Evening star., 1939-01-25
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
The American Federation of La
Dor asked Congress today to re-
strict powers of the Labor Board
and to permit employers to invoke
the act in union representation dis
putes.
The Federation's proposed revi-
sion OF the Wagner Act was out
lined in a series of 16 amendments,
approved by President William
Green Of the A. F. L., and intro
duced in the Senate by Senator
Walsh, Democrat, of Massachusetts,.
In general, the amendments would
curb the boards power to invali-
date union contracts and would seek
to provide more specific protection
Tor craft unions in establishment
OF collective bargaining units.
Federation leaders have attacked
administration of the act bitterly.
claiming board members have so
functioned as to show bias for the
O. I. o.
General Benefits Claimed.
Adoption of the amendments, Mr..
Green said, will benefit all legiti-
mate labor organizations, honest
employers and the public alike"
Saying the bill introduced by Sen.
ator Walsh would strengthen the
Wagner Act, Mr.. Green declared it
would prevent arbitrary abuses of
discretionary power by the board
which have aroused the resentment
OF the entire Nation.
1T is only fitting" he added, "that
the Federation should now take the
lead in saving this law from being
wrecked by those who seek to per-
vert its principles"
One of the chief features Of the
A. F. l.. proposals would provide
employers with access to the labor
law. which up to now has been re-
stricted to employees.
On this point, the Federation pro-
posed that the board be given spe-
cific authority to investigate repre-
sentatlon arguments on petition Of
either employees or employers.
Would Permit Opinions.
In another section the Federation
suggested the act should not be
construed as prohibiting an express
sion Of opinion by an employer, pro-
vided such expression is not ac-
companied by threats or acts of dis
elimination.
In the past the Labor Board has
held that mere expressions of en-
ployer opinion about labor disputes
or expressions of preference for any
particular labor organization con-
stituted unfair labor practices.
The Federation also suggested
that the board be prohibited from
extending bargaining unit to en-
brace the employees of more than
one employer.
If Congress accepts this sugges-
tion, the board would not be allowed
to establish collective bargaining
with groups of employers on a geo.
graphical basis. as it did in author
izing c. I. O.'s Longshoremen's
Union to bargain with the Water
front Employers Association of the
Pacific.
Would Define Company Union"
The series of amendments would
write into the Wagner Act a specific
definition for company union"
Congress was asked further to re-
peal whole section of the Labor
Act defining unfair labor practices
and to substitute the federation's
definitions of unfair labor practices.
The latter's definition would elm
mate from the act any possibility of
federation union being ruled as
occupying the status of a company
union because an employer had
taken steps to assist the operation
of the A. F. L. union.
Under the A. F. L. amendments,
the board would be permitted to in
validate union contracts only for
three reasons:
l. If the contract was made with
company union.
2. If 1t was closed shop con.
tract with minority group.
3. If the contract prevents a ma.
jority group from bargaining as ex-
elusive representative of all en-
ployes.