Newspapers / The Charlotte Labor Journal … / Dec. 11, 1947, edition 1 / Page 3
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Unions Approve All" Out Political Drive, EditorV Not* — Following: is the text of the statement | adopcd unanimously by the conference of presidents of all AFL national and international unions establishing: and setting forth the organization and purposes of Labor's Educatioal and Politi cal League: The United States Congress having placed unwarrantable? and highly destructive limitations and restrictions upon the rights of wage earners to voluntary organization and their effective functioning in the industrial as well as the legis lative and political fields, it is imperative that labor, or ganized as well as unorganized, meet this challenge of un warrantable limitations and restrictions upon the rights and liberties of the worker?) of America.' The enactment oi tne Hartley law has not only awak ened a greater interest in poli tical action on the part of labor; indeed, its provisions, particularly as they relate to political activi ties on the part of our trade un ions make it imperative for labor to organize in the political field under terms and conditions re quired- by the Taft-Hartley law if we are to re-establish the mutual benefit and advancement and for their full participation in all mat ters affecting the well-being of wa^e earners and the welfare of the public good. At no pre vious time in history have the rank and file members, as well as the leaders of labor been so aroused as at present to the im perative need of organization on the political field. < The real import of the Taft Hartley law has, as yet, not been experienced. This is fast coming to pass as more and more of our trade unions, as well as fair em ployers and managers of industry come to conference for purposes of continuing their former peace ful and co-operative relations and •under terms and conditions here tofore held perfectly proper and legal and tested by time and ex perience as safe and sound from every point of view. It is dif ficult to understand that that which was constitutional, right, sound and proper yesterday should be unlawful and unsound today. An immediate result has already developed wherein bitter feeling has increased and wherein both Management and Labor are re sorting to various devices and subterfuges to evade and avoid an ill-conceived, obnoxious, un workable and destructive con gressional enactment. Legisla tion that drives workers send man agement to resort to sack meth ods i( certainly not hi the inter ests of the pablic good and does r.ot make for industrial stability. There are many other issues agitating the peace of mind of wage earners, organized and un organized. We are met with hos tile antilabor legislation in a number of states. While every effort is being made through the courts to frustrate, these uncon stitutional and unwarrantable re strictions upon the wage earners of our land and upon their trade unions, nevertheless, these efforts must be supplemented by po litical action'. 1 Then, too, there are such issues as high prices, h< using, health, wage and hour legislation, the* growth of corpor ate control, monopoly, taxation and the like requiring the atten tion cf the workers of our land. A number of our International Union, State Federations of Labor an . City Central Bodies have al ready established various mech anisms for carrying on political 'activities, obviously, co-ordination an ? extension of these efforts is | eminently desirable. Our imined i an ;&sk is to bring to a realiza tion our people everywhere the1 problems involved; to galvanize workers of- America, their friends and sympathizers into concrete action along definite and public spirited channels. It was in this spirit and to the attainment of these objectives that the recent convention of the American Federation of Labor held in San Francisco, California. October 6th to the 16th last, rec ommended the formation of “La bor’s Educational and Polities! League” and the calling of a con ference of the presidents of all the affiliated National and inter national Unions for the purpose of completing the Structure, out lining the methods of .procedure and in giving early and effectual realization to the political activi ties made imperative under pres ent conditions and circumstance*. Convention Recommendations | The convention recommended j that 1. It shall be the duty of “La bor's Educational and Political League" to prepare and dissemi ate information by such media of communication as the league may decide for the purpose of acquainting the workers of the nation with the aconomic and . olitical policies of the Ameri can Federation of Labor. 