WHY ORGANIZED LABOR
HATES INJUNCTIONS
(Continacd Prom Pace 1)
spread over the front pages of
the newspapers. The law-abiding
citizen, with his deep respect for
the law, would conclude that the
workers were in the wrong, that
they were to be regarded as crim
inals whom the law had to restrain.
The newspapers, even more
aweepingly biased against labor in
those days when it was easier to
lioodwink the public than it is
now, would never carry a line to
intimate that the true lawbreaker
was the judge himself, since his
action in issuing an injunction
was without basis either in the
Constitution or in the enactments
of Congress. This was the truth,
of course, but to tell the truth
would be to spoil a colossal swin
dle which was highly profitable to
big business.
Just think how the wage-earner
of the injunction felt. Driven by
low wages, long hours and health
shattering working conditions, he
would join with his fellow workers
to form a union. Acting with his
fellows and through their newly es
tablished organization, they would
appeal to their employer for con
sideration of their grievances. The
employer would refuse to talk te
them. He wouldn’t negotiate. He
wouldn’t arbitrate. He wouldn’t do
Anything of a reasonable nature.
Kot infrequently his answer would
be to fire his work force and lock
them out. Sometimes ne woura
just fire some and slash the wages
of those remaining.
The workers would meet at their
union hall. They would discuss the
situation. Given no alternative,
they would vote to strike.
But the employer, having a pow
erful ally in the court, would quick
ly confront the strikers with an
injunction.
The American Federation of La
bor fought the injunction disease
from the very beginning. The un
fairness of the use of injunctions
against workers was pointed out
time and again. Appeals were made
to public opinion. And eventually
the tide began to turn.
Long before 1932, when the
Norris-LaGuardia Act was put on
the federal statute books hy a
Republican Congress and a Repub
lican President, voices against the
injunction evil began to be heard.
Even judges spoke out against this
criminal abuse of the power of the
judiciary which was undermining
public confidence in the courts and
the administration of justice.
The National Association of
Manufacturers, the National Metal
Trades Association and other de
fenders of anti-labor corporations
and their nefarious practices fought
stubbornly to preserve the best
strikebreaking tool in the book.
They argued insistently that the
Anniversary Greetings
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Annhrtreory GcMtingi
WILSON-LEDFORO CONSTRUCTION COMPANY, INC.
GENERAL CONTRACTORS
202 So. Columbia TeL 5-1596
GASTONIA, N. C.
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and Ranges — Washing Machine
Repairing.
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404 W. Franklin Ave. Dial 6471
GASTONIA, N. C.
Union Industries Show Opens Moy 18
Promises to be Most Successful Event
LABOR'S '48 INCOME SHARE
LOWER THAN PREWAR LEVEL
Lake Success, N. Y.—Labor's
share in the U. S. ntional income
dropped last year below prewar
levels, according to statisticians
on the staff of the United Na
tions.
The same situation was true in
Canada, Belgium and New Zea
land, the experts reported.
The ratio of wages, salaries
and other income to labor stood
at 62 per cent of total notion*
income during 1948 in this coun
try, a decrease of 4 per cent
from the position 10 years earlier,
the experts announced. Declines
of 7 per cent and 6 per cer.t
were reported in labor’s part of
national production in Canada and
New Bealand, respectively. In
Belgium, where workers received
4 per cent less of the national
income than they did in 1938.
United Nations statisticians,
commenting on results of the sur
vey, attributed the altered posi
tion of labor in the United States,
Canada, Belgium and New Zea
Ind to strong inflationary pres
sures that have forced prices up
faster than wages in these coun
tries.
Largely undamaged by the war,
concerns in these countries have
reaped high profits from trade
with war-devasted countries, de
pendent on them tor essential
goods and services in the post
war years, those experts declared.
They cautioned, however, that ifl
come distribution figures did not
adequately take into account in
come received by self-employed
persons, small enterpreneurs and
farmers.
Wage-earners in Switzerland
enlarged their slice of the na
tional income pie by 12 per cent,
it was reported. A movement of
small artisans, farm res and pro
fessional persons into the ranks
of wage-earners may be respons
ible for the harp increase in the
ratio of wages and salaries to
other national income in Switzer
land, authorities here suggested.
injunction merely maintained the
status quo. They averred that la
bor could appeal, and if labor was
right, the injunction would .be
vacated.
