Montana labor news., 1938-04-14
The Cause Of Me Banners in
Front OF The Stores

Many people are puzzled over the contradictory signs IN front
Of some of the meat markets, and, while it is simple enough to
those who are on the inside, it is not surprising that the general
public should be confused.
The Silver Bow Trades and Labor Council at its last meeting
ordered that an explanation be made of this situation so that
people will know what is going on.
Under the craft structure Of the American Federation of Labor,
each trade comes under its own organization, its own union. There
are in the American Federation OF Labor about lis of these inter-
national trade unions representing nearly all the crafts IN Amer,
can industry. For instance, the carpenters have an International
union; the teamsters have an international union; the clerks have
an International union OF their own, and SO on. A person, either
man or woman, working at a particular trade is supposed to be-
long to his own union.
Some months ago the teamsters took into their union a num-
Der of butchers. The local union of the butchers asked the team
sters to release these men. Inc teamste 4 refused, ana negotla-
lions continued between the two organizations but without reach
ing a settlement. Finally the Butchers Union asked the Silver
Bow Trades and Labor Council to help them get members of their
organization back from the teamsters. A committee from the
Trades and Labor Council met with committees of the butchers
failed also. Finally the Trades and Labor Council sent out letters
to all of the meat markets which were employing butchers who
certain definite time in which to employ members of the butchers
organization. Some shops complied, others ignored the letters.
The Butchers Union then decided that they would put ban
ners in front Of the meat markets which had refused to employ
members of their union. One OF these is now being carried in
unfair to the Silver Bow Trades and Labor Council and to the
Butchers Union. However, in the meantime the Teamsters Union
it was fair because the butchers working in that establishment
were members of the Teamsters Union. The teamsters then placed
that market is unfair. The Metropolitan Market employs mem
bers of the Butchers Union, and is fair to the Silver Bow Trades
and Labor Council and to the Butchers Union. 1t is complying
with the rules and regulations OF the American Federation OF
Labor.
Inc cleIkS OTBdulZdtOu, DGu6NLlS Lud LS ISLSI dlG 4lSAlj
in this matter, are attempting to assist them and to that end have
taken all of the clerks out of the Eclipse stores. About % men,
bers of the clerks are involved.
The situation in this circumstance is simply that if there is
to be any consistent policy or order or procedure in the organized
labor movement Of this community, and if organized labor is to
follow the outline that has been established by the American
Federation of Labor, each craft must belong to its own union. The
BARRIERS must be in the BARRIERS Union; the engineers must belong
to the Engineers Union. But butchers should not belong to the
Teamsters. There are about 40 butchers in the Teamsters Union
While that may be SO, nevertheless now that their own union, the
Butchers, have asked to have them released they should be turned
back to the Butchers Union where they ~rightfully belong.
Now, this is the reason for the banners. 1t is a battle as to
whether the policy established and developed in the American
and Labor Council and the Butchers Union are trying to preserve
this orderly procedure and the public is requested to support them
in this endeavor.
The Committee for Industrial Organization does not enter
into the affair. The two unions involved are both members OF
the A. F. of L.
by the Silver Bow Trades Council.
Merchants are urged to cooperate with the Silver Bow Trades
and Labor Council by acceding to the request OF the Butchers
Union and the council, by assisting them IN every way possible
The following summary of the controversy, by a Miners Union
delegate to his union, gives a splendid and unbiased account OF
the controversy:
Union the apparently inconsistent situation which exists at present
in the Butchers-Teamsters controversy, particularly with refer
ence to the two banners in front of the Western Meat Company
and the banner in front of the Metropolitan Meat Market. In the
case of the Western Meat Company, the Silver Bow Council notl-
fled them to employ members of the Butchers Union IN their shop,
and not employ members of the Teamsters Union. This they re-
fused to do, at the instigation of the Transfers Union, who had
ers Union. This has brought about a situation whereby the Team
lsters Union are taking the attitude they can dictate to all other
unions in Butte what they can and cannot 40 Inc unions alill-
mined that the Teamsters Union shall not dictate to the labor
movement of Butte. When the Butchers Union hammered the
Western Meat Company, the Transfers Immediately put a banner
in front of the same place stating that the Western Meat Company
lis fair to organized labor. Later on the Transfers Union put a
banner in front of the Metropolitan Meat Market, stating that that
shop was unfair" to organized labor. This action on the part
of the Transfers Union was evidently intended to confuse the
public, and was a direct challenge to the rest OF organized labor