Evening star., 1933-09-12
n. R. A. LABOR BODY
ACTS IN DISPUTES
Board Lays New Plans for
Drive to End Bickering
Slowing Up Program.

With labor disputes slowing OF
threatening to slow the wheels in in.
dustrial recovery at several points ovel
the Nation, the National Labor Board
fresh from recent successes in ironing
out arguments between workers ano
employers, today laid new plans for 9
campaign to end this sort of pickering
Their efforts were aimed primarily
however, to conciliate employers anC
workers in several industries before
present chickering's end in walkouts.
The board yesterday announced set
tlement of an impending street railway
strike in Cleveland, that had alarmed
city officials and business men. 1t also
dispatched mediators to the scene OF
fresh labor troubles, and renewed its
efforts to terminate two serious strikes
with which it has had little success
thus far.
One of these is strike of 5000 shoe
workers in Brockton. Mass, as a result
of an inter-union fight over existing
call the parties involved into confer
ence this week, while a public hearing
on code for the shoe industry is in
progress.
The other is the spreading strike of
silk workers in the Northeastern States.
TWO conferences already have been
held with manufacturers and labor
chiefs, and another parley is scheduled
here for Thursday.
John M. Carmody was ordered to
Buffalo N. Y, to conciliate labor trou-
bles at grain elevators and wharves and
another mediator was sent to Rockford,
Ill, to seek settlement of a strike of
400 employees Of the National Lock Co.
In Chicago Max Meyer is attempting to
concillate troubles between millinery
manufacturers and their employees, and
other representatives of the board are
either present at or on the way to the
scene of labor disputes.
scores OF complaints from as many
sectlons OF the country continued to
Labor Board and brought from DR..
w. M. Leiserson, its secretary, the as
sertion that If employers would let
the workers go ahead and pick their
own representatives most of these
strikes would be avoided"
There are three causes for the
wave OF strikes We are experiencing
now" Leiserson said "In the first
place. every period of recovery from
depression brings on series Of strikes.
On a downward movement of the
business cycle strikes disappear after
the first turn. When things start up
they seek to restore the former wage
levels
In the second place, an upward
movement in business increases prices
and with higher cost Of living the
workman usually strikes for a higher
wage. We would have had our strikes
without an N. r. A. However, we
have third factor-tne new deal.
Now. for the first time, Congress
has given to the workers the right to
join any union, without interference
by employers. The employers, on the
other hand, feel 1t is an interference
with their business if employees are
free to organize in a union and try
to stop them by one means or an
other-by urging company unions, dis
charging men who join outside unions
and by other methods
THE N. r. A. codes have taken
care OF wages and hours and In most
cases the labor troubles are due almost
entirely to the question Of employe
representation under the collective bar
gaining guaranteed in the national re-
cOvery act"