Montana labor news., 1934-06-14
Wings Over Washington
By LEN DE CAUX

m OF commerce 10 even the re-
vised Wagner labor disputes bill, enc
can figure for oneself the kind OF bid
hey would like. Evidently pleased by
the concessions to company unionism,
both bodies describe the new bill as "a
improvement" over the old, but
they are not yet satisfied. They APP
D~arently would like the bill not only
10 permit but to promote company I'M
ionism in so many words.
**#
Some hopeful labor people expected
the NRA itself to discourage company
unionism, because of the wording Of
Section 7 (a) about the right to or
ganize freely through representatives
Of the workers own choosing. The
was expected from the Railway
Labor Act, with its similar clauses. But
actually company unionism has re
a tremendous impetus from the
NRA. Employers who never bothered
before about it, Immediately set about
organizing their employees against
labor unionism.
#**
Following up the employers rush to
company unionism under the NRA,
the National Industrial Conference
Board, an employers research organ
i%zation, claims that employees under
plans OF employee representation in
creased 1872 per cent in November to
46.5 per cent in May, and employees
dealing through organized labor unions
increased from 10 per cent Of the total
to 90 per cent. From November to
May the number of workers dealing
with their employers through labor
unions increased 47,519, as compared
with an increase of l34,473 in the num-
Der Of workers in employee representa-
tation plans" "Employe representa-
ton plans" are the employers mis-
leading name for company unions. The
figures are said to come from 2,68l
companies employing 2,09S,50S wage
earners-in industries, of course, where
labor unionism has always been weak.
&#&
Considering the source Of the above
figures, as well as the time at which
they are released, it is evident the
employers are well satisfied with the
way Section 7 (a) of the NRA has
worked out. Why then should they
worry about the mild wording OF the
new Wagner bill? As a matter OF
fact, the company union issue is not
one they emphasize in their objections.
##*
The bill the open shop employ ers Of
the manufacturers association would
like would hand them company unions
on a silver platter. 1t would, of course,
fulfill the declared purpose of the Wag-
ner bill in preventing strikes, but
would go further, if the Chamber Of
Commerce had its way, and allow the
employer to interfere with the right"
of workers who may have chosen to
his employ on strike" The bill
they would approve would evidently
not only check strikes by law but, on
the principle hat the law helps those
who help themselves, specifically per-
nit employers to do all the strike
breaking they do anyhow.
#*#
Then both employers bodies seem
worked up about the protection Of
satisfied employees" Gas the Chamber
Of Commerce puts IT'D against coercion
by others who seek to force them into
a sympathetic strike or 4 general
strike; while the N. A. M. walls for
action against coercion by fellow en-
ployes or labor organizations in de-
termining the form of their organiza-
ton, the selection of their representa-
tives, or the protection Of their right
to remain unorganized." They would
both evidently like to have picketing
officially banned and all workers pro
tected' against any form Of union or
ganizing activity.
a#*
Under the law which would draw
unqualified approval from these cham
pions Of American enterprise and in
dividualism, the workers would have
as much freedom as a canned sardine.
Their heads would be cut off by pro
lection" against thinking or organizing,
they would be preserved in company
union oil, and inclosed in alright ans
of anti-strike legislation.
***
These employers don't expect to get
everything they are hollering for
short of outright Fascism-but they
aren't backward in coming forward
with their demands. The rebellious ut
terances of the most outraged workers
are nothing compared to the cool in
science of big employers demands
and the more the employers ask the
more they expect to get away with.
&#&
Dope stories that the administration
doesn't so much mind talk Of big
strikes at a time when it is trying to
make all-or-nothing employers see the
advantage of anti-strike legislation
such as the Wagner bill, need to be
taken with a grain of salt. Those
stories are one way in which the au-
thoritie whistle to keep up their cour-
age, as ever greater numbers of dis
illusioned workers realize that nothing
is going to be handed them on a sill
yer platter and that they will have to
organize and fight for any concessions
they may get.
In Baltimore at John Hopkins, our
friend Munsel is running an economic
kindergarten. Why not move the
think over to Washington Cts only
40 miles, and give II statesmen a
- - - e A. .--.I.-