The Omaha guide., 1935-06-01
Wagner Labor Bill
Threatens Negro
Workers i'm Industry

New York City, May 3O.-ANP
Opposition Of the National Orb
an League toward the present
form Of the Wagner Labor Dis
putes Bill now before Congress
was explained this week when
Lester b. Granger, secretary Of
the Workers Bureau made pub
he the contents Of a letter sent
by the National Urban League to
William Green, president Of the
American Federation Of Labor.
The A. F. of L. was called upon
10 support an amendment to the
bill that would define unfair
practices by labor unions, so as
to remove the existing threat Of
driving Negro workers entirely
out Of some lines of industry.
The Wagner Bill, introduced in
the Senate by Mr.. Wagner of
New York and in the House Of
Representatives by Connery; Mas
sachusetts, would clarity, strengt-
en- and make permanent the pro-
visions of the famous Section IA
Of NRA protecting the rights Of
organized labor. 1t provides for
outlawing the company union
and establishing the closed shop
by agreement between employer
and worker. The bill further pro
vides that agreements between
employers and workers must be
made through representatives
elected by the majority of work
ers, and that these representatives
shall have the exclusive right to
bargain with employers on behalf
Of all workers in a plant or indus
try
In his letter to the A. T. Of u.
president Mr.. Granger declared
that the bill in its present form
represents a real threat to the Sc
curity of one and a half million
Negroes employed in organizable
industry. As long as many unions
bar colored workers from mem
bership, it would be suicidal for
Negroes to have such a union
chosen as their official spokesman
with employers. Yet, under the
present provisions of the Wagner
bill, wherever the union enrolls
the majority of workers in a plant
this would be the case by law.
The result would be the establish
ment of closed shop agreements
shutting Negroes out of plants en-
tirely and losing thousands of
jobs to the race.
MI. Changers letter said In
part:
Ny dear Mr.. Green:
"The loyalties of more than one
and one-half million Negroes en-
ployed in organizable industry
are too important to be disregard
ed by the American Federation of
Labor in its fight for passage Of
the Wagner-C onnery Labor Dis
putes Bill. Located, for the most
part, in Northern states and In
many cases welding a theoretical
balance of voters power, these
one-and one-half million workers
should be enrolled as staunch
supporters of this legislation to
improve the bargaining strength
of organized labor.
Such support is not possible
under the present provisions Of
the bill which fail to protect Ne
groes from unfair practices by
some bodies Of organized labor.
Section 8 A would give a monopo-
ly in workers representation to
many unions from which Negroes
are excluded by constitution or
ritual. Thus, a minority Of Ne
groes employed in a plant or in
dustry dominated by such a union
would find themselves "repre-
sented' solely by the very union
which seeks to keep them out of
industry. a closed shop might
thereby be established which
would exclude them entirely from
an occupation.
In order that the American
Federation of Labor shall take
this opportunity to push for real
democracy In trade unionism an
ideal preached in countless state
ments by the Executive Commit
tee; the National Urban League
urges that the Bill in its present
form be amended to include the
following provision as 5 B: