Evening star., 1937-01-25

conferences and llsssss&3:
convers ations David Lawrence.
have been secret,
and except for differences to be drawn
from the controversial statements Is
sued by the disputants there has been
no wav of knowing how far the par
ties are in agreement and on what
points they are in disagreement.
In the hope that this may stimulate
a general discussion Of peace plans,
the following suggestions are offered
as a basis for immediate resumption
OF work in all plants:
First, the President of the United
States would be requested by the par
ties to the present dispute to appoint
a special board of nine persons, con-
sisting Of three representatives OF
organized labor Gncluding at least
one from the American Federation OF
Labor and one from the Committee on
Industrial Organization), three rep
resentativeS of the automobile manu-
facturers of America, and the Secre-
tarv of Labor, the Assistant Secre-
tarv of Labor and the Governor OF
Michigan. The chairman of the group
would be the Secretary Of Labor.
Election Would Follow.
Second, this board shall submit
within 60 days to the President OF the
United States for his approval or dis
approval or modification, but for his
6nal determination, a plan containing
the rules for holding an election to de-
termine the unit or units OF collective
bargaining in the automobile IN
dustry.
Third, the plan shall give every
workman in every plant in the lndus-
try. no matter where located, an oppor-
tunity by secret ballot to designate
what organization, If any, shall act
as his agent in collective bargaining,
and the ballot shall plainly indicate
all possible units of bona fide workers
organizations, including craft unions
of the A. F. of L. and the unions OF the
Committee on Industrial Organization,
which the worker may appoint to act
for him in negotiating wages and
hours with the employers OF his own
plant or with the corporate manage
nent of the whole company, as the
worker himself may indicate by his
ballot.
Fourth, on the result of the elec-
tions will depend the composition OF
the permanent workers council which
IL to represent the workers in their
negotiations with the general man
agement Of the employer company or
companies. Representation on this
workers council shall be proportionate
TO the voting strength of each OF the
groups or organizations specified on
the ballot.
Would Deal With Groups.
Fifth, the company will agree IN
advance to recognize the workers
council as the sole bargaining agency
representing the men who have by
their votes formally consented to per-
nit the council to act as their respec-
tive agents. All workmen who prefer
direct negotiations with their plant
arrangements, either through craft
unions or local committees OF their
own, may do so, but the company
agrees in advance not to give less
favorable or more favorable terms in
hours and wages to any group, whether
or not they are represented in the
workers council.
Sixth, the company agrees in the
event of disagreement between the
members Of the workers council on
matters of wages and hours to nego-
tiate with one or more representa-
tives constituting section of the
council or with members of the coun-
Gil individually on behalf Of their
constituents, and pledges that it will
not discriminate between groups, but
will give as favorable terms to any one
group as it may agree to give to any
other group whenever separate nego-
tiatiers may occur.
Seventh, local grievance committees
are to be established in each plant to
take care of all local disputes apart
from wages and hours, but with the
right of appeal to the council in the
event that no agreement in the solu-
tion Of local dispute has been posi-
BILE after three months of negotiations
between local employe committees and
local employer representatives in any
local plant.
Provides Financial Liability.
Eighth, agreements between the
workers council and the employers
with reference to wages and hours are
to be for stated periods and a stipula-
ton Is to be entered whereby both par
ties agree in advance to accept court
jurisdiction to determine financial
liability in the event that the con-
tracts are violated by any signatory
group, and no strike of any kind or
any lockout shall be authorized by
any group of workers or by the en-
ployers during the period of such con-
tract.
Ninth, agreement by the parties to |
the submission Of q test suit in the |
proper court or courts with evidence
TO be offered expeditiously so as to
determine the legality of the "sit-
down" strike, and the rights Of both
sides are not to be prejudiced with re-
spect to the use of sit-down strikes or
lockouts or the utilization Of property
rights during the period Of the itiga-
ton.
Tenth, both sides agree to resume
work Immediately on the acceptance
Of the foregoing terms and all sit
down" strikers are to be taken back
to work without prejudice or dis
elimination in their future relations
with the employers.
Gets Over Hurdle.
The importance Of such an agree |
ment lies in the fact that 1t gets over |
the hurdle which has made it i'm
practical to use the machinery of the
Wagner labor relations law. John |
Lewis says the law will be declared
unconstitutional and cannot be en-
forced because of lower court in
functions, while the employers now
hesitate to avail themselves Of one