The Knoxville independent. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1894-current, 1917-03-31

Under New Law workers May Not
Strike Nor Employers Lock Out Their
Help Unless Thirty Days Notice Has
Been Given-Men Must Remain al
Work During Investigation.
In an address delivered recently at
Columbus, O., Wayne G. Williams, a
member Of the Colorado industrial COM
mission, gave a comprehensive review
Of the industrial plan of that state as
1t has operated since Aug. l, 1915. He
told how compulsory investigation"
as distinguished from compulsory ar
bitration" of industrial disputes has
been the means Of establishing peace
between employers and employees, how
strikes and lockouts are averted and
how the law Of collective bargaining
Is actually made effective under the
Colorado law. Mr.. Williams paid fine
state and declared they have complied
faithfully with both the spirit and let
ter of the law and were ready and will
ing to cooperate with the commission
In bringing about industrial peace and
establishment Of Industrial justice in
Colorado.
In brief, the law operates In the fol-
lowing manner: The employees of a
manufacturing plant desire raise in
wages or shorter hours. Under the old
system they could or could not give
notice to their employer as they
might desire, They could go on a
strike without warning, and they could
be locked out without any warning.
There was no central body to appeal
to, no one to investigate the dispute or
find out the actual merits; there were
charges and countercharges, rumors
and accusations and more or less chaos
and anarchy generally; the plant tied
up, the men idle and their families
suffering, bitterness increasing every
hour; importation Of strike breakers,
disorder and often terrible conse-
quences. This is not the history of
every strike, but of many strikes.
Under the operation Of the Colorado
law the first step is for the employees
to notify the employer of any change
Of wages or hours which they desire.
This is made in writing, and a copy
goes to the employer and to the COM
mission. The notice is for thirty days
under the statute, during which period
the commission may permit the two
sides to negotiate privately with each
other, or If they do not want to do SO
the commission will get them together
and endeavor informally to adjust the
dispute If these informal efforts fail
the commission may, upon its own mo-
ton or upon request of either side or
both sides, start formal investigation
The investigation is held, witnesses
are subpoenaed and put under oath
| complete and exhaustive testimony Is
taken as of all matters in dispute.
| When the investigation is complete the
commission makes its findings These
| findings or the award, as it is called
are not binding upon either side, al
though either or both sides may &C.
cept the findings, either before the in.
vest1gation begins or at its conclusion
In which event the award is binding.
|. The only restraint upon the two
sides Is that prior to and during the i'll
vesHgation the employer cannot LOCK-
his men out, and the men cannot &C
on strike. The status quo is preserv
ed. The men must remain at work a
the usual scale of hours and wages
until the commission makes its find
ings. After the findings have beer
made either side is free to do as i
chooses
The old weapons of industrial war
fare may be resorted to-there may b,
strikes and lockouts or any other lega
act along lines of force and coercion.
Clint G. Houston editor Of the Den
yer Labor Bulletin, says that those liv
ing In Colorado knew that the law !
being administered without special ia
voritism to either labor or capital, EN-
ployee or employer, and with the pun
pose of giving all parties at interest
square deal,