The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-09-10
''OPEN SHOP" PLAN ORDERED ON GULF. LOADING STEAMERS
Longshoremen's Union Break Contract, Shipping Board Says 10 Hire
 Available Labor
By Associated PresA

Washington, September Refusal of members of labor organizations to live up to their agreements With shipping board operators will be fo'- lowed by employment of whatever labor is available" to fill their places. the board announced tonight. Mem bers of the board adopted a resolu- tion going on record as being firmly of the opinion" that labor organi- zations must observe the letter and spirit of such contracts"
 Action of the board followed re- ports that members of the longshore- mems union at New Orleans, La, and Mobile. were refusing to load yes sells solely because the cotton to be loaded had previously been handled by non-union labor in warehouses and timber to be loaded had been rafted from booIns by union labor" The operations division was instructed to employ labor in the open market to carry out the load ing at New Orleans and Mobile and where and when members of the longsh shoremen's unions in violation of their agreement now in effect rs :. fuse to load vessels of the United States Shipping Board"
 The resolution was offered by Co.h missioner Thompson who is the mem Der of the board accredited from tine gulf division.
 To Observe Wage Agreement
 The board has insisted a statement issued tonight said, that managing operators of the shipping board yes sells running from gulf ports scrupu- lously observe the wage agreement adopted last october because of the moral obligation resting upon them" regardless of the action of operators of other than board ships
 "In this case" the statement con- tinued. "the question of stevedore wages was not involved as the board has definitely and plainly signified it's willingness to regard the agree ment expiring October l."
 The resolution adopted today fol- lows:
 "Whereas members of longshore- mems union at New Orleans, La, re- fusing to load cotton ships in viola tion of the agreement now in effect between operators of United States shoremen's union and,
 Whereas members of longshore- mems union at Mobile, Ala, are re- fuslng to load timber in vessels of the United States shipping board in VlOlaIlOn or the agreement between the operators of the United States Shipping board vessels and the long shoremen'5 union not to comply with this agreement Is based solely upon the fact that the cotton to be loaded had previously been handled by non union labor in warehouse and the timber to be loaded had been rafted from poems by non-uninAl labor and, Whereas the United States Ship ping board considers such refusal by members of the longshoremen's union as a violation of the agree ment now in effect between operators of the United States Shipping board vessels and the longshoremen's un- ion. therefore, be 1t
 Resolved that the vice president in charge of operations be directed to instruct chief of divisions opera tions in ports on the gulf that man. aging operators be directed to use whatever labor available in loading of vessels of the United States Ship ping boatd where and when members of ongshpremens unions in violation of their agreement now in effect re- fuse to load vessels of United States Shipping board"