Evening star., 1937-06-22
BY ]. A. FOX.

Nth the other organization.
BY J. A. FOX.
The drive to line up Government
employees in the labor forces Of John
l.. Lewis started today.
Under the aegis of the Committee
3or Industrial Organization, provi-
sioual union, to be known as the
United Federal Workers of America,
essAoltsfed headquarters in the Offices
OF the United Mine Workers of Ameri-
CO h the Tower Building, with Jacob
Baker, until just now assistant ad-
ministrator in the Federal Emergency
Relief Administration and Works
Ppgress Administration, as president.
Formation of the union, which gets
Its charter today, was announced late
yesterday in a statement from Lewis,
which was made public by his brother,
A. D. Lewis.
Executives Barred.
It will be a rank-and- file organiza-
: ton, with executives with authority
to hire or discharge" barred from
membership.
The nucleus with which it starts
estimated by the members themselves
At 4,300-is principally Of New Deal
agency workers who hitherto have
constituted the liberal bloc of the
American Federation of Government
Employees, affiliate of the American
Federati ton of Labor.
The organizing activities, according
TO Baker, will be confined at the out
set to those esta blishments in which
interest has been shown in C. l. O.
afiliation, spreading then from this
focal point For the present, Lewis
statement said, postal employees will
not be eligible for membership. 1t
4 intended, however, to take in the
newly formed Guild of Congressional
Secretaries.
Strikes and picketing are barred.
The Lewis statement follows:
The Committee for Industrial
Organization feels that Government
workers, numerous groups Of whom
have made application for affiliation
with the Committee for Industrial
Organization, are entitled to have
serious consideration given to the
problems confronted by Federal
workers.
Numerous conferences have been
held between representa- of the
chairman of the Committee for In
dustrial Organization and Federal
employe groups, and it is our judg-
ment that provisional union should
Be formed to be known as the United
Federal Workers of America. With
this in view, I have selected Mr..
Jacob Baker to act during the organic
as president Of the provisional organi-
xation. Mr.. Baker, who is we'll known
throughout Government circles, hav-
ing acted for the past several years
Is assistant administrator of the
Federal Emergency Relief Administra-
ton and the Works Progress Ad-
ministration, is thoroughly familiar
with Government procedure and an
executive and organizer of national
repute.
To Direct Campaign.
He will be charged with the re-
sponsdbility OF conducting an organ
iNng campaign among Government
workers, and with the approval OF
the chairman of the Committee for
Industrial Organization, and as the
necessity arises, he will select policy
board in which geography and con-
centration Of Federal employees will
be given consideration Mr.. Baker
will have charge of the organizing
staff and he will enunciate the policy
Of the provisional organization.
"All Federal employees will be
eligible for membership in the United
Federal Workers of America, except
executives with authority to hire or
discharge, members Of the military
and for the time being postal en-
ployes.
plans for the completion Of the
organization will be subject to change
from time to time and new policies
will be added with the approval of
the Committee for Industrial Organi-
milton. The new union will later
Hdopt a program designed to improve
working conditions, salaries, tenure
Of ONCE and promote the enactment
Of legislation that will provide labor
board to which the Government en-
ployes can appeal for the adjustment
Of grievances.
'The policy of the provisional
United Federal Workers of America
and all of its affiliated branches will
at all times be enunciated by the
international executive officers through
and with the consent of the national
policy board Of the organization and
In conformity with the ideals of the
Committee for Industrial Organiza-
ton.
C. I. 0. Lends Finance Aid.
because OF the circumstances sur
rounding the employment of Federal
workers, strikes and picketing shall
be deemed q violation Of the principles
Of the provisional organization. The
Committee for Industrial Organization
will assume the initial financial obli-
cations necessary, will extend organ
izing assistance and personnel, as
well Is the facilities OF the several
Offices of the Committee for In
dustrial Organization set up through
out the United States, and the
organizing campaign Of the provisional
union will be under the direct super
vision Of the chairman Of the Com
mittee for Industrial Organization
One OF Bakers first tasks will be
The selection of the policy board. which
will hay the lines ON which the U. F. w.
will function, and decide, among other
things, on the dues to be assessed
against members. He also plans to
set up 4 small organizing staff at
once.
In discussing briefly the organizing
plans. Baker told newsmen that
quite . bit Of interest had been
evinced in old-line agencies" in the
prospective c. I. O. set-up, which was
drst announced earlier this month.
EfafAsnAnf En1lnws parlAv