The Alaska daily empire., 1926-10-06
PRINCIPLES OF
UN|QN|SM NOW
BEING STRESSED
Annual Report OF Federation
of Labor Makes Plea
for Solid Front.

DETROIT, Oct 6. A call for
increased effort in union organiza-
Ition and the PRONUNCIATION of union
principles was contained in the an
nual report of the American Fedora
tion of Labor Council presented by
President William Green and his as
sociates to the Federatons annual
convention.
A summary of the work of the
year. re-statemcnt of principles of
al, and economic field and a con
clusion that the labor movement on
it's record for the period "is main
tanning successfully those ideals and
practices that have made it distinct
lively American were other features
of the report,
1t emphasized once more the car
dnal insistcnce of labor organza-
tions upon the right to organize
voluntarily for cooperative bargain
ing over wage scales and working
conditions, and opposed compulsory
arbitration or semi-iudjcial mechan-
iems for settling industrial disputes.
But on this occasion step further
was taken, in that unions were urged
in making agreements to provide for
devices i'll wage agreements that
would automatically adjust minor
disputes, and to go forward, once
agreements were made. with definite
plans of cooperating with manage
ments that have given labor organ
izations treatment considered fair
Trade Union Agreements
"The executive council is of the
opinion that trade union agreements
should include provisions providing
plans for the establishments of per-
manent machinery for the interpre-
tation of agreements and for dealing
with new incidental problems as
they arise" the report said. I'VE
urge also careful consideration of
additional provisions whereby the
union may cooperate with manage
ment. There is vital basis for co.
operation between workers and man
agement in their independent inter
undertaking in which they are EN-
ployed. Progress and efficiency in
either group bring reciprocal bene-
fits to the other"
Reviewing general conditions. the
report declared that american wage
earners are the highest paid workers
in the world" and claimed credit
for the fact for organization in labor.
Unions had assured participation in
the benefits OF our most remarkable
industrial progress" it was added.
and three stages of the advance had
been experienced as the living wage
gave way to a saving wage and
that to cultural wage" The public
that recognition had been attained
for "the economic wisdom and neces-
sity that have heretofore prompted
American organized labor in its
wage policies and its efforts to re-
duce working hours"
company UNIONS
Touching collateral conditions in
industry, the report re-expressed hos
tility to company unions" organized
by employees in single plants with
management cooperation. and looked
askance at some programs of en-
ployee stock ownership.
"The Federation will oppose to the
full extent Of its power the efforts
|of employers to compel their en-
ployees to join company unions" it
was stated. THE evils resulting
from company union schemes may
not be as pronounced as the older
methods of control of workers by
employers, nevertheless the results
are more deadly. We cannot escape
the Misrepresentation of paternalism
in any important portion of workers
lives. The effect upon industry It.
self would be to retard progress"
The entrance Of labor organiza-
(tions into the financial field was
reviewed, with the statement that
on June 30 last union owned banks
controlled resources to a total of
$10S,61S,0O0. There we're said to be
80 labor banks in operation.
Political information
The Federation will continue to
Continued on Page Six.1