Evening star., 1919-11-13
SEE MYERS
| As UNION. LOCKOUT.
Federal Employees Officials
and Other Government
Workers Confer.

At a conference last night at the
Headquarters of the National Fedora
ton OF Federal Employees between the
officials of that organization and other
government employees not connected
with that organization, but members
of other branches of organized labor.
to discuss the Myers rider to the po-
licemen's salary bill it was declared
that the proposed legislation would
| virtually lock out all union labor in
the federal government service.
The rider, it was pointed out. would
affect the government printing office,
the bureau of engraving and printing,
( navy yards, arsenals and other de-
partments manned almost solidly by
trade unionists in the various trades
and crafts.
| 1t was generally conceded by those
in conference that the Myers amend
| ment implies that affiliation with the
American Federation of Labor pre-
| supposes strikes against the govern
| ment. while the contrary is the case,
for the reason that the American
Federation of Labor has no power to
call strike by any organization. that
power being vested in the national OF
international bodies, and for the ad-
ditional reason that the Federal EN-
pfoyes unions. composed exclusively
= Y
no strike clause in their constitution.
Seen as Bar to Unions.
THE United States government has
! always claimed, with apparent pride,'
said President Luther c. Steward of
the National Federation of Federal
Employees, that it maintains an open
tshop-making no discrimination be-
tween organized and unorganiZed la
Dor. The Myers rider would close the
doors of government establishments
to men and women with union cards
and set up a closed. shop-closed to
organized labor. Members Of over
| fifty international unions affiliated
with the American Federation of La
Dor who are employed in the govern
ment service would be offered the al
| tentative of surrendering their union
| cards or losing their jobs.
; And all of this is a most un-
| necessary as we'll as most un-
fortunate thing. The government al
/ ready has ample means of preventing
strikes of it's own employees, assum-
! ing that strikes should occur.
! Moreover. Congress previously had
| given careful consideration to this
question. and in 1912. attached to the
post office appropriation bill the
| provided that membership in any
society. association. club. Or other
| form of organization of postal en-
ployes not affiliated with any outside
organization imposing an obligation
or duty upon them to engage in any
strike. or proposing to assist them
F.; in any strike, against the United
! States shall mot constitute or
| be cause for reduction in rank or
! compensation or removal of such per-
| sons or groups of persons from said
service
Says Objects Are Lawfc:.
| "Under that bill of rights the Ma
| tional Federation of Federal En-
ployes has come into existence dur
| ing the past three years. has worked
| for its objects in a wholly lawful
manner. with beneficial results both
to it's members and to the govern
| ment service. which had never been
| obtainabIe before 1.-The organization
| existed. The fundamental reason for
| the organization of a trade union in
| eovernm ent service. Just as in pri-
| yate industry, is to secure, through
! collective democratic procedure,
voice in the control of conditions
| under which the employees work. To
| deny them this right, by denying
them the right of affiliation with their
| fellow workers. is to deny the princi-
| ole of democracy.