Montana labor news., 1937-09-02

by WlildIn GIeen
President, American Federation
of Labor.
On Labor Day our thoughts are not
conferred entirely upon material ach-
ievements, important though they
may be. Instead, we turn to a SER
ious consideration of the social and
economic aspects of life, with spec
ial emphasis upon the enduring and
real. All the plans and aims of the
American Federation of Labor To-
Gus upon a desire to secure for the
masses of the people advance in the
cultural, spiritual and educational
phases of human life. We are deep
ly conscious of the fact, however,
that the attainment of these higher
ideals rests upon the standards of
living which we are able to establish
through the exercise of Il econ
omic influence. When we have es-
tablished the practice of collective
bargaining and no longer have to
waste our energies in maintaining
this right there will be more time for
the development of those forces
within us that release our creative
and cultural abilities.
Let us turn first to the field of
work. There has been a steady de
cline in the number of unemployed
during the past year and we have
reason to hope for an even greater
improvement in the months just
ahead.
A review of the events of the year
marked by Labor Day 1897 disclos-
es a record of achievement and pro-
gress which is heartening to the
workers of our Nation. The Amer
lean Federation of Labor has increas-
ed its membership by nearly three
quarters of a million members since
last Labor Day. This does not take
into consideration the membership
of those organizations which left
the American Federation of Labor
and formed the c. l. 0. Extension
of union agreements parallels in
crease in the scope and strength of
union organization. Workers who
never before dared organize and ask
for a voice in determining the con-
ditions and pay under which they
work, are now negotiating wage
agreements through their elected
representatives.
We have also made progress in
the legislative field. AS no law is
effective until the Supreme
Court approves it, we find satisfac-
ton in the favorable ruling of the
United States Supreme Court on the
constitutionality of three most i'm
portant laws concerning the work.
ers - the National Labor Relations
Act, the Social Security Act and
minimum wage legislation.
With the definite establishment
Of the constitutionality of the Nat
Labor Relations Act has come
a realization to the workers that they
are free to organize and establish
machinery for collective bargaining
without fear of retaliation or dis
elimination on the part Of their en-
ployers and those controlling their
jobs. theoretically the workers
have been free for many years, yet
in actual practice they have found
it difficult to exercise this right in
many instances prior to the time the
National Government assumed res
possibility for maintaining this right,
We are proud of the progress made
IN providing against those emergen-
lies that befall most wage earners -
Did age and unemployment. Every
state now has an approved unem-
oloyment compensation plan under
he Social Security Act. Forty-two
states have old age assistance laws
which the Federal Government
also contributes. This is amazing pro-
gress in so short a time and is of
'eal interest to those workers in COW
cred occupations. We are now free
plan for the enlargement of the
scope of coverage of the several state
avs as well as improving the pro
already made. This should
De one of the major detectives of
tate declarations of labor during the
year.
Labor is vitality concerned also
With the old age benefit provisions
# the Social Security Act and Rail
Dad Retirement Act. AS experience
points the way it is hoped that the
.lassifications of workers included
these provisions will be definitely
,roadened. There are altogether
90 many cagtegories of workers ex-
luded from the provisions of the
Id age benefit plan under the Social
security Act. This has been due in
,art to difficulties of administering
he provisions for some groups Of
workers and it may be that some
cheme will have to be devised be-
ore the majority of these excluded
Continued IN Daua 11l