Montana labor news., 1935-01-03
Imposition of Codes On Backward Industries,
Equal Labor Representation On All Boards,
Adequate Compliance, Among Things Favored

NAL consideration of these
d~ations, which were submitted Satur-
day, December Is, the National In
them public in the belief that Discus
sion of all such proposals is desirable.
The Labor Advisory Board is COM
posed Of the following well-known
people: William Green, acting chair
man; John P. Frey, J. A. Franklin,
Sidney Hillman, M. J. McDonough,
ames M. Duffy, A. o. Wharton, John
L. Lewis, Father Francis J. Haas,
Charles P. Howard, D. w. Tracy,
Thomas F.. Mcmahon and Rose
Schneiderman.
The text Of the memorandum, Of
especial concern to all organized labor
and to wage arner generally, is as
follows
The Labor Advisory Beard has en-
deavored to play an active and impor-
tant part in the NRA organization since
its creation in June of 1888. AS adj
visers to labor in the field and as adj
visers to the administrative ~organiza-
ton, it has participated in the draft
ing Of the labor provisions of each code
Of fair competition. 1t has e~ndeavored
to aid in the administration and inter-
probation of these industrial laws dur
ing the past II months, carrying almost
complete responsibility for those la
Dor sections dealing with wages, hours
and conditions Of employment.
In the light of the experience
gained in this most important for
NATIVE period, we submit the fol-
lowing recommendations for neces-
sary changes in the National Indus
trial Recovery Act. We premise
these recommendations on our be-
lief that the NRA should be per-
petuated as a permanent part of
the Nations social and economic
structure and that its underlying
assumptions should be strength
ened rather than drastically up
set. We believe, however, that if
the underlying assumption of eco
nomic democracy is to be even ap-
preached, these recommendations
must be carried out. They are
aimed at correcting the outstand-
ing failures of the NRA to ac-
complish this objective for labor.
Voluntary Character of Codes.
Section ga Of Title | Of the act pro-
vides that trade or industrial associa-
tons or groups may apply for codes of
fair competition. Yet, II months after
the approval Of the act, there are a
large number of major industries, en-
ploying hundreds of thousands of work.
ers, that have failed to voluntarily sub
init any codes. Other important indus
tries have submitted codes whose labor
provisions are so unacceptable to labor
and to the Administration that they
could not be approved.
In these cases labor remains not only
without the protection Of minimum
wage and maximum hours provisions,
but without even code coverage Of
Section IA of the act as to collective
bargaining rights to better their po-
sition. In other cases it has been la
boris unhappy experience that the volu-
tary character Of the codes submitted
by industry has resulted in frequent
imposition of undesirable provisions on
labor in the industry.
The Labor Advisory Board does not
believe that the purpose Of the act to
provide for the general welfare by pro-
noting the organization of industry
and to maintain united action of labor
and management under adequate gov
ernmental supervision can be accom-
plished on the sole basis OF voluntary
action by industry. The experience so
far shows that this can only result in
statements or deliberate inaction in
many important industries.
We, therefore, recommend that
the act be amended to give power
to a special board, on which labor
shall have equal representation, to
impose labor codes on any indus
try which has not voluntarily pre-
scented IN acceptable code, to make
amendments to any code which in
the boards judgment requires
amendment, and to apply Section
IA Of the act to any industry,
trade, or group which has not been
codified. In this way, and only in
this way, will the purposes of the
act be e~ffectuated.
Wage Provisions.
Section / of Title l Of the act de-
clares the policy Of Congress to be,
among other things, TO eliminate I'M
fair practices to increase the con-
sumption of industrial and agricul-
tural products by increasing purchas-
ing power -" In order to accomplish
this purpose, each code provides a min
imum wage which has brought the
wages paid TO the least skilled and least
experienced workers in the trade or in
dustry up to a minimum standard.
But this group Of unskilled and in
experienced workers represents a small
part of the 100000 wage earners in
American industry. Hence the major
ity of those workers covered by codes
have been left to the protection of
some wishful thinking clause calling for
an equitable adjustment of all those
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