The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1919-01-27

Oppose Macy Beard
"f1rst-Ths memorandum creating
tho Macy board. as signed ~ tho
international presidents aud the dlf
fercnt organizations connected with
the metal trades section. has never
been recognized by the rank and file
Of the different organisations com
prlaing tho metal trades section. and
there has never been decision
rendered by the Macy board that
has not been protested by the var
lous metal trades councils. Each
orsa nixation comprising the metal
trades industry has Tia own constitu'
ton and bylaws and all Of them
state that before any agreement can
be reached between an employer aud
an empIoye, Il must be sanctioned
By tho rank and file OF the orsanixa'
tons comprising tho different
unions.
"'rhe International presidents who
signed the agreement did so lon viola.
ton of the constitution OF all 81 the
organizations we represent, and the
only reason that the metal trades
section In the Puget sound country
have gone along with the Macy
boards decisions was owing 10 the
fact that We we're at war, and the
necessity for ships for our govcrn'
ment caused us IN take the attitude
that. even tho the intsrnauona of'
ficers had violated the constitutions,
In the interests of our government
we would not raise thu Issue Of It's
unconstitutionality. IL We had &C.
cepted the action of the interna.
tionai presidents, even tho our men
had voted. which they did not, grant.
ing that the international presidents
had that right. We would have been
accepting compulsory arbitration.
which Is against the fundamental
principles of the American labor
movement aA interpreted by the very
leader who signed the memorandum.
Deny Underwood Story
However, as Mr.. Piez has stated
that they no longer need ships now
and has pointed out that wages
should he reduced on account OF the
fact that men have been returned
from France who have been fighting
for democracy ('l and that other men
are out Of employment I'm the war
industries. there is no longer any
reason why we should not take our
stand for our rights according 10
our constitutions, which we are do
Ing at this time.
"In regard TO tho article by j. j.
Underwood that the international Of.
fieers had fatty refused to sanction
and support by financial aid this
strike. canvass Of this situation
Of all local unions revealed the fact
that no international has as yet de-
MED strike benefits.
while we have never acknowl-
edged the right Of the memorandum
creating the Macy board. the men OF
the shlpbuilding industry were fur.
Their prejudioed against II owing 10
the fact that the Ahipping corpora,
ton. thru its president, In the past
year. has ruled that no shlpyard
would be allowed to reach an gree.
ment with itH employees, when. M n
matter OF fact according TO the
memorandum, the Macy board Ind
Jurisdiction only when dispute
arose. This not only prevented the
employees In certain localities OF the
bodybuilding line from reaching an
agreement with their employers, but
was carried further by the shipbulld.
ing corporation to the downtown
shops in the city, where tho wages
we're higher than the Macy boards
award, but no attempt was ever
made to place In effect the Macy
boards award In shops in other sec.
tons of tha country, where the
wages were much lower than the
Macy scale.
THE representative from the
metal trades section Of this city who
sat upon the appeal board last De