Newspapers / The Charlotte Labor Journal … / Dec. 18, 1947, edition 1 / Page 1
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CHARLOTTE LABOR JOURNAL VOL. XVIII; NO. 31 CHARLOTTE, N. C„ THURSDAY. DECEMBER 18. 1917 Subscription <2.00 Per Year Taft-Hartley Law Exposed! This is the third of a series of articles to be published by the AFL Weekly News Service in refutation of an article appearing in the Saturday Evening Post which praised the Taft-Hartley law to the skies. Author of the Post article was J. Mack Swigcrt, law partner of Senator Robert A. Taft—enough said. NO. 3—THE “SO-CALLED 14 PRIVILEGES’’ OF THE TAFT-HARTLEY LAW 1. “The Right |0 Work’’ The Post article takes* the position that the “most basic right” conferred by the new law is the provision which outlaws the clo^bd shop and permits a union shop onlj under certain lftnited conditions and for certain limited purposes. In support of his, position, the author cites several ad mittedly extreme" examples of situations where unions have arbitrarily refused to accept employes into membership under closed-shop contracts, in both of which cases a job was lost. The author cites these abuses as sufficient reason not only for correcting the abuses but for outlawing the institution. In doing so, he purposely ignored the fact that these infrequent abuses are very isolated and extreme cases which do not justify the complete prohibition or rigid restriction of the closed shop any more than it would be reasonable to kill a patient for the purpose of curing a cold. Further, the author neglects to note that, if such abuses do ex ist, they cbuid be easily reached by regulation prohibiting arbitrary action in admission and expulsion of members under closed shop agreements. As a matter of fact a remedy for such arbitrary action already exists in the com mon and statutory laws of the states in any case .where a job is involved. Further, the article did not note that the board under the old Wagner Act had already adopted various protections against ar bitrary use of the closed shop. Under the so-called “Rutland Court doctrine,” unions are pre vented, under certain conditions, from utilising the closed shop to expel a person for dual unionism. The article, while stating that the new law permits the union shop under whicti employes can be required to join the union 30 days after they are hired, does not ex plain how the union shop ha3 been rendered virtually meaning less. ^ • To begin with, before a union shop agreement can even be dis cussed with an employer, a great many conditions have to be met. First, various reports, statements and affidavits, the latter attest ing to the state of mind in re spect to communism of persons far removed from the employea at a particular plant and from the union which represents them, first be filed. It must then be shown that the union represents a majority of the employes cov ered by the contract. Following this, an election must be held in which a majority of all those in the contract unit (not just a majority of those voting, as is common in political elections) must indicate they desire a union shop. Under this regulation the fol lowing can happen. Suppose there are 100 employes in the contract unit and only 50 show up at the union-shop election, but all 50 vote in favor of the union shop.. The union shop is nevertheless prohibited because the majority of those in the unit did not acquiesce. Further, this added election re quirement casts an all but impos sible burden upon the board. There are over 50,000 union agree ments in the country. The board ordinarily conducts 5,000 repre sentation elections a year, and it is still six months behind in its docket. Now, it must also con duct union-shop elections. If any issues are raised in connection with the union-shop elections, it is easy to see how the necessary authorization can be postponed for as long as two or three years while the board attempts to wade through its backlog of cases. The foreoging are only pre liminary requirements; even after all of these requirements are ful filled, the employer need not agree to a union-shop contract, but needs only listen to the union’s arguments. Even if the employer does finally agree to the union shop, the act greatly limits the application and effect of the agreement if he, in his own mind, believes that membership is not available to all persons on the same basis, or that the person whose discharge was requested was expelled for reasons other than non-payment of dues or initiation fees. By this device, enforcement is predicted upon the employer’s state of mind. Even though the employer doe* desire to comply, the union can use the union shop only for the purpose of enforcing collection of dues. Thus, several of the prin cipal functions of the union shop, namely, to police an agreement by expelling persons who violate it, as by engaging in wildcat strikes, and the elimination of labor spies and saboteurs by causing their (Continued On Page 4) GREEN URGES AFL UNIONS TO AID IN OBSERVANCE OF UNION LABEL WEEK Washington. D. C.