Republican farmer., 1918-12-06
Shop Committee Will
 Get Trial In Bridgeport
Machinists Sign Agreement Drawn Up By National War Labor Board. EMPLOYES ONLY
 ARE TO VOTE These Committees Will Work With Employers
 and Foremen.

Through the signing of an agree ment this morning by the agents of the Machirists' union, the election of shop committees in local industrial plants will take place one week after , the posting of placards in each de- partment. The agreement was drawn up by the National War Labor Board after many conferences with the rep resentatives of unions and manufac- turers. and Bridgeport is the first city to be chosen for the experiment.
 Representatives of the War Labor Board will come to the city tnd con duct the elections, which will be bv ballot Each employe on coming to work the morning Of the election. will be handed a ballot on which he will write the names of the three employees Of his department he wishes to serve as a committee. The employe receiv- ing the largest number of votes will be chairman. Should there be a tie, 1 the Washington officials will draw l lots to decide the vote. During the election all foremen or officials of the plant must leave the room, and no !, foreman or official can take any part Ill the election. The chairmen of the departments become a plant commit 1 tee and will meet shortly after the l election for the purpose of electins an executive board of 8, 5, T, or members according to the size of the plant. The duties of the executive board will be to hold conferences with the firm members, and render decis- ions after the department co1nlwittees- and representatives of the manufac- turers have failed to agree.
 The department committee will hear grievances of employees, and if | two of the members decide that the grievance Is just, the foreman will be notified, and he will call a meet ing of a committee which will consist 1 of the department committee of i three, two representatives of the firm, | and the foreman. This meeting must 1 be held three days after the com | plaint If they can not come to an agreement the complaint is taken to | the executive board who meet with | officials of the firm. Should they i1 turn not agree the matter is taken l Co the local Board of Mediation. which consists of three representa- 1 lives of labor and three representa- lives of the manufacturers A final appeal may then be made to the Ma tional War Labor Board should their | decision not be satisfactory.
 Should an employe claim a griev- ance which two members of the de- | partment committee refuse to recog- nize, he may make a canvass of his
 department and if he can secure the
 signatures of 20 per cent. of the 1 employees he may ask for the election of a new committee.
 All matters affecting the welfare of the workers may be made the subject of complaint, such as wages,
 sanitation, hours of labor, or in fact anything that in any way affects the
 empIoye.
 The movement has had the unani- nous support of local manufacturers and the articles and bylaws have been the subject of many informal meet ings between their representatives and those of local workers.
 Alpheus Winter, examiner of the Bridgeport Award of the War Labor Board expressed his satisfaction this morning at the conclusion of the matter to which he has given so much tattention.
 Samuel Lavit, business agent of the Machinists' Union, stated, 'FWhilt0 there are several clauses in the agree ment to which we do not fully sub scribe, the main articles have our ap- lproval. The signing of this agree ment begins a new era for the work ing man of Bridgeport, and for the whole country. Each employe can be assured that no matter how small his grievance, it will receive the greatest attention, and fair decision will be reached. He will have a chance to dictate somewhat as to the conditions under which he is to work, instead of being obliged to labor under arbitrary conditions imposed by employers The committee in his department will Gonsist of his fellow workers, whose interests are his, and anything per taining to his welfare will affect them Every shop employe in the city will receive a printed copy of the rules and by laws several days before the election, in order that he may become familiar with the procedure, and the privileges which he now has. The placards will be posted in every de partment at least a week before the election, and everything possible will be done to faniliarize employees with the articles of agreement"