Montana labor news., 1933-10-19
AMERICAN FEDERATION OF LABOR
TO CALL A CONFERENCE ON THE
FEDERAL LABOR UNION PROBLEM


WASHINGTON-(FP) - Twenty
five years ago the American Fedora
tion of Labor was wrestling with the
problem of industrial VS.. craft union
ism. On Oct. 13, closing day of its
53rd convention, the Federation took
another tentative step along the tor
tuous road to solution when it referred
conflicting reports on this veXing prob
lem to a conference of international
unions, to be called by the executive
council
For the first time in this conven-
tion, the resolutions committee SUBJ
mitted conflicting reports, dealing
with three resolutions on the issue.
The majority report, by Matthew Woll,
chairman, asserted that federal labor
unions being organized in mass produc-
ton plants and in isolated commun-
tiles "served temporary purpose" and
that craft unions be organized is soon
as possible. The minority report, read
by Pres. Charles P. Howard of the
printers, urged recognition of federal
labor unions as permanent feature
of new trends in industry.
Advocates of federal labor unions,
directly chartered by the A. F. of L.
won a victory when John P. Frey of
the metal trades department, revers-
ing his previous intention, urged that
both majority and minority reports be
referred to the executive council with
power to call the conference of inter
national unions.
The split in the resolutions commit
tee arose over three proposals. The
first, by Frey, complained that rights
of craft unions are being endangered
by chartering of federal labor unions
and demanded that federal unions be
barred from accepting mechanics into
membership. The second, by Joseph
Leighton, Maiden, Mass, gas workers,
declared that organization of 100000
utilities workers is being held up by
jurisdictional quarrels of competing
craft unions. He asked that these
conflicts be laid aside for one year.
The third, by Elisabeth Christman,
glove workers, would provide board
of strategy Of seven members to map
facts for organizing along industrial
lines.
Woll, supporting the craft union po-
sition, emphasized that the A. F. of
l.. is voluntary association of inter-
national unions which retain their own
sovereignty. No change can be made
in jurisdictions without their consent,
he said. His report urged A. F. of
L. organizers to cooperate and not
compete with craft union organizers,
and that federal charters be granted
only with the consent of the craft un-
ions involved.
Howard, taking the floor for the
minority report, asserted that "the
future of this organization and the
degree Of its success depends on mold
ing its policies to fit new conditions,
rather than in trying to fit workers to
policies in effect for the last half
century. The time has arrived when
the American labor movement cannot
stand still. We must go forward or
we will go backward"
"New methods in recent years" :"
Howard said, shave changed the ma
ture of work performed by millions of
workers. Great corporations and ag-
gregations of capital have resisted all
our efforts at organization. Now
NRA has released a great flood of
organization enthusiasm among the
workers. While we want to protect
the jurisdictions of trade unions, we
must realize that in many industries
organization is required on a different
basis" He laid down list of 10
rules for permanent organization of
federal labor unions, while protecting
the rights Of craft unions.