Montana labor news., 1937-11-25
CENTRAL
TRADES and LABOR
COUNCIL ORGANIZED

Last night at a meeting held in
Kalispell hall, some "a delegates
from eight Kalispell unions met and
organized the Flathead Central
Trades and Labor Council, the first
central body, it is believed, to ever
be organized in the Flathead, and
the first union activity of conse-
quence to take place for some 20
years in this locality.
The primary purpose of the coun-
Gil is to promote the cause of organ
lied labor in the community, to o
operate with and assist the various
local unions in any labor c%ontrover-
sizes that may arise, in that only the
most amicable feeling may exist be-
tween the employer of union labor
and the worker who elects to belong
to a union. By organizing such a
group local labor leaders are con-
fident that the best interests of the
employer and the employee can be
more quickly served in an emergen-
cy, and the rights of the public in
general more adequately protected.
The delegates were very fortunate
in having as their guest, for their
initial meeting, Commissioner of La
Dor Edward O'Byrne, of Helena,
from the state Department of Agri-
culture, Labor and Industry. Mr..
O'Byrne gave a most interesting and
informative talk on the labor set-up
within the state. He stressed the i'm
portance of organization among the
laboring classes, and of the enforce
ment of existing labor laws, particu-
larly the eight-hour law, and brought
out the fact that recent court action
throughout the state on this law has
actually jeopardized the will of the
people as expressed on the statute
books Of the state. In closing, Mr..
O'Byrne expressed his best wishes
for the success of the newly formed
organization.
The following officers and trus-
tees were elected: President, Chas. G..
Graves; vice president, A. E. Mer-
Ger; ecretary-treasurer, G. B. Baker;
sergeant-at-arms Joe Dzivi; trustees,
Fred Meacham, Ingvald Anderson,
Jack Hale.
The newly organized labor group
is chartered under the American
Federation of Labor, and in the
words of President Graves, upon ac-
cepting his office: ''The organization
of the Flathead Central Trades and
Labor Council bespeaks a new era
for organized labor here in Kalispell
and vicinity. It shall be my purpose
and that of my associate officers to
do our best to promulgate only the
friendliest of feeling in our associa-
ton with employers of labor and
fellow craftsmen, and with the CO.
operation of these groups we shall
endeavor to prove that a 100 per
cent union town can be a happy com
munity of well-paid and satisfied
workers and fair-minded, successful
employers"
The local unions with representa-
ton in the council are as follows: In
ternational Brotherhood Of Electro
cal Workers No. 1853; Chauffeurs,
Transfers and Helpers No. 593; In
ternational Hold Carriers, Building
and Common Laborers Union of
America No. 1892; Operative Plas-
terers and Cement Finishers Inter
national Association, No. 436; Inter
national Association of Machinists,
No. 1882; international Carpenters
and Jointers, No. Oil; Brotherhood
of Painters, Decorators and Paper
hangers of America, No. 975; Kalis-
pell Typographical Union, No. 1872.
The council will meet each week
Continued on Page g.