—AFL Pres ident William Green urged sup port for the activities of the Un ion Label Trades Department with special emphasis upon the ob servance of Union Label .Week beginning May 10, 1948. In a circular letter to all or ganizations affiliated with the American Federation of Labor, Mr. Green urged that wide pub licity be given the observance and that every effort be made V> insure its success. Mr. Green acted in response to a mandate from the recent AFL convention which requested all unions to urge manufacturers to use the union label on their prod ucts and recommend that all pos sible publicity be given to pro mote the Union label, shop cards, and service buttons. The convention adopted a sep arate resolution on the subject of the designation of Union Label Week. It stressed the necessity of employing publicity to acquaint the public with AFL policy on labor-management-consumer rela tions and to demonstrate the many case* in which excellent re lations do exist between labor and management. The resolution concluded as follows: “Resolved, That the American Federation of Labor approve of this means of public relations and I urge all national and international | unions, state federatoins of labor, I city central bodies, local unions, I union label leagues and women’s i auxiliaries of labor to co-operaete ■ in co-ordinating their activities I for the display of everything that I is union-made and services that I are performed by members of i the American Federation of La I bor unions during that week; and be it further “Resolved, That the labor pa ' pers and labor jourrftls be urged j to co-operate and that the radio, ' ag well as motion pictures, be utilized for the purpose of pub , licizing this Union Label Week.” REFUGEE AfiENCY RESETTLES 56,62$ Geneva. Switzerland.—The Pre I paratory Commission of the Inter national Refugee Organisation an | nounced that 56,625 displaced . persons had been re-established | in their countries of origin or in new homes under the commis sion's auspices during its first | three months of operations. About three-fifths of these per (son* were settled in new homes and the remainder were repatri ated. From July 1 to October 1, 1947, the total number of persons receiving care and maintenance from the Preparatory Commission (decreased from 663,400 to 656, 831. The net decreases was less than the repatriation, and reset tlement because the commission took over responsibility for new groups of refugees, including more than 18,000 in the United States zone of Austria. In September, the United King . dom received 3,084 displaced per 1 sons, Belgium 3,032, France 3,045, Canada 1.187 and the United ' States 1,707. The largest groups i of refugees returning to their country of origin was 3,400 Poles, 1 followed by 2,241 Ukrainans. TO PROBE INCREASE IN JOBS —— Washington, D. C.—The Joint Congressional Economy Commit tee urged immediate investigation ‘ of what it said was a sudden in - crease in Federal Government em ' ployment during October. Conference Decides To Conduct All-Out Political Battle In 1948 Races JU MEANT ASKS ADOPTION OF MARSHALL PLAN TO STEM RUSSIANS - BRING PEACE Washing-ten, D. C. — George Meany, Secretary-Treasurer of the American Federation of Labor, called upon Congress to swiftly enact the Marshall Plan for the recovery of Europe as a means of promoting world peace. In a radio address over the na tion-wide network of the Mutual Broadcasting System, Mr. Meany reiterated the position taken by the AFL convention which met last October in San Francisco. Mr. Meany emphasized the need to preserve the democratic way of life in the nations of Western Europe and declared that our failure to render assistance in their hour of need will result in the expansion of Soviet Russia over all of Europe. He declared “Mr. Stalin, the Russian Hitler, ' and all his agents and henchmen are raoving heaven and earth to block the Marshall Plan. There •s no mystery about their motive*. They knew that if France and Italy and the other non-Commu nist countries fail to receive as sistance, they will fall into the Russian basket. Nothing helps the Communist cause more elec tive'/ than, hunger and misery and economic chaos. Until aid from America comes in time to 1 turn the tide, Stalin’s fifth col umnists in these nations will con tinue to have things the way the/ like them. “If we do nothing, if we mak? the tragic choice of saving some money and letting Western Eu rope work out its own