is the first nation-wide report
on living and working conditions
of miners. Its recommendations
include:
Establishment of strong local
health department; improvement
of basic sanitation; organisation
of health education programs, in
cluding health demonstration proj
ects by medical societies or phi
lanthropic foundationa; industry
wide! studios and research on na
occupational diseases and disabil
ities; rehabilitation programs;
expansion of company industrial
medicine programs, including
physical examinations of em
ployes, and provisions of adequate
first aid and other medical facil
ities; improvement of sise and
quality of hospitals and out-pa-'
tient clinics; modification and
consolidation of prepayment plans j
for medical care; and improve-1
ment of housing and of recrea-1
tional facilities. -
Dr. Sayers is one of the most'
outstanding medical and safety i
authorities in the United States'
on living standards and working
conditions, as well as local hos
pitalisation and medical services
in American coal fields. His res
ignation as director of the U. S.
Bureau of Mines was recently
announced. He has been grant
ed a leave of absence from the
U. S. Public Health Service in
order to accept his new position.
KEEN JOHNSON RESIGNS .
FROM LABOR DEPT. POST
Washington, D. C.—Keen John
son, Undersecretary of Labor,
resigned from Government serv
ice.
He said in a letter to President
Truman that he was returning to
private* industry.
Johnson, a vice-president of
Reynolds Metals Company, served
with the Labor Department while
on a year’s leave of absence from
the Reynolds Company.
Plans Discussed To Begin
Working For Repeal of Ml
Anti-Labor Law Prorisioas.
Charlotte Central Labor union
meetings during the past two
weeks have been nicely attended
and the delegates have displayed
much interest in the discussions
that have been held relative to the
provisions of the Taft-Hartley la
bor act and the North Carolina
anti-closed shop statute. These
discussions have come back to the
Central body through delegates
who attended the recent annual
convention of the North Carolina
Federation of Labor held in Wil
mington last week, where many
notable Labor speakers were heard
on the subject, including several
international union presidents,
vice presidents, and the Southern
AFL director, George L. Googe.
It is the sense of the labor
j movement as a whole that) mem
bers of organised labor are to
begin an immediate educational
program in which Labor and its
: friends will work for the repeal of
►the drastic labor laws, both na
tionally and in our own State,
where an anti-closed shop bill was
enacted into law at the last ses
sion of the General Assembly.
It is the experience of Labor
Unions in North Carolina that
these lawn when put into opera
have existed in North Carolina for
a half century or more. Labor is
inclinsd to believe that North Car
olina industry is not overly enthu
siastic about some of the laws’
drastic provisions. Many have
expressed themselves as believing
that confusion and chaos may be
the outcome of endeavors to make
new working agreements between
North Carolina Labor and indus
try in the months just ahead. At
least that appears to be the
frame of minds of the present
day.
Excellent reports relative to or
ganisation work in the Charlotte
(Please Turn to Page 3$
ELEVATOR OPERATORS SET ,
WAGEHIKESM CMCA60
Chicago.—About 2,000 elevator
operators receive wage increases
of 10 cents an hour, Martin J.
Dwyer, president of Local 66 of
the AFL’s Chicago Elevator Op
erators and Starters Union, an
nounced.
In the new contract, signed
with the Chicago Building Man
agers Association, starters, assis
tant starters and night operators
receive increases of 15 cents an
hour. The new hourly rate for
operators will be 31.10 and the
men will be paid for four hours
of relief time a week plus time
and a half after 40 hours work.
Seafarers Take Stand
AgainstTait-Hartley Law
San . Francisco. — The AFL’s
Seafarers Union enunciated its
policy with respect to the Taft*
Hartley Act as adopted by the un
ion’s membership. The five-point
program voted upon and published
in die union’s newspapers is as
follows:
1. The Seafarers International
Union-Sailors Union of the Pacif
ic go on record as not tolerating
in any way, shape, or form, any
interfereno^ with our union halls
by shipowners or Government bu
reaus.
2. The Seafarers International
Union-Sailors Union of the Pacif-1
ic will consider as a lockout any
attempts by any person or per
sons to use the Taft-Hartley Act
to the detriment of our unions.
8. We make known immedi
ately to the AFL. as well as to ’
the AFL Maritime Trades De
partment, our position on this
matter.
4. Thatywe call for a meeting
as soon as possible with the Mar
time Trades Department on this
matter.
5. That we make known put
position on the Taft-Hartley Act
through the medium of the Sea
farers Log and West Coast Sail- !
or. •