Montana labor news., 1938-09-15
ELECTRICIANS SEEK
ASSISTANCE OF NLRB
Continued from Page u


nevertheless"
This agreement was to u for
two years, and if as days notice were
not given by either party to it pre-
ceding the expiration date of Sep
TENDER goth, the contract would
automatically be renewed for an
other year.
Recently it was thought desirable
to make some changes in wages and
working conditions in the contract
and committees representing the To-
Gals of the International Brother
hood of Electrical Workers in Butte,
Anaconda and Great Falls met the
officials of the company at their
offices in Butte and advised them
that the three locals desired to add
an addenda to the existing contract
covering these proposed changes.
The company officials informed
the committee members and the in
ternational vice president of the l..
B. E. w. who was in attendance,
that they had no agreement only
with the Metal and Building Trades
Depts. of the A. F. of l.. in Washing
ton and not with any of the inter
nationals, and that, since such was
the case, none of the internationals,
including their presidents and vice
presidents, could serve notice of any
desired change, nor would they
agree to recognize the, right of any
of their employees or locals of the
l. B. E. w. to negotiate or assist in
negotiating any new working agree
ment, or make any changes in the
old one.
The officials stated that they pro-
posed to adhere to the contract and
to that alone.
II the internationals whose presi-
dents and other officials are mem
bers of the Metal and Building
Trades Depts. of the A.. F. of L. did
not sell out to Mr.. Green and Mr..
Frey of the A. F. of L., they at any
rate relinquished their right to pro-
tect their members in the matter of
negotiating with the members EN-
ployers for improved working con-
ditions and increased wages, and
thus they obviously relinquished
their right to exist as craft inter
nationals.
OF course, the international Off
Gals must retain their highly paid
official positions, and the member
ship must continue to pay the usual
heavy per capita dues to them. For
what benefit to the membership
under the present set-up is an un-
known quantity however.
The A. F. of L., through Mr.. Green
would make it appear that it is OPP
posed to industrial organizations,
and yet it has insisted upon forcing
upon the company employees of the
three cities of Butte, Anaconda and
Great Falls, an industrial contract
that covers the entire copper in
dustry in all its phases of mining
the ore in Butte, smelling it in Ana
conda, and fabricating it in Great
Falls. Consistency is a jewel Of
which the A. F. of L. officials dc
not seem to know the color.
Mr.. Green and Mr.. Frey do moi
care to have any affiliate of the
A. F. of L. object to being sold into
perpetual serfdom as was done in
forcing such an iniquitous agreement
upon the Anaconda Copper Mining
Company's employees.
As I previously mentioned they
do not like the Wagner-C onnery
Bill which emancipates the worker
and permits him to negotiate for
improved conditions of labor with
Representatives of his own choos-
ing" They claim that they are self
ordained representatives and as such
should determine the course of our
lives nov and forever.
AS Communistic as VIM. Green
and Mr.. Frey try to make the CIC
appear, the latter has at least some
sense of decency and fair play in
permitting its affiliates to have some
part in the negotiating Of agree
ments affecting their working con-
ditions.
The Stationary Engineers, who
form a part of the l. M. M. and S
Workers gave the Anaconda Copper
Mining Company notice of its in
tention to reopen their agreement
and such notice was recognized
They, however, are affiliated with
the CLIO and their freedom of action
has not as yet been relinquished tc
some other agency.
Negotiating Committee.