The Connecticut labor news., 1923-06-29


 other slashing, straight shoulder wallop has been handed the extraVagant claims of the "open shoppers"
 The Associated Employers of In dianapolis, which pretends to be the most militant anti-un1on organization in the country, recently asserted at it's annual convention that Indianap- oils IS the most successful "open shop" city in the nation. It was further officially asserted for this organiza- ton that, although Indianapolis con tains the headquarters of eight inter national unions, these onions go else where to do their organizing, leav- ing Indianapolis severely alone. In the June American Federation ist, the American Federation Of La bor takes up the claim of the Asso- ciated Employers and effectually dis poses of them.
 Careful 1nquiry," says the Fedora tionist, ''has been made for the pur- pose of ascertaIning the facts relative | to both these statements and the 1 American Federation of Labor IS in l a position to state with detailed knowledge what was practically a foregone conclusion, that both claims are absolutely untrue.'
 l The Federati onist continues:
 Enquiry develops the fact that In dianapoTis is one of the best organ ized cities m the country, that the eight international unions having headquarters there have been and are aggressive and alert in their efforts l to nr21ntain organization at the high 1 est possible point and that in many l industries wage rates in lndianap- l OlIS are in the front ranks of the ] country.
 @The institution of joint nego- l tIation and the trade agreement l has operated as successfully and consistently in Indianapolis as, l elsewhere and with no less md ! tual benefit to wage earners and ] employers.
 l @In only a few cases has In- 7 l 3dlanapolis industry felt the ef- l ferts of the virulent campaign by ] the Associated Employers of In dIanapoi1s to any appreciable ex-
 tent. The Associated Employers of Indianapolis continue their l propaganda because the combina- ton of propagandists and fnan- ces is available. l :eneral the trade unionists oi l Indianapolis are little worried by the reactIonary propaganda of the union haters and give 1t little thought There IS apparently more construc- tive work to be done"
 Unions Show -Fa1sity. 1 The American Federationist fol- lows with detailed reports from unions having their headquarters in Indianapolis. A typical report is that from William Dobson, secretary of the Brickayers, Nasons and Plas- terers' Union, who wrote that the city was organized nearly one hun dred per cent and branded the state ment that Indianapolis is an "open shop" city as absolutely untrue" " Other building trades organizations confirmed his statement.
 Frank Duffy, general secretary of the United Brotherhood of Carpen- ters and Joiners, reported that his union has two thousand members in Indianapolis and that all the work downtown Is union, with the possible exception of one job.
 Indianapolis is regarded by our organization as being one of the best organized cities of our craft and the wage received by our members there is SIPS per hour, which is highest wage paid any of our local unions," wrote Harry Jones, general secre- tary-treasurer of the International Association of Bridge, Structural and Ornamental Iron Workers.
 The organized labor haters will get cold comfort from the report of Pres ident J. P. Noonan, of the Interna- tional Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, who said:
 Since 1912 we have. had contracts with practically all the contractors in Indianapolis. So far as our trade is concerned, the boast of the Associated Employers of Indianap- oils is without foundation"