Montana labor news., 1939-08-31
Widespread AFL
Revolt ON Labor All
Changes Charged


of an alleged widespread revolt"
within the ranks Of the American
Federation of Labor against attempts
to amend the National Labor Rela-
tions Act were put into the record
of the Senate education and labor
committee here by CLIO general
counsel Lee FRESHMAN.
FRESHMAN cited the April issue of
the American FRESHMAN, journal of
the Printing Pressman's Information
al Union (AFL), the convention
resolution of the United Hatters, Cap
and Millinery Workers (AFL),
James Mcnamara, international vice
president of the Hotel and Restau-
rant Employees Alliance (AFL), the
magazine of the international Broth
erhood of Transfers (AFL), the
United Brewery Workers (AFL)
paper, the international Topographic
cal Unions (AFL) official journal,
the convention resolution of the init.
Bro. of Pulp, Sulphite and Paper
Mill Workers (AFL), as indicating
the stand of these organizations
against changes in the labor law.
In addition he cited the New York
Council No. 9 of the Brotherhood of
Painters, Decorators and Paper
Hangers (AFL), and state fedora
tons of labor in Colorado, Nebraska,
Iowa, South Dakota and New Mexico
which have gone on record against
labor act changes.
Local bodies opposing amendments
cited were the Brooklyn metal trades
council, carpenters and joiners of
Seattle, the central labor union of
Norfolk, Va, and the Denver, Gin
cinnati, Omaha, Salt Lake City,
Memphis, Duluth, Cheyenne and
Kenosha trades and labor councils.
Pressman also quoted from a let
ter, dated February 8, 1889, to ALL
Pres. VIM. Green from George @.
Lynch, president of the Pattern
Makers League (AFL).
"The most eloquent spokesman for
the employers interests is Sen.
Burke d., Neb.)," the letter was
quoted. He has endorsed the AFL
amendments intellectually. )"
F. D. Laudeman, general vice
president of the International Asso-
citation of Machinists (AFL), Press
man said, wrote Pres. John P. Frey
of the metal trades department ex-
pressing opposition to certain of the
amendments proposed by the ALL
executive council.
1T is our opinion" the Laudeman
letter was quoted as saying, that
we could not have sustained half
our charges of discriminatory con-
duct and discriminatory discharge if
supervisory employees were defined
in line with the definition in the
proposed amendments"
Also put before the committee
were letters from Green to various
locals of AFL international unions
which had opposed labor act changes.
FRESHMAN commended that Green had
far outstepped his powers to writing
directly to locals of AFL inter-
nationals and threatening them with
suspension from the AFL if they did
not rescind their action.
Deliberately and fully conscious
of the full import of their acts, these
self-styled leaders of labor are at
tempting to deprive the workers of
protection against the merciless
attacks of anti-labor corporations"
FRESHMAN charged.
mo mere ~platitudes On the part of
Mr.. Green and his associates can
sweep aside the thousands of tele-
grams and resolutions which ALL
local unions have sent to their repre-
sentatives and senators or the public
resolutions of several International
unions of the AFL expressing I'M
alterable opposition to the amend
ments to the Wagner act"