The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1919-07-04

call a conference, during the Con-
VentiOn of the A. f. of l., of the
heads of all International Unions af-
tiliated with the A. f. of L., to the
end that they may make arrange
ments to lend their assistance to the
organization of the iron and steel
industry.
The resolution analyzing and
condemning the company union in
the steel industry and in other in
dustries follows in full;
Resolution No. 2O1.-By Delegates
John c. Owens, Cleveland Fedora
ton of Labor and Henry w. Raisse
Lorain Central Body. Introduced
by request of the National Commit
tee for Organizing the Iron and Steel
Workers.
WHEREAS, Many steel corpora
tons and other industrial institutions
have instituted in their plants sys-
TENS of collective bargaining akin to
the Rockefeller plan; and
WHEREAS, Extensive experience
has shown that while the employers
are busily carrying on propaganda
lauding these company unions to
the skies as a great Improvement
over trade unions, they are at the
same time just as actively enforcing
a series of vicious practices that
ham-string such organizations and
render them useless to their employ
ees. OF these practices the follow
ing are few:
/. Unfair Elections and Repre-
sentation.-The first essential for
the proper working of q genuine col
lectiVe bargaining committee is that
it be composed entirely as the or
gained workers may elect and alto
gether free from the COmpany's in
fluencc. only then can it be truly
representative Of the men and re-
sponsive to their wishes. Upon such
committees, bosses. representing as
they do the antagOnistiC interests of
the company, are so much poison.
Not only is it impossible for them
personally to represent the men, but
they also negate the influence of the
real workers delegates. knowing
this very well, the steel companies,
through campaigns of intimidation
and election fraud load their COM
pany union committees with bosses,
usually to the point of a majority.
SO baneful is this practice that, were
the company unions otherwise per
feet, it alone would suffice to entire
ly destroy their usefulness to the
workers.
2. No Democratic Organization
Permitted.-It is common knowl-
edge that, i'm order for the workers
to arrive at a uniform understand
ing through the standardization and
formulation of their grievances and
demands. it is necessary for them to
enjoy and practice the rights of free
speech free assembly and free as
ISOLATION. They must conduct an
elaborate series of meetings under
their own control, and generally car
ry on their business in a democratic,
organized way. But with the COM
pany union system this is impossible.
All independent organization and
meetings are prohibited on pain of
discharge. Consequently the work
ers are kept voiceless and destitute
of a program. They are deliberate
ly held down to the status of a mob.
Under such circumstances intelH-
gent, aggressive action by them is
out of the question.
8. Intimidation of Committee
men.-As part of the general plan
to keep their company unions from
being of any possible service to their
employees, il is customary for the
companies TO summary discharge
committeeman who dare TO make a
stand in behalf of the workers. The