salavation unaided by America, it is bu‘ a matter of time, and not a great deal of time at that, before we will find we have a new neighbor on the Atlantic shore. “That neighbor will not be frkndly to our way of life, will not have our concei t of human freedom, nor will that neighbor Helieva ir. our kind of civilization. If we permit the nations of Wes tern Europe to fall, olir near neighbor on the Atlantic will be Joseph Stalin's brutal, fascist dictatorship. Stalin will then be master of all Europe. The Com munist philosophy will then be dominant in the world and we, here in America, would find our selves in a most uncomfortable position. “America would then be con fronted with the choice of letting 3talin enslave us,' too, or else refusing to bow and being forced to defend ourselves. In other words, the ultimate price of a refusal to put the Marshall Plan into effect could well be a war in which America would be prac tically alohe.” The ArL leader asserted that the self-interest of every Amer ican worker is the basic reason for helping ^Europe to recover ec onomically. Realizing "that adop tion of the Marshall Plan means additional sacrifices on the part of American citizens, he said: “It is far better, far wiser, far more practical, in our judgment, to make moderate sacrifices today in order to avoid being compelled to make sacrifices a thousand times as great tomorrow. That is just plain common sense.” Mr. Meany said that the cost of the Marshall Plan, estimated at about $4 billion a year for four years, is only about 5 per cent of what this nation spent on. the recent fighting war. Annual cost of the plan, he declared “will be not more than what we will ingly spent in just 16 days of war.” He quoted from the unanimously approved resolution passed by. the AFL convention: “'The cost to the American peo ple • * • will be small as com (Please Tom to Page 4) MOTOR VEHICtfc OUTPUT AT YEAR'S PEAK IN OCT. Detroit—The automtive indus try attained the highes production month of 1947 during October when factory sales of 431,001 new motor rehilces were recorded, the Automobile Manufacturers Asso ciation announced. The total Included 315,699 pas senger cars, 118, 365 motor trucks both monthly high points for the year—and 1667 motor coaches, the AMA report showed. B^st previous month of 1947 was April when factory sales to taled 423,399 vehicles, including 314,765 passenger cars and 106, 984 trucks. N. Y. STATE FEDERATION ASKS RAISE IN BENEFITS Albany, N*. Y.—The AFL's New York State Federation of Labor voted to seek increases in unem ployment insurance benefits and workmen's compensation at the next session of the state legis lature. The action was taken at the federation's annual legislative confetence attended by some 200 delegates representing the 1.500, , 000 AFL members in New York i State. A bill approved by the con ference would raise workmen's compensation benefits from the existing range of $12 to $28 a week to $20 to $85. Another bill approved would raise the maximum unemployment :rsuranre benefits from $21 a | week to $27. The conference also j decided to support recommenda- ; ions which the unemployment i insurance advisory council is ex- j pectei to make to provide for I dependency allowance* in addi tion to the proposed higher rates. While the advisory committee j has not yet formulated its pro-[ gram, it was understood that it j would rcomemend an allowance of 53 a week for the first dependent, an additional $2 a week for a second dependent and a further | $2 for three or more. The two unemployment insur-1 ance proposals would raise the, maximum benefits to $34 a week, j The present maximum of $21 ; does not provide dependency al- j lowances. The conference voted ‘also to j seek repeal of the Condon-Wadlin law, enacted last year at Gov ernor Dewey’s insistence. It pro - vide* for the automatic discharge of any employe of a governmen tal agency who goes on strike and sets up conditions for his reem ployment in Government service. Before deciding to seek re peal, the conference voted down a proposal to seek legislation pro viding for grievance machiney to handle employe complaints about wages, hours and working condi tions. This had been urged as a means of taking the sting out of the punitive provisions of the Cpndon-Waldlin law. AFL BARTENDERS' UNION GAINS $5 PAV INCREASE New York City—Hugo Ernst, president of the Hotel and Res taurant Employes and Bartender* Union, announced that its Local 15 here gained new favorable agreement with operators of nearly 800 bars. Mr. Ernst said that the bar tenders got the $5 increase they sought, bringing the minimum wage up to $60 a week and gained two additional holidays, giving them six annually. Othe^ questions, such as reduction £i working hours and employer contribution to a welfare fund were placed in the hands of a labor-management committee. JIFL'S METAL POLISHERS HONORED FOR VETERANS' REHAfflUTATiON PROGRAM ffi . • j — Washington, D. C.