Montana labor news., 1938-05-05
Mill WORKERS MEET
AT MCINTOSH HALL

N3Ef $3.50
800 men held a meeting last night to
hear Mr.. Jean Matheny of Portland,
Oregon, and Mr.. Joe Boyd, of Ia
coma, Washington.
Mr., Matheny, representative of the
United Brotherhood of Carpenters
and Joiners, explained the organiza-
ton Of lumber and sawmill workers
in the Northwest. He traced the
Federal Unions set up during the
MIRA years and later the organiza-
ton of loggers and mill men under
the Brotherhood Of Carpenters. He
stated that a district council was re-
Gently organized in the pine belt for
local unions in this area. 'This dis
trict council is affiliated with the
autonomous Oregon Washington
Council of Mill Workers that serv-
ices local unions and district coun-
ellis in the Northwest. These organi-
cations run their own affairs and
represent about $4,000 men, Math-
eny said.
Mr.. Boyd spoke at length on the
principles underlying the labor
movement. Mr.. Boyd said, unions
are not the Labor Problem. Unions
are a proposed solution of the prob
lem. You could smash every union
in America and still have left the
Labor Problem. What. is the Labor
Problem2 The Labor Problem is
the unbalanced relation of one work.
er standing helpless, d~efenseless and
alone attempting to deal with the
owners of the machine of production
for hours, wages and conditions of
labor. It all grows out of the notion
of freedom of contract. There can
be no true freedom in making the
wage contract without equality in
bargaining strength"
Boyd outlined tactics used by or
gained business to Illustrate collec-
tive bargaining, listing the old time
Criminal Conspiracy Act, the abuse
of the injunction, the attempt to in
corporate unions, the Labor Bureau.
the yellow Dog contract, labor
spying, citizens leagues. 'eThe trick
is" Boyd said, "as soon as the work
ers learn the justice and fairness of
united economic action, to bring
them apart and substitute individual
bargaining for collective bargaining.
This is the Labor Problem"
collective bargaining is funda-
mentally right. It was right before
it was recognized by the Social Ac-
ton Department of the Roman Cath
Ole Church. Right before it was
written into the Social Greed of the
Protestant Churches or the Republi-
can and Democratic political plat
forms. It was right before it was
sustained by the Supreme Court of
the United States in defense of the
Wagner Act. Collective bargaining
is the next step for American in
dustry."
The organization of the Lumber
and Sawmill Workers is progressing
.favorably following our initial meet
ing Thursday, April %.
Mr.. Boyd and Mr.. Matheny, both
dynamic personalities, handled
everything in a very efficient man
ner and signed up well over one
hundred men. They voiced their
appreciation Of the able assistance of
several local boys in getting out the
advertising and arranging for the
meeting. About three hundred peo-
pie attended, and to date it is the
best labor rally we have had in
K~alispell. Another, but smaller
meeting is being planned for Friday,
May 6, at which time Mr. Matheny
is planning to take up a few more
details.
Application for local charters for
Kalispell and Half Moon were mailed
Saturday and membership drives are
now in progress among the men
themselves. The Somers group may
possibly have two locals, one for the
tie treating plant, and one for the
saw mill and planer. Meetings in
Somers are being planned for the
near future and some opposition is
expected there. However, we antici-
pate no great difficulties and are 60
ing right ahead.