Evening star., 1933-12-23
MANY CODES WAIT
] PRESIDENTS PEN
Green's Charges of Ford
Violation of Collective
Bargaining Studied. 6
BY the Associated Press.

14OIlhABdIAOAA Va AAally AAC" SONSo,
maybe so, was looked for today by the
N. r. A. as it studied labor brief
charging that the Ford Motor Co.
challenges Federal authority by violat-
ing the collective bargaining guarantee
of the recovery act.
The more than two-score codes were
sent to the White House last night
| with N. r. A. approval. President
Roosevelt's signature on many and
perhaps all seemed likely before the
holiday season. They covered many of
the biggest groupings and some OF the
most controversial subjects, among
| them construction. the Nations news
papers and all kinds of printing and
publishing.
The Ford charges, subjected to
analysis today, were filed by William
| Green, president of the American
| Federation of Labor. Asking prosecu-
| tion for law violation, the report held
that Ford employees at the Edgewater,
N. j., plant had been denied the right
to choose their own representatives for
| bargaining with the employer and
added that "either the Government is
supreme or the Ford Motor Co. is out
side the pale of the law"
Green Charges Violation.
"I charge the Ford Motor Co. with
violation Of section IA Of the national
| recovery act. which provides for COL
lective bargaining" Green said in his
brief.
Neither before the strike, nor Sep
tember 28. the date on which the Edge
water strike took place, were the EN-
ployes OF the Ford Motor Co. permitted
| to engage in collective bargaining for
the settlement Of grievances and dis
puteS through representatives OF their
own choosing as provided for in the
industrial recovery act"
The entire case presented by Green
was built upon the events at the Edge
water Ford assembly plant, one of the
two in the East, where labor troubles
developed in the early Fall.
Not only has the management of the
Ford Motor Co. refused to bargain COL
water. as required by the law. but in
addition it has stated that its employees
who stopped work for the purpose OF
redreSSing grievOS wrongs are no
longer considered employees of the COM
pany and can only be re-employed
through personal application and re-
hiring individually.
This attitude Of the Ford Motor Co.
constitutes a challenge to the Govern
ment. 1t is inconceivable that the
Government would surrender to the
Ford Motor Co. or to any other corpo-
ration"
A summary of the Edgewater events,
upon which prosecution of Ford was
asked. was presented in the brief.
A strike was called September 26 by
1900 workers. not only on account Of
conditions at the plant, which We're de-
Scribed as ''unbearable,' but allegedly
because the management tried to get
the Edgewater employees TO "scab" on
those at Chester. Pa, who had gone on
strike earlier. by transferring to Edge
water the production of the closed
plant.
Primary Complaints.
Primary complaints at Edgewater
were that all were limited to 200 work
ing days at 81 a day. or $500 a year,
and that the management refused to
bargain with the men.
The brief related how q union was
formed and detailed complaints, going
on to say that on November l a super
intendent presented an unsigned and
undated letter answering the mems
original demands with the 'enigmatic
statement" that recognition Of collect
i've bargaining through representatives
OF the workers own choosing. is already
required by the present national in
dustrial recovery act
Thereupon the strikers sent letter
to Edsel Ford asking for friendly
negotiations, to which the brief said,
they were sent the following message
signed by Edsel:
0F haY
and reciprocate your desire for good
understanding between the company
and its employees. such as We have
always been able to maintain.
"AS you know, Mr.. Brown, the
superintendent in charge Of the Edge
water plant, has every authority to
meet you and hear any statements you
may wish to make.
Mr.. Brown is our representative,
and you may discuss with him the
working conditions to which your
letter makes reference. 1t has always
been our chief care to see that work.
the highest possible order, and we
should be glad to hear Of any instances
where this may not be the case.
The company's office at Edgewater
will, 1 am sure. make an appointment
to suit your convenience and We Will
give proper consideration to what you
may have to say"
Committee Turned Down."
When a committee then conferred
with Brown, the brief said, he ques-
toned its credentials and stated: II
don't know why I should receive you
gentlemen. You don't represent any
one. You don't represent the men
in the shop" adding that each striker
had quit on his own account and you
are now on the outside"
The committee asked if the company
would have a vote taken at a future
date. under company auspices, but
Brown replied the company would
never have anything to do with any
such election"
Furthermore, Brown was quoted as
saying, I'VE will not consider taking
back the men in body; We will never
take them back in group"
The brief concluded with the argu-
ment that the strike was turned into
lockout and that 1850 men who repre-
sent more than 81 per cent of the maxi
mum either before the strike or at any
time since its inception" are still de-
prived of work
On that basis action was asked by the
administration.