—The AFL,'s Metal Polishers, Buffers. Platers and Helpers International Union was honored by the American War Dads organization for its “outstanding and constructive program” for veterans injured in World War II. At a recent conference of presi dents of AFL national and inter national unions, a beautiful bronze plaque was presented to Ray Kel say, union president, by Mr. Arch Stafford, past national president of the American War Dads. Pres entation of the plaque was auth orized by the 1947 annua! con vention of the American War Dads in recognition of the service rendered by the union’s veterans rehabilitation program. The plaque was engraved with the following inscription: The preservation of the dig nity of each individual human being is the foundation of so ciety and government. “In the aftermath of war that wrecked spiritual and physical scar* on many boys, understand* in* Of duty, to the <Jetr,oc0rtia ideal of human valiies ofttimes Is | dimmed. “In convention assembled, the American War Dads give unani mous expression by this writing to the altruism of the Metal Pol ishers, Buffers, Platers and Help ers International Union, affiliate of til' American Federation of Labor, for blending the skills of brave and patient men with op portunity and vision in the re habilitation program of their vet erans' division. “Character is the measure of ( nobility. • Artisians sharing the*ir i craftsmanship with others ,to the end that ability supplants dis ability, courage dislodges dis couragement, and hope becomes reality, is exemplification of noble service and compliance with holy niandate. “For a most outstanding and constructive program instituted in the industrial field of United States for the sons of men injured in unselfish sacrifice, we do honor and confer this award.” Accepting the plaque with Mr. Kelsay were Dennis Oatea, vice president of the- union, and Lewis Ci. Hines, legislative representa tive for the AFL. UNION TAKES WARE CUT TO AID 15 FIRMS St. Louis.—A voluntary wage cut of 50 cents an hour for 60 electrical fixtures assemblers em ployed in St. Louis fixture plants, to restore the firms to an equita ble competitive position, was part of a contract signed by 15 firms, it was announced. Frank W. Jacobs, vice-president of the AFL interantional Broth erhood of Electrical Workers, said the assemblers were reduced from $1.60 to $1.10 an hour, tprgely on a showing that the seats Por as semblers in other major cities is $1.06 an hour. “W’e had succeeded in building up wages for assemblers some years ago when assembling of ornate fixtures was a skilled job,’* Jacobs stated, “but with changes in production methods, St. Louis manufacturers were being penal ised by the high scale . “It was a tough issue to face. The wage cut was an unpopular issue, but was accepted finally by our members as a union respon sibility to correct an inequity. BLASTS NAM ADVOCACY' OF LONGER WORKWEEK . AS PHONY POSITION Washington. D. C.—AFL President William Green de clared the purpose of Labor’s Educational and Political League is to “obtain a real mandate from all the American people in the 1948 elections.’' AFL’S FEDERATION OF P. OJ CLERKS IIR6ES C0R6RESS GRANT SI,OOO PAY OOOST Chicago.—The AFL's National Federation of Post Office Clerks called upon Congress to enact legislation granting a permanent! $1,000 a year salary increase to all post office clerks. This action was taken at a special legislative conference here attended by 309 delegates from I 13 states and representing 70,000 of the nation’s 100,000 post office ! clerks. The resolution was passes! 1 unanimously. Leo E. George, president of the ! federation, introduced the resolu tion. In support of the measure he declared that morale in the postoffice department is at a low I ebb because the starting salary of $2,100 of clerks is insufficient | to attract efficient personnel. Of the employes in service, Mr. George said the low salary scales force many of them to take out aide jobs in order to make ends meet in these date.of sasd&y prices. In addition to the pay raise measure, the conference voted to endorse a proposal of Represen tative Olin E. Teague to allow veterans credit for the years they served in the armed forces in setting starting salaries provided the veterans joined the postal service. Also adopted was a resolution endorsing a proposal of Repre sentative William H. Stevenson, Republican, of Wisconsin, increas ing annuity benefits at retire- j ment. The plan, which has been passed by the House and has re-, ceived Senate committee approval, would increase employe contribu tions to 0 per cent from the pres ent 5 per cent. HOI) CARRIERS UNION AMENDS CONSTITUTION Chicago.