Of course, these arguments were
specious. One of the most objec
tionable features of the anti-labor
injunction was that the injury
which it did to the workers could
not be repaired. In one memorable
case, the Hitehman case, 10 years
elapsed between the issuance of
the injunction and the final deter
mination by the Supreme Court.
Long before 10 years had passed,
the fight was over. In another case,
there was an interval of 7 years.
Invariably, a long period of time
elapsed between the issuance of
the original injunction and the
final decision of the Supreme
Court.
While the weeks and months and
years rolled on, the employer op
erated his plant and collected his
profits. His workers, whom he had
abused and induced to walk out,
either crawled back, unfairly de
feated, or they starved. This was
called justice!
At last the 72nd Congress, with
Republicans in the majority, and
with President Herbert Hoover, a
Republican "Occupying the White
House, took action to restore the
average citisen's confidence in the
fairness and justice of the Amer
ican system. That Congress, in the
year 1932, passed a bill sponsored
by Senator Norris of Nebraska and
Congressman LaGuardia of New
lorn.
From 1932 until 1947 the Norris
LaGuardia Act continued in effect.
It was a boon not only to working
people. It was a boon to the nation
aa a whole. It was a valuable asset
to the nation in its conduct of
foreign relations, demonstrating to
the world that the United States
did not oppress and persecute its
working people.
Then, in 1947, in a fit of hysteria
and stupidity, the reactionary 80th
Congress turned the clock back. It
restored the tragedy of government
by injunction. This provision of
the Taft-Hartley Act is surely one
of the most malicious and destruct
ive features of the entire law.
Now, when a new law is being
written, a law which all reasonable
citisens hope will make it possible
for American labor and American
management to live and work to
gether, it is imperative that the
ruinous action of the 80th Congress
shall be corrected.
Equal justic under law must ever
prevail in the United States. If
there is to be equal justice in the
realm of labor-management rela
tions, employers must not have an
unfair weapon. Let us put govern
ment by injunction back in the
grave—for all time.
Cleveland. — The Union Indus
tries Show, sponsored by the AFL
Union Label Trades Department,
will open here May 18, in the spac
ious Public Auditorium.
“It will be one of the most unique
and action-packed exhibitions of its
kind to be seen anywhere in the
world,” stated Director I. M. Orn
bum, who will speak at the open
ing ceremonies with AFL President
William Green, Gov. Frank J.
Lauache of Ohio, and Mayor Thom
as A. Burke, of Cleveland.
"Throngs will get big thrills
seeing 600 elaborately designed
booths in which skilled AFL crafts
men actually make every article
used and man every service re
quired in our daily lives,” Mr. Om
bum said.
“They will view with awe the
union-crafted goods, fabricated by
big-name firms, for every member
of the family. The list of nation
ally advertised brands on display
reads like a business directory.
AFL unions as well as manufac
turers are making an outstanding
contribution to this show.
“The theme of the entire all
AFL-union exhibition is good re
lations between labor and manage
ment,” Director Ornburn declared,
“and the proof of such harmonious
relations will be seen in the high
est quality of goods on display. It
also proves that teaming together
they utilize the greatest showman
ship and best salesmanship to
reach all American consumers.”
INT. TYPO UNION WIN8
A RAISE OF IS WEEK
WITHOUT A CONTRACT
SEATTLE. — An agreement
granting a wage increase of |S a
week May 1 to newspaper printers
here was announced. It was ap
proved by Local 202, International
Typographical Union, AFL, and
publishers of the two dally news
papers, the Times and the Post
Intelligencer.
Charles T. Hickey, president, said
that the union would continue to
work without a contract as it had
in the past year.
Wage scales for a 35-hour week
will be $96 for day work and $100
for night work.
The Golden Rule of Trade Un
ionises is to buy Union Label
goods from others as you would
have them pay Union wages unto
you!
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Herman-Sipe o
Company
General Contractors
CONOVER, N. C.
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GRAVEL -MINING
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v. •*;