The Connecticut labor news. (New Haven, Conn.) 1921-1925, 1921-12-30
New York Investigator
Scathingly DenOunces
Some of the Methods
Employed There and
T hrea t ems Dire
Things.

A string of demands for reforms in
trade union evils has been sent to the
heads of the Building Trades Council
and non-affiliated building trade
bodies by Samuel Untermyer, chief
counsel for the Lockwood commit
tee of New York.
The demands cover evils exposed
by the committee in its recent public
sessions Copies also were sent to
the State Federation of Labor and to
Hugh Frayne, general organizer Of
the American Federation of Labor.
Mr.. Untermyer does not mince
words in his denunciation of some of
the methods employed by labor Or
CARNATIONS in their dealings with
architects and contractors. He char
acterizes many of the so-called labor
regulations as thoroughly vicious and
illegal.
List of Demands.
Mr.. Untermyer's demands are as
follows:
I. All restrictions on membership
must be removed Books must be at
all times open for admission Of mem
bers who qualify on reasonable char
acter and capacity regulations.
2 Initiation dues shall in no case
exceed $50. They should be payable at
the option of new members half cast,
remainder within three months.
3. All limitations on the number of
apprentices must be repealed. Where
age limit exists in any constitution or
bylaw it should be increased from the
prevailing age rule, I6 to IS, to the
age of rs.
4. Issuance of permit cards to non
union men with or without pay to the
union as a condition of allowing such
men to work with union men or for
any other real or ostensible reason,
must be rigidly forbidden by constitu-
tional amendment
5. In order to protect members Of
unions against misappropriatio>. OF
funds and insure accCIvltabii1ty of
officials, constitutions should be
amended where necessary to require
accurate accounts to be kept showing
all receipts and disbursements. All
payments over $40 must be made by
check. Accounts shall be audited semi
annually. Every member shall be en-
titled to examine the accounts. A
copy of the detailed semi-annual re-
port to be mailed every member
Would Protect Employers.
f. 1t must be made plain by amend
ments that the unions do not possess
the power some now assume to hale
employers before them and compel
payment of fines into union treasur-
les under penalty of being refused
union labor. This constitutes con
spiracy to extort money. Illustrations
OF this kind from the testimony are
Forcing employers to pay fines fol
failure to appear before the executive
committee on demand
Filming employers because member:
of a union worked overtime withou
securing express permits from the ex
ecutive committee
Filming employers for permitting
painters to fill plaster cracks when a
work on walls and ceilings
Filming employers for poor worl
done by members of the union anc
compelling employers to have suc1
work done over at their own expense
7. All provisions contained in exist
ing contracts between unions or asso
Citations of the same, on one hand, AM
employers or association of employ
ers, on the other, giving preferential
treatment in supply of labor ant
above employers who are not member
OF such associations, are to be forth
with Cancelled. All future contract
OF such character are forbidden N
employer of union labor is to be dis
eliminated against because he is no
a member of the employers associa
ton.
In some of the contracts expose
before the committee the unions hav
agreed not to furnish labor to an EN-
ployer not a member of the associa
ton and have permitted members t
charge exorbitant profits on labo
such as in the case of the marble in
dustry, in which employers agreed t
pay $I5.25 a day for a setter and help
er. All these agreements and prac
tees must be terminated
Would Forbid Art Censorship.
8. The constitution should b
amended to preclude any union fro1
intruding into the business affairs {
the employer and in such manner q
to limit jurisdiction and activity {
unions to matters legitimately cor
corning the welfare and betterment {
members