—Delegates to a special convention of the Hod Carriers, Building and Common Laborers’ Union voted to amend the union’s constitution to conform to the re quirement of the Taft-Hartley law. Joseph V. Moreschi, formerly of Chicago, who is president of the union, which has 400.000 mem bers, told the delegates before the constitutional changes were voted that although its officers were opposed to the Taft-Hartley law in principle, “It neverthe less is the law of our lunu. ana as Americans it is our duty to abide by its terms as long as it remains the law.” WHOLESALE PRICES HIT NEW POST WAR HIC.H Washington, D. C.—Wholesale price as measured by the Bureau of Labor statistics hit a new post war high of 159.8 per cent of the 1926 average during the week ending November 29. This was an advance of 0.4 per cent above the preceding week and left the bureau’s .index only about i, per cent below the all-time peak of May, 1920. At 159.88, the index stood 14.9; per cent above a year earlier and • 41.8 per cent above the last week of June, 1946, when OPA con-j trols were virtually scrapped. ( RADIO ARTISTS FORM LOCAL El Paso, Tex.—George F. Web ber, AFL o.-ganiser, announcedI the formation here of a local | union affiliated with the Ameri-, can Federation of Radio Artists, j “We are^tryitig to bring about a house-cleaning in Congress,” he said, “a much-needed eviction of those false representatives of the neopie whose only loyalty is to big business and great wealth. YVe hope to defeat! all of them.” ___ The A FL president hit at the National Association of Manufac turers for the stand taken at ita recent meeting to work for a hngthening of the workweek and the elimination of over-time pay after 40 hours of w'ork. He de clared: “Not a word was said at this convention about the crying need for reducing the coat of living. On the contrary, the National As sociation of Manufacturers went on record as opposing practically all of President Truman's recom mendations for halting inflation. About the only suggestion the NAM had to offer to increase production and bring prices down waa an endorsement of a longer work week. “Of course there is a hidden joker in the NAM plan. If any one takes the trouble to examino the facts, he will find that there is njh'1'og in the Fair Labor Stan »tak# l!nw \r ib any union’ con tract that limits working hours to 40 a week. On the contrary, labor in this country would be glad to work longer than 40 hours a week to increase production. The only requirement! in law and in union contracts is ' that over time rates must he paid for in ex cess of 40 hours a week. “Naturally, the NAM will say that overtime pay increases pro duction costs and therefore prices. That is not accurate, to say the least. One does not have to be an economist to realize that a manufacturing plant, operating on a 40-hour week, is bound to gain considerable savings in overhead if the workweek is lengthened. For instance, its rent bill and its property taxes would not be in creased. In our expenjence, we have found that the savings avail able to industry in a longer work week are more than sufficient to absorb the extra cost of overtime pay." Mr. Green cited NAM's “lino” as an example of the type of propaganda which labor's political organization will have ter combat in their efforts to present the truth to the American people. Noting the tremendous wealth lichind the NAM and the millions which are spent by that organ ization each year in newspaper advertising and other forms of publicity work, Mr. Green said labor, too. must, enter the field and spend money to win support. He said: “If !al>or hopes to combat these powerful forces arrayed againet it. we, too. will have to engage in newspaper advertising and in radio presentations in order to ex pose the propaganda of our op ponents and to bring home the truth to the American people. Such activities will cost a good deal of money and Labor's Educa tional and Political League will have to depend on the dollar bills contributed voluntarily by indi vidual union members and their friends in order to raise that money. “The league also intends to ex amine the voting records of all members of Congress seeking re election. These records will be published and made available to the voters in each district. “Let me make it clear that if a candidate for Congress voted for the Taft-Hartley Act, he can not hope to obtain the endorse ment of the league. (Contiaaed on Page 4)
The Charlotte Labor Journal and Dixie Farm News (Charlotte, N.C.)
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Dec. 18, 1947, edition 1
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