Evening star., 1934-02-03
STEEL COMPANIES
BREAK WITH N.R.A.
Executives Assert They Will
Resist All Attacks on
Company Unions.
~ tho Associated Press.

~ tho Associated Press
NEW YORK, February 3.-The
steel industry has come to parting
Of the ways with the National Labor
Board of the N. r. A.
Indorsing the position taken by the
Weirton Steel Co. and other concerns,
executives of leading steel companies
issued a statement last night pledging
themselves to resist all attacks upon
their company unions, contending the
unions comply with section IA OF the
N. I. r. A. and that elections author
Ted by an executive order yesterday
might violate it.
The executive order. issued by
President Roosevelt, empowers the
Labor Board to step into any faction
and conduct in its own way elections
OF labor representatives to negotiate
with employers when a substantial
number" of workers ask it.
The statement, which came from
the American Iron & Steel Institute,
trade organization Of the industry,
expressed cooperation with President
Roosevelt and sympathy with section
IA of the N. l. r. A., which grants
employees the right to bargain collec-
lively through representatives OF their
own choosing.
Confusion Feared.
It pointed out, however. that "to
provide that an election shall be held
when a substantial number OF en-
ployes shall demand it and to give to
the National Labor Board the right to
determine what constitutes SUBJ
stantiaP number of employees may
force an election when only hand
ful of discontented workers. who
might be union organizers, demand II.
This is bound to be constant source
of confusion.
ITO make the wish Of a majority
OF the number who shall vote, al
though they may be only a small
percentage of the whole number OF
employees, compulsory upon all the
employees is direct violation OF
Section IA of the national industriaI
recovery act. which gives to any num-
ber of employees the right to choose
their own representatives for collec-
tive bargaining
The statement said the executives
considered the order "a direct threat
against the peaceful industrial rela-
tions long prevailing in the steel in
dustry' and a threat to the entire
recovery program.
They charged bias on the part OF
the board in providing for nomination
of candidates in employees elections
bv petition rather than by the "es-
tablished American custom OF secret
ballots"
The institute statement took ISSUE
with the published statement by the
N. r. A. to the effect that So-callec
company unions are operated by en-
bloyes' representatives" and labeled
it "a fragrant Misrepresentation Of
facts"
Attacks Minority Rule.
1T can indicato nothing other thar
an intention to accomplish complete
domination of all industry, affecting
the lives of millions of people, by
union organizations, which represent
less than 10 per cent of the incustria
employees of the Nation" the state
ment said,
1t describes the employees represen.
tation plan as "a modern and effec,
tive method of collective bargaining,
which Operates in the best Interest
OF all workers and, by promoting peace
and harmony in industrial relations
benefits industry and the con-
suning public
A list of those present at the insti-
tute meeting was not available, bul
It was reported that Ernest t. Weir
head of the Weirton Co., was among
them.
The statement brought no immedi-
ste comment from N. r. A. officials