Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-03-31
Result of Conference of Rep
resentatives of Labor, Capt.
tai and the Public. &
NO STRIKES OR LOcK0UTS
DURING WAR AGREED ON
Disputes to Be Settled by Mediaticn
Board-Eight- Hour Day and
Equal Pay for Women.

lated by the representative OF labor,
capital and the public, after confereuces
lasting more than a month, was made
public last night by William B. Wilscr.
Secretary of Labor.
Features Of the projected program fr-
clude an agreement that there shall bel
no strikes or 1ockouts during the VAR
that all industrial disputes shall be
settled by a government rnediatfou
body, that women. when employed on
work ordinarily done by men. snail re-
ceive equal pay for equal work, and
recognition of the basic eight-hour day
in all cases where existing law requires
it.
Representatives of the public on tA&|
body were William Howard Taft and
Frank z. Walsh There were six repre-
sentatives of labor and six of capital
The mediation body would be knoTu|
as the national war labor board to bel
made up as was the board that pft
pared the program. In addition fE9f3|
would be local boards in the Industrial
centers to deal Immediately with apy|
controversies that might arise.
Principles and Policies Agreed On.
Principles and policies to govern fhe1
relations of workers and their en-
ployers in war industries were aEree4|
to as follows:
There should be no strikes or iock~|
outs during the war. =
.@The right of workers to organfxe fa|
trade unions and to bargain coleettyt-l
ly. through chosen representatives f4
recognized and affirmed.
"The right Of employers to Organise
in associations of groups and TO bef~|
gain collectively. through chosen rep-|
resentatives, is recognized and afhrne~
Employers should not discharEe|
workers for membership In troe<|
unions, nor for legitimate trade unioH|
activities. 80
.sThe workers, in the exercise Of <heiz|
right to organize, shall not use cosre{f4|
measures to induce persons 70 join tA<{<1
nor to induce empioy&f<
to bargain or deal Herewith.
=. Union Standards.
I'm establishments where the urfou
shop exists the same shall continue. ana
the union standards as to wages. hcuf4
of labor and other conditions OF en-
pioyment shall be maintained
in establishments where union ard
non-union men and women now wor<
together, and the employer meets ONLY
with employees or representatives en-
gagged in said establishments, the con-
tinuance of such conditions shall not
be deemed grievance
Established safeguards and reEulz-|
tions for the protection of the health
and safety of workers shall not be re-
laxed.
For Protection of Women.
IF it shall become necessary TO en-
ploy women on work ordinarily per-
formed by men, they must be allowed
equal pay for equal work and must rot
be allotted tasks disproportionnte to-
their strength.
The basic eight-hour day is recox1Iez1
as applying in all cases in which exiU<<r~|
law requires II. In all other oAseE the
question of hours of labor shall be settled
with due regard to governmental nece4si-
ties and the welfare. health and proper
comfort OF the workers
The maximum production Of all war.
industries should be maintained and
methods of work and operation on the
operate to delay or limit production. or
which have tendency to artihcially m
crease the cost thereof, should be 6le-
couraged-
Skilled Labor to Be Listed.
For the purpose of nsobihzinE the
labor supply with view to its rapid
and effective distribution, permanent Izt
of the number of skilled and other wofit-
ers available in different parts Of the
nation shall be kept on file by the De-
In fixing wages, hours and Conditions
of labor regard should always be had to
the labor standards. wage scales ana
other conditions prevailing in the ioc1Ii-
THE right of all workers. intending
common laborers, to a living wage is
hereby declared 80
shall be established which will insure the
subsistence of the worker and his family
in health and reasonable comfort"
Boards Functions and Powers.
The national war labor boards func-
tions and powers would be as follows.
ITO bring about settlement, By
m ediation and conciliation, of every
arising between employers
and workers in the-Aeld of Production
necessary for the effective conduct Of
the war.
ITO do the same thing In similar con-
in other fields Of national Ac-
tivity delays and distractions in which
may affect detrimentally such produc-
tion.
'"To provide such machinery by direcf
or otherwise. for selection
of committees or boards to sit in v&ri-
Gus parts of the country where con-
arise, to secure settlement
by local mediation and conciliation. -
ITO summon the parties TO the con-
troversy for hearing and action By the
national board in case of failure to rn-
cure settlement by local mediation ana
When Boards Efforts Fail.
.If the sincere and determined eff1rt
Of the national board shal fail to bring
about a voluntary settlement. and fhc
of the board shall be iuuahIr
to agree upon a decisio1
then and in that case and only as =
last resort, an umpire appointed shall
hear and finally decide the controversV
THE members of the board rhslf
choose the umpire by unanimous vote
Falling such choice, the name Of tlls
Umpire shall be drawn by lot from nsii4<
If ten persons to be nominated by fl11
President of the United States
t'The board shall meet in the cffx ID
.aThe board shall refuse to take oo<ri-
.ance Of controversy between ennpior1f
md workers in any field Of Industrial 81
,ther activity where there is by nHr1a- 4
nent or federal law means of settle
nent which has not been invoked
.aThe action OF the board may ks<f@-
,oked in respect to controversies Wzl1<s
is jurisdiction by the Secretary 81 Ia
,or by either side in controver1T 81
ts duly authorized representative. TIA