The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-03-06
Nib. Stalls
Steel Case
Worker In Birmingham
Tells How Government
Helps To Maintain A
Company Union
By a Republic Steel Worker


BIRMINGHAM, Ala.-The en-
ployeeS of the Republic Steel Cor
poration are waiting for the deci-
sion of the National Labor Board
on the hearing held before that
body Feb. Is, on their demand for
recognition Of a bona f1de labor
union, instead of a company union.
The company refuses to recognize
the committees Of the International
Union OF Mine, Mill and Snelter
Workers, which represents about 80
per cent of the employees of the
Thomas works of the Republic Steel
Corporation.
The company claims that the
company union plan was unani-
mously adopted in June 1888, by
secret ballot in which election 80
per cent of the employees partici-
pated, and that therefore the COM
pany is not bound by any other
union.
Here are the facts: The company
posted bulletins calling an election
within 4S hours. There was no time
for the employees to get together.
The company ran the whole show.
They ruled on who was eligible to
vote and who was eligible for office.
There was no place on the ballot
to vote a choice between the COM
pany union and bona fide union.
So enough votes we're cast for a
company union representative. But
this was not a vote of choice be-
tween the two unions.
About Sept. Is, a meeting was
held in Pratt City Hall, and a union
Of the I.UM. and S.W. was organ
lied. In less than two months, more
than 80 per cent Of the Thomas
plant employees were affiliated. At
this time, certain bosses began to
discriminate against the more mill
tant members of the union, dis
charging them on the slightest pre-
text, and in some cases on no pre-
text at all.
Our grievance committees tried
to get an appointment with the
management, but were denied an
audience. A petition signed by more
than 400 of the men failed to get
the committee recognized. The
company did, however, say that the
bona fide committee could take up
the case with the joint committee
of the company union, which would
have put us just where we were in
the beginning. This we refused to
do.
At the hearing before the Ma
tional Labor Board, the company
lawyers were defiant. The company
is trying to wear us out and break
our morale. Because every time
there is a new move before the gov
eminent, it takes long long wait
before anything happens.
The company Is passing word
around that they will be shot down
before they will recognize the
union.
When the general manager found
we were organizing, he called a
meeting of all white employees, and
said to them: Boys, you have a
right to organize, but union or non
union, you will all be treated alike.
There will be no advantage in be-
longing to union. You will be pay
ing out your money for nothing.
The company has been your friend
and I appeal for your loyalty to the
company"
He also implied that the com
pany had been running at a loss
just to keep us employed. That's
the line they hand out to get the
suckers on the hook. Then he said:
We have had harmony here and
we hope to continue to be blessed
by good feeling and coopera-
ton between the management and
employees. But there is one thought
I woul like to leave with you. You
can shut the plant down, and the
company can shut it down. But only
the company can start it up"
That was his line, but it failed
to scare us. We kept on organizing,
and we will keep on fighting, white
and Negro, against the bad condi-
tions. Put rank and file leaders in
place of the demagogues at the
head Of the A. F. Of L. and then
we will get what we want.