New-York tribune., 1922-02-26
OPenSllopiss'ae
Raised in " rit
Against Union
Court Will Hear Leather
Company's Plea 10 Have
Injunction Against Pick
cling Made Permanent
Organization Forbidden
Workers.. Assert Adverse
Ruling Will Involve Its
Members as Conspirators

- case Of unusual interest to employ
crs and union labur will come up to-
morrow before Justice Callaghan in the
Supreme Court, Long Island City. The
A. l.. Reed Company. leather manu!ac-
turcrs in Richmond iiil. Queens, who
seek to have al n.unction which Jus
tee Strong granted last September
made permanent, assert that the qucs-
tion of the open SHOP Is at stake.
The Fancy Leather Goods Workers.
Union. which, with Abe Whitman. its
treasurer. and forty-eight other mem
bors, is defendant in the action holds
- a; decision making the Injunction
permanent wo.lA cornote that nom
borship in q union constituted con
sci for the union. have becn in con
sultaton with national labor leaders
concerning the case
An agreement has been reached by
both sides as to the facts. and both
Sides have agreed TO dispense with a
Jury, leaving Justice Callaehan to de
eide the question.
The A l. Reed Company formerly
was member Of the Association OF
Leather Goods Manufacturers Of the
United States Of America. Inc. The lat
ter body had an agreement with the
Fancy Leather Goods Workers. Union
as to wages ard conditions Of employ
mcnt. The agreement expired August
/ 1921.
Workers Barred From jnion
III inc TWO weeks preceding that date
the A. L. Reed Company had laid off
its employees for lack Of work and had
been negotiating Independently of the
Manufacturers Association with indi-
vidual worknen in its employ as 10 the
terms on which they might return. The
company stipulated that the workman
must not become q member OF union
If he returned.
The agreement between the union
and the Manufacturers Association
was renewed August %, subject to for
nal approval by the two bodies and
with The provision that the question of
2 reduction Of wages from the war
time standard was to be arhitTated.
Both organizations approved OF the
agreement including H. per cent
wage reduction fixed by the arbites.
August 26.
On that day the A. l. Reid Company
sent IN its resignation TO the Manu-
facturers Associations which accepted
it August 81. The company had re-
nents made individually with its en-
ployees, and the union declared
strike early in September and pickcted
the factory.
Freedom of Employment Decrced
September the company applied for
an Injunction restraining the union
rom interfering With its business OF
It's employees, and Justice Strong
granted the temporary injunction Sep
tember p, companying his decision
with q memorandum which was most
vcXatious to organized labor. In it
ne said:
"The employer has the constitutional
Hght to select his employees without
consulting any labor union and to dis
charge them without consulting any
third party or labor union whenever
he so desires. provided always that
ne Is not infringing any tight or con-
tract of an Individual employee. The
employee has the same right 20 select
his employer without any regard to
what any third party or labor union
may say. and he may quit his employer
at any time he desires, provided That
he in turn does not interfere with the
obligations Of his individual contract
with the cmploVern