2. "fhe league shali prepare and disseminate information con cerning the attitude of candidates for romination and—or election to federal offices, with particular reference to their attitude toward the political and economic policies of the American Federation of Labor. * 3. The league shall take such at he" actions as it may deem ad ,-isable in furtherance of its objec ives. 4. The league shall provide for ihe raising of necessary funds, for the conduct of its business, in fAich manner as it may deter mine. 5. The league shall be author ized to employ staff members ‘ecessary to conduct its business and fix their compensation and expenses. Structure and Procedure To effectuate these purpose® wd attain these objectives, the convention directed the calling of this conference of presidents of tjie affiliated National and Inter national Unions. In so doing the following proposals are submitted for consideration amd disposition by the conference as will meet be wholeeharted approval of all affiliates and we hope too will omntend themselves to all per sons and organizations interested n the preservation and perpet uity of the rights and liberties of free workers, free trade unions a* well as of free enterprise. 1. A national committee shall he set up, consisting of the fol lowing,: (a) The American Federation of Labor Executive Connell mem lb) The presidents of all the National and International Unions affiliated with the American Fed* crstioif of Labor. *. The national committee shall elect a chairman and a secretary HOT AND COLD ADVERTISING is a dangerous investment! If your advertising dollar works one time and fizzles the next, you’re losing money and sales. There’s never a fizzle with Time Service: when you buy 500 calls you get 500 calls! Every call is a positive contact with a customer. Time Service is the medium that takes a customer off in a corner and talks personally to him. Use it and watch your advertising dollar drop back into your pocket. F i Fifteen Years Charlotte's TIMEKEEPER TIME • • 32155 “ ADVERTISING . . . 33156 237 North Tryon St.. Charlotte, Norhh Carolina reasurer for the league for the •ear 1948. 3. An administrative commit ee consisting of the members of h1 rvecutive (^ouncil of the A. F*. of L. and of fifteen (15) rep resentatives of National and In :ernational Unions selected by the national committee. The admin istrative committee is authorized to add to its nimbers from time to time additional members not to gxceed five as circumstances and the best interests of the league1 may require. 4. That each National and In ternational Union set up its own committee for the- purpose of raising funds and each other duties as time and experience require. It is also proposed that local union campaign committees be formed to operate under the direction of the National and In ternational Union campaign com mittees to carry out the pur poses of the league. 5. State Federations of Labor and City Central Labor Unions shall set up state and city-wide committees independent of their trade* unions, and which shall em brace representation of each craft and class organized in the state and—or city; and as far as prac ticable. each Congressional Dis trict should be represented on the state committee from among the several organizations. 6. The {tational committe* shall meet whenever called into onference by the administrative committee and or when peti tioned by at least a majority num ber of affiliates. 7. The administrative com mittee and all other committees -.hull meet at such time and places as may be determined by them and under such rules as may he adopted by them. 8. A national director and such staff as may be necessary shall be appointed by the admin istrative committee to direct and manage the activities of the league under guidance and di rection of the administrative com mittee. y. Regional directors may uc appointed by the administrative committee to advise and guide local groups and assist them in the techniques of campaign, to help them to co-operate with other elements in the community and to correlate the work of the different districts 10. A co-operative alliance may be formed with friendly and co operative groups in the various Congressional Districts, such as non-communist liberal organisa tions and which receive the ap proval of both the local commit tees concerned and of the ad ministrative committee. « Tasks of the L. E. P. L. 1. A national headuarters shall be set up to assist local organisa tions, particulraly in the fields of research and publicity. Its duties shall include: (a) Compiling detailed records on candidates, including ireful quotations from their speeches. (b) Preparing radio material, ncluding recordings of dramatic programs, short spot announce ments, etc. <c) Preparing model speeches and press releases. (d) Preparing model ad lay outs for newspapers, preparing handbills, etc. (e) Preparing special features, with charts, cartoons, etc., for labor pa peas. (f) Coordinating the work of state and Vocal committees through regional organisers or offices to the end that thorough organization may be effected from precinct to state levels. 