Evening star., 1934-01-17
STEEL COMPANY u
UNION RULED OUT
Regional Labor Board Holds
Organization Does Not Meet
N. r. A. Demands.
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
ATLANTA, January 1.-THE South
eastern Regional Labor Board ruled to-
day that a plan of employees represent
tation," or company union put into ef-
feet by the Republic Steel Corporation
in Alabama does not meet the labor
requirements OF the national recov-
cry act.
The board ruled also that the action
of employees In selecting other repre-
sentatives to displace those selected un-
der tho plan Of employees representa-
tion" Is valid.
These representatives later selected
are the ones authorized to act for the
employees for collective bargaining in
respect to all questions arising between
them and the management" the ruling
said.
It ruled also that the management
recognize these representatives later
selected; meet with them and make n
| sincere endeavor to adjust all questions
between the employees and the manage
ment, with the right to either side to
bring to the attention OF this board any
problems on which an adjustment Is not
reached"
Weirton Decision Cited.
Labor representatives at a recent
hearing here cited the National Labor
Boards decision in the Weirton Steel
case, now pending before recovery ofh-
cials in washington, as authority Tor
the election Of representatives to bar
gain collectively, to replace those Sc
lected under the employees representa-
ton plan sponsored by the steel COR
poration.
The case came up before the regional
labor board headed by Marion Smith,
prominent Atlanta attorney, on COM
plant of workers in two divisions of
the Republic Steel Corporations works
In Alabama that the corporation dis
eliminated against workers who are
members Of union aff1liated with the
American Federation Of Labor, and re-
fused to treat with workers represent
atives except those chosen under the
company union" plan.
The divisions complaining were the
Raimund Red Ore Mines division at
BesSemer, Ala, and the blast furnace
division at Birmingham.
Miners on Strike.
A strike, affecting about 600 workers,
Is now in effect at the mines division.
The Labor Board urged a return to
work, under conditions prevailing prior
to the strike, and announced today
the company had agreed to the pro-
posal. but that no formal reply had
yet been received from the workers.
1t added, however, that I'VE have rea-
son to believe that they will aquiesce
in this position. In this respect
we commend the attitude of both
parties to this controversy"
The boards ruling applied to both
divisions, and In addition. 1t ruled that
in the case Of the mine, the manage
ment received workers for their tasks,
replacing them according to seniority
and without discrimination as rapidly
as, and to the extent that, the business
situation of the company justifies it
resuming operations and continuing the
same" It recommended also that local
machinery be set up for handling dis
putes of workers
A letter from Borden Burr, attorney
for the corporation, was made public
by the board, announcing the COM
panys willingness to reopen the Raj
mund mine division. although Its re-
opening will be an economic loss re-
quiring the stocking of the ore" He
said the action was taken "to cooper
ate with the desire and function of the
board to lessen and prevent unemploy-
ment" and was taken without waiving
the company's claim that the board Is
without authority in this matter" It
will operate on day shift of eight
hours. five days q week. and employ on
this shift a minimum Of not less than
60 per cent Of the number employed by
it prior to the strike on December II,
1888, Burr said.