The Butler County press. [volume] (Hamilton, Ohio) 1900-1946, 1927-09-02
COMPANY UNIONS

Company unions" are an artificial
development and a distinct menace
both to workers and to industry, de-
clared the American Federation of La
Dor convention at it's session in De-
troit. The convention said: "The
time is ripe for the American labor
movement to work progressively for
the substitution of union management
cooperation for company unions, to
substitute voluntary democratic or
ployer-controlled company unions or
shop representative plans.
Company unions are a menace to
the trade-union movement and to
American industry which must be met
and overcome" the convention said.
Although they admit the principle
of organization in form, they are not
and never can be fundamental solu
tion to the problem of industrial re-
lations.
'They deny the substance of organ
ization. They do not give the worker
the freedom and responsibility neces-
sary for full creative expression in
his work
''They appear to establish means
of cooperation between management
and workers but in fact retard the de-
delopment of institutions which are
real and lasting. This artificial de-
velopment of institutions which are
to workers and management and to
industry.
"It cannot last The chances are
that when it's falsity is discovered
there may be bitterness of feeling
which will make readjustment a more
difficult task.
"This anti-union movement profess
ses to favor unions 1t pretends to ap-
prove labor organizations, co-opera-
tion, collective bargaining and en-
ploye representation.
at is well known that collective bar
gaining implies a voluntary agree
ment. BY denying employees the right
to representatives of their own choos-
ing this principle is repudiated.
when employers call this collective
bargaining they are consciously de-
ceiving the public.
"When they say that company un-
ions are experiments in cooperation
they know and understand the un-
soundness of their declarations.
"Employer-contr unions are
compulsory. Compulsory cooperation
is a contradiction in terms.
''To deny the right to voluntary or
ganization is to deny the right to or
ganize.
GAS to cooperation, Labor has
proven that it is in favor of cooper
alton with management in the only
conceivable form that genuine coop
Grafton can take. Union management
cooperation, as it is in operation to-
day in many industries, establishes
relations between workers and en-
ployers on a basis that is fundamen-
tally SOuUU ana COilS ~ BiNS'
g opportunity for creative expression
in work, for workers responsibility
and for freedom of organization initi-
ative and development. 1t works for
efficiency in industry since it liberates
the human factor for greater service
Hence, it is to the interest of both
management and workers that union
management cooperation should be
established 1t is the answer to COM
pany unions.
.The time is ripe for the American
labor movement to work progressively
for the substitution of union manage
ment cooperation for company un-
ions. to submit voluntary democratic
organizations of trade unions for en-
ployer-controlled company unions OF
sive, concentrated and well-directec
complish this will require continued
effort over a period of time, and oui
method of approach must be based
upon careful and scientific study OF
the situation supported by an aggres.
sive, concentrated and dell-directec
campaign"