Montana labor news., 1937-12-23
UNIONS HOLD
STATE CONFERENCE
Continued from Page y

lIOlis
A resolution submitted by the
Miners Union urged the convention
to go on record for the O'Connell
measure. This is a bill introduced
by Jerry O'Connell which proposes
an addition appropriation of one
billion, five hundred million imme-
diately to carry on WPA work. 1t
was passed.
One of the most important reso-
lutions related to an establishment
of a state Central Unemployed
Council for the purpose of looking
after all phases of the state and
WPA problems and to keep a check
on unemployment. This resolution
was amended to provide that the
relief committee of the Butte Miners
Union be established as a state re-
lief agency or council until such a
time as a permanent state %organiza-
ton could be effected.
Another resolution provided for
the formation of relief committees
in every local union and farm or
ganization. It vas then provided
that these relief committees should
work in cooperation with the Cen
trail Unemployed Council just re-
ferred to. These two resolutions
would have a tendency to CONSOLE
date all problems and grievances
arising throughout the state of Mon
tana into one central state council.
Quite an important resolution
was introduced by the Butte Build
ing Trades Council. It referred to
road work being done and being
contemplated in this state. The
resolution bitterly opposed the prac-
tice of importing labor from out of
the state Of Montana. The resolu-
ton provided a protest to the High
way Commission and the Governor
and the Bureau of Public Roads, also
to the Department of Agriculture.
A committee was appointed to in
terview these various state agencies
and officials and protest to them
against the practice of continuing
these practices.
Identification of Fort Peck to pro-
vide work was advocated. Also the
convention demanded of the High
way Commission and the Bureau of
Public Roads that a winter program
Of building be started Immediately
and also insisted that the work that
was started on the Roger Pass Road
be finished. Also that a survey be
made of all public buildings in the
state of Montana so that repairs and
any other necessary work could be
started Immediately to provide work
for building mechanics and labor
ers.
Another resolution provided that
all Court Houses, Post Offices and
other public buildings which need
repairs should be surveyed and in
vestigated and that political agen-
cies Immediately appropriate money
to make necessary repairs.
Single men and women came in
for a good deal of consideration in
many Of the resolutions and yell
lowstone County at Billings was
especially urgent that the practice
of making a whole family, a father,
mother, daughter and son, working
on WPA in order to get $48 should
be abolished. Yellowstone County
had some other resolutions. Most
of them from the cannery workers
union. One of these stated condi-
tons are now so bad in Yellowstone
County that even the Associated In
dustries have asked the Federal
government for aid to increase the
quota on WPA. This resolution
stated that WPA had been cut to
about one-third what it was a year
ago, in spite of the fact that I'M
employment has increased. A prop
osition to endorse recall petitions
to eliminate officials from security
boards was introduced and carried.
The resolution stated that the old
setups still function in the same old
way and that an effort should be
made to abolish the old practices of
discrimination.
The convention went on record as
approving the calling of a special
session of the Legislature. 1t also
went on record as approving the
Cooperative Publishing Company at
Helena.
Henry Murray and William Da-
vey, both of the Workers Alliance,
submitted a resolution termed "Pro-
gram of Action" The most i'm
portant section of it related to the
right of unions to certify their own
members for relief and WPA work.
This wa quite a novel idea and the
convention adopted it.
All in all, the convention CONSOLE
dated unemployment grievances and
brought to light many current
abuses. The Miners Union was CIV
en- a standing vote of thanks for
calling the convention together.
Sylvester Graham of Butte Miners
was chairman and conducted the
meeting in splendid fashion. His
decisions were fair and impartial.
A.. S. Bruce of the Farmers Union
was elected secretary and served
with distinction Dennis Mccarthy