Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-09-07
STEPS TO AVOID LABOR
TROUBLES DURING WAR
Manufacturers Representatives Pro-
pose Joint Agreement Between
Employers and Employees.
BAN ON STRIKES AND LOCKOUTS
Would Compel Maintenance of Pre-
vailing Open or Closed Shop Con-
ditions and Establish Board for
Arbitration Of Disputes.
BAN ON STRIKES AND LoCKoUIs
tBy Associated Press


WASHINGTON. September 6.-Manu-
the Council of National Defense to day
a Joint agreement between employers
and employees for the. war to prevent
strikes and lockouts. compel main
tenance Of prevailing open or closed
union shop conditions. and establish
a board for compulsory arbitration OF
labor disputes directly concerning war
production.
A request that the council call an
early conference of representative ma
tional and international officers OF
American trade unions to agree to the
proposals was taken under considera-
ton.
Nearly $50 members OF the National
industrial Conference Board. which
represents sixteen manufacturers as
sociations and more than $4,000 manu-
tacturers. presented personally to the
couhcll and its advisory commission
statement recommending that the
counciIs policy of discouraging changes
OF labor standards during the war be
applied follows:
That applied to existing statutory
regulations intended to promote sa fetv
and health. it shall be agreed that for
the period OF the war there shall be
no suspension or modification of such
provisions. except upon recommends
ton OF the Council of National De-
tense. after due investigation by its
agencies, and when. in its Judgment.
required by the exigencies of war.
CHANCES TO MEET
ADVANCES IN ->,-
Applied to wages. demands shall
DC tested by the prevailing local stan
uaro OF the establishment In effect at
'"e oesinhihe OF the war with such
modihcation as may be shown to be
necessary TO meet any demonstrated
ADVANCE in the cost Of living.
Applied to hours. the standard
snail be those established by statute
or prevailing in the establishment ~
the beginning OF the war, subject ,o
change only when in the opinion ~
the Council of Defense 1t is necessarv
to meet the requirements of tho pov,
ernment
Applied to what are commonly
known as open or closed shop con-
ditions. ii shall be understood and
agreed that every employer entering
the period of the war with a union
shop shall not. by lockout or other
means. undertake to alter such condi-
tions for the duration of the war, nor
shall any combination Of workmen
undertake the like period TO close an
open shop"
WOULD HAVE DECISIONS
BINDING ON ALL PARTIES
To settle the major labor disputes
in war industries, the manufacturers
recommended creation OF board OF
employers. employees and government
representatives. with authority to rem
der decisions binding on all parties,
and with full power to create all ma
chinery necessary to execute its func-
tlons."
Some OF the delegates explained in
formally to-day that the feeling is
growing among manufacturers that
labor bodies are not abiding by the
recommendation made by Samuel Com
pers. president of the American Fed
Grafton OF Labor, as a member of the
Defonse Councils advisory commission,
that unions not insist on changing
labor standards during the war.