Montana labor news., 1937-10-21
of Labor
Iteration of Labor,

Frank Morrison.
Secretary, American FEEDER of Labor
Convention of the Amerie deraton of Labor,
Denver, Colorado.
I am authorized by nanimous action of the conference of the
Committee for Industrial lization now being held at Atlantic City to
transmit through you to the American Federation of Labor convention
the following statement:
The Committee for Industrial Organization formed just two years ago
presented to labor a basic idea. Today a magnificent record of achieve
ments and an Overwhelming mass support establishes the c i o a the
most powerful and progressive labor force in the country. The c l. O.
will be the fundamentally whereby labor will achieve industrial and
The program of the c. / 0, as originally announced, has been con
sstently maintained-to organize the unorganized workers To accomplish
this end, it was necessary to initiate an intensive organizing campaign
throughout the country on an industrial basis.
To obtain response from the heretofore unorganized workers 1t was
also essential to assure them democratic control and administration of
their organizations. Both of these measures had been additionally op-
posed by the leadership of the A F. of L.
For many years the progressive forces in the A. F. of L. fought des-
to secure action in order to accomplish organization among the millions
of unorganized workers in the country. But the leadership of the A. F. OIL
numbers and strength.
At the A. F. of L. convention in 1885 it was clear that there was
absolutely no intention to change the policy. The original leaders of the
c. 0. were compelled to organize the committee and initiate its actvi-
ties Immediately following such convention, in order to prevent the A. F
of I. leadership from destroying the clear opportunity to organize millions
of workers.
The c. l. c. today offers a record Of achievement which proves with
fnaHty that its principles and its leaders have correctly expressed the
desperate needs and aspirations of Americans who work for their living.
This record reveals:
A-FrOm the original membership of one million, it has
grown to S,SOOOOO.
B-From eight original international unions it now has amli-
atd SO national and international unions.
C-From a situation of complete absence of unions in the
basic industries unions affiliated with C. l. o. now have over
5000 wage and corporation agreements in STEEL automobile, tex
tile, petroleum, electrical and radio rubber and marine trans
pOTtahOn industries embracing the largest industrial corporations
in the country.
D-These wage agreements have resulted in wage increases
during this short period in excess of one billion dollars. I'm
organized workers have also been the economic benefcaries of
the c. o.
The c. l. o. maintains that the organization of all workers is essential
to the protection of any labor organization. Until the c L o. through
its activity had organized the basic and allied industries. the labor move
ment had been vulnerable to any concerted action from the traditional
enemies of labor For this reason the c. l. c. is fully appreciatve of the
desrabilty in having a unified labor movement in this country
The C. l. c. therefore states as its very definite policy that it is en-
trely in favor of a unified labor movement
However, the c. l. o. has proven conclusively during the past two
years that its basic policies ire essential for the organization of labor. Any
compromise of the principles c. the c. l. o. would in effect be compromis-
ing the very existence of organized labor. The c. l. @. has added over
four million workers to the organized labor movement.
A unified labor movement in this country, with the present combined
strength of approximately eight million workers. offers vast possibilities
for the future strength and position of labor.
The conference of the representatives of the C l. O. unions now as
sembed in Atlantic City has therefore authorized the transmission of the
following proposal to the A. F. of L, at its convention in Denver:
A conference should be assembled at a date which shall be
mutually satisfactory. The G. l. o. further proposes that this
conference should be attended by a committee of 100 from the A.
#. of L. and a committee OF a similar number from the c. l. o.
representing the national and international unions affiliated with
such organizations. This conference would then consider the
methods and means whereby a unified labor movement can be
brought about in America.
(Signed Harvey Fremming Secretary pro-tem)