Montana labor news., 1937-10-14
STEADY A. F. Of |.
PROGRESS CITED BY
EXECUTIVE COUNCIL
Continued From Page y

Continued From Page y
states, there is now a substantial
body of protective and remedial la
Dor legislation representing resource
full and intelligent work by local
branches as well as the national and
federated organizations.
1.-THE Federation has worked for
state bureaus of labor statistics and
state departments of labor, as well
as parallel federal agencies.
Federation activity has been a
determining factor in securing labor
legislation.
1.-The influence of the Federation
has steadily forced Improvements in
public school system and wider
educational opportunities. We have
been especially concerned for public
schools and libraries for these are
our educational dependencies for
ourselves and our children.
IMPORTANCE OF ECONOMIC
POWER
THE basis of our effectiveness in
political and social fields has been
our growing economic power. We
organized for collective bargaining
with employers in order that we
might have fair standards of hours
and work and good working condi-
tons. Collective bargaining gave us
a new status in industry. We were
recognized as an essential functional
group within industry with rights as
well as responsibilities.
HOURS REDUCED; WAGES
RAISED
1--WE have reduced the work week
Is hours and increased our buying
power 80 per cent with a resulting
higher standard of living. We have
steadily raised the level Of collective
bargaining conferences between EN-
ployers and employees.
Union executives now know as
much about the management and
financial conditions of their COM
panies as do the business executives
Our policies and proposals have al
ways been constructive and not de-
s~tructive. We have sought u adj
vantage and welfare as integral parts
of the industries employing us, as
Stunning that prosperity for u in
dustries and companies means prog
ress for us provided we are in 6
position to bargain for a fair division
of returns from joint work.
BUSINESS RECORDS MUST
BE OPEN TO UNION
REPRESENTATIVES,
GAS Labor is a participating part
ner in production procedures ant
directly affected by the bushes.
status of the company, all financia
and production records should bt
freely available to the duly chosen
representatives of the work force.
THE work force is historically thu
first human element in production
and it now seeks to regain its los
heritage of partnership from which
owners of capital have elected it.
Labor recognizes the rights o.
other groups necessary to production
and would not interfere with them
but it does resent usurpation o
workers rights and the building III
of special privileges by abusing
strategic control.
1--WE believe that there should b.
for workers attached to a work forc'
a fundamental job security CROWN,
out of their investment of work il
the enterprise. Accompanying &C
ceptance of their right to a job, WI
must make more explicit workers
rights in their jobs.
"The organized labor movement
believes that the important and en-
during things in life are kindness
fellowship, and cooperation. b,
irony Of circumstances we are force,
to concentrate on contending TO
justice with respect to the materia
things of life so that we have all to
little time for opportunities TO
higher living"