Evening star., 1933-09-30
RULE OVER TRADE
UNIONS IS FOUGHT
-
Metal Men Protest Direct
AffiIiation With the
A. F. of L.
Nv the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
Renewed threats of dissension today
promised difficulties at the American
Federation of Labor convention next
week over the way it has been trying
to organize workers since the recovery
act became law.
One strong branch Of the federation
the metal trades department, which
represents around 100000 men-was
seeking support for a resolution that
would condemn the present American
Federation of Labor policies.
When the recovery act was signed the
federation Immediately sent men into
the field to seek new members, because
of the laws new guarantee OF collective
BARGAINING minus coercion from en-
ployers as to what union man should
Join.
To speed organization, the Fedora
ton issued according to President
William Green. about 5000 new char
tiers. But the unions to which these
charters were issued were animated ol-
rectly with the American Federation OF
Labor. and not through one OF its sub
ordinate international unions.
"Demor alization" Seen.
The metal trades convention. which
ended here Yesterday. insisted that con-
tinued chartering of these federal
unions" would completely demoranze'
if not actually destroy, the various IN
ternational unions charter rights guar
onteed nv the American Federation OF
Labor"
So it adopted a resolution protesting
as vehemently as possible the 1urtner
continuance of the disregard OF charter
and iurisdictional rights by the Amer,
lean Federation of Labor and amllateo
international unions
It also instructed that the metal
trades department submit to the gen
eral federation a resolution "demano, a.,
ing executive action at once that Will
stop this detrimental practice OF organ
izing. affecting the rights and oppor-
tunities of the metal trades interna-
tional unions"
Green and other federation executives
have, for the most part. kept omciai
silence on that point But Green did
touch on it indirectly. when he said
that with passage of the recovery act
the federation decided to organize f1rst
and settle jurisdictional questions att
erward.
100000 Added.
The results of the campaign. he said,
should speak for themselves-in June,
July and August the federation added
/ 10000 new members and issued 5000
new charters He added the predic-
ton that the new member total would
4xrf ~fx he
But metal trades members say that
failing to have the new members and
new support they should get from the
organization movement.
Full cooperation in a militant at
tempt to prevent politicians from OBJ
tanning control of local labor unions
was pledged yesterday by the building
ard metal trades departments of the
federation. Each adopted resolutions
promising "all support and assistance
to any such prosecuted local unions,
economically and otherwise"
Pliable Men Sought.
In explaining to the building trades
meeting the situation involving local
unions, John Possehl, representing or
ganized engineers. said that particular
ly in Chicago and New Jersey. local
officials were seeking to oust union Of
f1cers and substitute others more pill
able to their DESIRES"
In Chicago" Possehl said. "a high
official called me in for a conference
and told me to fire the business agent
of our local union
Il asked him why" Possehl con-
tinued. and he replied because I tell
you to-"
The next union meeting Possehl said,
was raided by policemen and the mem
bers present held in Jail over night.
Il had not fired the business agent"
PoSsehl added.
The metal trades convention directed
its officers to present a similar resolu-
ton to the General Federation's meet
ing next week and seek its adoption.
Once politicians obtain control of
unions, the sponsors of the resolution
said, they are able to cut prices, get
municipal, State and Federal contracts
and make huge profits on them.
Resolution Adopted.
Besides attacking political control Of
unions, the building trades also adopted
a resolution which said
"The building trades department.
representing 16 international unions
CI6dSC0 IA UullO1AAS NOAAotA uStiOil AL
affiliation with the American Fedora
ton of Labor. hereby indorses the
efforts of the President of the United
States to meet the problems arising
from the depression and pledge our
support to him in effectuating the pur-
poses of the national industrial recoy-
cry act"
Both departments finished their work
and adjourned late yesterday, but many
Of the delegates remained in town for
the federation convention beginning
Monday.
The metal trades group reelected
its officers, James O'Connell. president.
and John p. Frey. secretary-treasurer.
and indorsed their Recommendation
that they be instructed to continue
asking Congress for a Federal license
law over all business to take up where
the N. r. A. leaves OF two years hence.
! The building trades unionists also
adopted these resolutions:
Asking the N. r. A. to speed its
construction code:
Indorsing q 30-hour week for that
code with minimum wages ranging from
40 cents an hour for unskilled workers
in the South to 81 20 for skilled men IN
the north:
Suggesting that the Federal admins
xrafio,, ofd n, tho establishment f,f