2. The administrative commit tee, after consultation and advice of State Federations of Labor and City Central Labor Unions, shall recommend Congressional and Senatorial endorsements subject to the approval of the National committee. Character of Campaign 1. It is of utmost importance to bring about the largest pos sible registration of union mem bers, their friends, associates and sympathizers and in getting out the votes. In this connection, attention is called to action of the recent A. F. of L. convention heartily ap proving the policy of mobilizing labor’s strength so that it can be, made most effective on elec tion day. In addition to favor ing legislation making either pri maries, or election day, or both, ] legal holidays, the convention recommended that “affiliated or ganizations and their local unions in negotiating agreementwith employers include provisions j which would assure the workers ( a holiday or an adequate oppor-| (unity to perform their essential | obligations as citizens and to I demonstrate the effective part they can, and which they should play in the election of public officials.” 2. The broadcast possible co operation of approved, friendly and sympathetic groups is to be encouraged. '8. Thought should be given to the .manner of enlisting reason able support of the membership, of employes of federal, state and municipal governments and ot political subdivisions thereof not ■ a vioiauon ot the hatch »Act, and-—or other laws restricting such employes engaging in politi cal activities. 4. Women’s auxiliaries should be given representation on com mittees and be called on for serv oil ail occasions. 5. The Taft-Hartley law shall be one of the principle^ issues in noting the candidates' records on that point, as well as meas ures designed to benefit the work ers and their trade unions as weli as measures designed for the public good. 6. The administrative commit tee shall determine the Congres sional and Senatorial Districts here the eftor.s of the league houl.i be most 1 concentrated. iVlu r. ver primary elections are he determining factor, stress vs <■ lii in such primary cam paigns. 7. A constant and ever pro gressive educational and public relations program is to be en gaged in making use of all media of communication and as time and opportunity accord and afford. Financing of Campaign As indicated in the recommen dations adopted at the recent convention of the American Fed artion of Labor, funds for the1 conduct of the L. E. P. L. made j imperative by the Taft-Hartley i law, shall be raised by volun tary contributions. Trade union funds cannot be used for this purpose. To that end, it ia proposed: - 1. A special finance commit* tee be appointed consisting of such members as the adminis trative committee may determine. Further, that such finance com mittee. in addition to designing the plan for carrying on the ap peal for voluntary contributions, prepare and recommend from time to time to the administrative committee the budgeting and dis tribution of funds received. 2. It is proposed that .poeh National and International Un ion appoint its own committee to carry oH the appeal among their members for voluntary contribu tions. It is suggested, in, this connection, that a goal of not less han one dollar (fl.OO) per mem ber be set for 1948 and that at least fifty cents (60c) of each dollar ($1.00) contributed be al 'ocated to the league, and the other 50c be disposed of by local or National and International Un ion campaign committees as may be directed by them. It is further proposed that the local commit tees co-operate with all National and Inernational Unions in this appeal. 3. The administrative commit tee shall determine the amount of funds to be allocated for use from time to time by the state and other committees. It is urgent that all local, Na tional and International Unions cooperate to the fullest extent in this appeal and leave no stone upturned to assure the succesg of the campaign about to be in augurated. 4. The administration commit tee to l>e empowered to amend the rules of the league to meet any legal reqirements that may j 1 appear. Conclusion As stated at the recent A. F. of L. convention, if we are to j serve most effectively th^ inter- j ests of the workers of the nation , and adequately to meet the chal- j lenge presented by predatory and , vested interests, we must then I wholeheartedly ’respond to the urgency of the occasion andj unitedly co-operate in the highest' (Continued on Fage 4) ^ ss « CAf-tTtRIAS SUPPERS for the ENTIRE FAMILY Priced from $3.50 GILMER-MOORE COMPANY 121< South Tryon Street WEAR A WARM, GOOD-LOOKING TOPCOAT FOR THE HOLIDAYS $35 to $55 EXPERT TAILORIING . . . ALL WOOL FABRICS Men . . . decide right now to step out with a new feeling of comfortable warmth and extreme pride in a fashionable topcoat from our collection. Come in . . . You’ll get a real thrill when you try them on. See the smart fly-front models with slash pockets and button-through types with patch pockets. Styles included for every build of man. Handsome Mixtures in colors of grey, brown, tan, blue. HARRIS TWEEDS 35.00 ALPERUS 50.00 BOTANY “500s’’ . 55.00 MEN’S STORE . . . STREET FLOOR
The Charlotte Labor Journal and Dixie Farm News (Charlotte, N.C.)
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Dec. 11, 1947, edition 1
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