Montana labor news., 1934-04-19
MINE OWNERS
FIGHT WAGNER
LAB OR Bill
MIGHT DESTROY FRIENDLY RE-
LATI0NSHIP BETWEEN MINE
OPERATORS AND EMPLOYEES.

.
Enactment Of the Wagner labor bill
now before Congress would carry di-
rect threat to recovery in the mining
industry of the nation and disturb the
friendly relationships now existing be-
tween employees and employers in
that industry, according to A. G..
Mackenzie, Secretary of the Utah
Chapter of The American Mining Con-
gress, in a statement before the Sem
ate Committee considering the bill on
Saturday.
All industry would be similarly af-
fected, Mr.. Mackenzie declared. at
is the firm conviction of our indus
try that legislation and the threat Of
Legislation of this type are seriously
disrupting the productive organization
of this country" said Mr.. Mackenzie.
Passage of the Wagner bill OF the
continuance of agitations therefor will
ultimately disrupt and destroy the pro-
cess of industrial recovery upon which
we have made a substantial start.
The arrangements of the companies
represented in The American Mining
Congress have striven for years to
build on a sound foundation a mutual
feeling of respect and confidence with
their employees. The promotion of
such relationships has come to be a
principle of management accepted by
all self-respecting organizations.
"a large majority Of the units of
our industry throughout the nation
have given large amounts of unem-
ployment relief work and through fl
~nancial advances and relief have lar
gely carried the responsibility for the
support of their regular employees
throughout the depression. These
efforts mark an attainment and have
resulted in a relationship never before
approached in any depression in this
country.
"The proposed Wagner labor bill is
an attack upon these relationships
and these efforts. Our employees are
already being approached by organi-
zers and claiming that the government
has condemned the relationships now
existing between employees and en-
ployers.
Industry in this country has been
built and has made it's remarkable
progress both financially and in gem
eral improvement of living standards
on the basis of freedom of individual
progress on merit. 1t is an inevitable
conclusion that the RECOMMENDATION of
labor against management will destroy
this social and economic advantage
which is the foundation Of the success
of our American institutions. All
industry is having its resources daily
tested to meet the ever-mounting de-
mands of taxation and other forms of
public exactions in addition to the
continuous drains from the business
depression. Industry can only CON
tinue to meet these demands if its
productive efficiency-the co-opera-
tive morale of its personals main
tanned. This legislation will destroy
that efficiency and if it does the whole
structure falls.
"To those familiar with the con
ditions of employment of the vast ma
jority of the workmen of the United
States it is difficult to understand the
thought that implies the need for la
Dor boards functioning as courts as
set up by the bill. The United States
has its courts of justice that are avail
able now as they have always been
to any individual or group seeking re-
dress"
The A. F. Of L. has endorsed the
bill despite employer protests.