The potters herald. [volume] (East Liverpool, Ohio) 1899-1982, 1939-11-23
Labor Bodrd Uses
Continued From Page One)
the interests of the American Fedora
ton of Labor as this one.
Malicious Propaganda Against A. F..
of /. Amendments


Malicious Propaganda Against A. F.
of L. Amendments
"Last year your convention IN
Houston directed the Executive Coun- |
ell to cause to be submitted amend |
ments to the National Labor Relations |
Act. In obedience to those instruc |
tions amendments were submitted |
But even before they were prepared
those organizations and their cohorts
who benefited by the administration Of |
the old Act realized that they would |
no longer be the pet wards Of the |
National Labor Relations Board. They |
realized that if the proposed amend
ments were adopted, the decisions and
prejudiced rulings in their favor
would stop. SO they commenced a
barrage of propaganda, false and mis-
leading, and centered their efforts on
affiliates of the American Federation
of Labor.
"These enemies of the American
Federation of Labor attempted to con-
vince our affliates that the American
Federation of Labor was attempting
to destroy itself by seeking to amend
the National Labor Relations Act
Rival and dual organizations which
have spent millions in an effort to de-
stroy our affliates were telling them
that the amendments ought not to be
passed because they would destroy
these American Federation of Labor
affiliates.
Zone of the most tragic things we
observed in connection with the hear
ings conducted by the Committees Of
Congress was the appearance before
the Committees Of some witnesses
claiming to speak for American Fed
Grafton of Labor affiliates, and claim
ing to be members of American Fed
Grafton of Labor Unions, pleading
with the Committees not to pass these
amendments. Not single one Of
these witnesses gave a valid reason
for their opposition. And to add to
the tragedy, they came as witnesses
of the c. |. o. agency-the Non Par
tisan League, thus supporting the c.
l. 0. cause.
"Because of this malicious, false
and poisonous propaganda on the part
of those organizations opposed to the
American Federation Of Labor amend
ments, ] should like to briefly discuss
with you these amendments and some
decisions relating to them, so that you
may understand the basis on which
they were submitted.
Misapplication of Unit Rule Injuries
A. +. of l.. Unions
"Frst and foremost is our amend
ment to change the unit rule.
"Under the present law, the Board
assumes the authority to deny craft
group, if it is so disposed, the right
to vote whether such craft group
wants to select a craft organization
as its bargaining agent, or whether
it wants to be merged with a plant
unit. In other words, the freedom Of
choice which is guaranteed by the
Act is held by the Board to be sub
ject to its grant or refusal.
"First permit me to direct your at
tention to two or three cases which
are of tremendous Importance to the
American Federation of Labor.
"You all remember our discussion
last year Of the LOngshoremen's case
The Board decided that the entire
thus denying to the Longshoremen in
the city of Tacoma and elsewhere the
right to be represented by the Amer.
lean Federation of Labor even though
they selected the American Fedora
ton Of Labor union by an overwhem-
ing majority. We protested this de
csion, and it is now pending in The
Supreme Court Of the United States
"The Board however has reaftirmec
that ruling in the Aston Coal Com
pany case. The Progressive Minl
Workers Of America had an over.
wheIming majority of the employees
of the Aston Coal Company, Pitts
burg, Kansas, as members These
employees wanted to he represented
by the Progressive Mine Workers
The Board held that because the Al.
ston Coal Company was member OF
an association Of employers, all en-
ployes Of all the employers of the
Association would be voted as one
and that the Aston Coal Company
employees could not select their owl
representative.
owe will not take time to discus:
all the cases which we did discuss
last year, but there have been one ol
two that | would like to refer tC
which were decided only in the past
few weeks. One decision most dan
gerous to the interests Of the Ameri
can Federation Of Labor j. the deci
sion in the American Can Compan,
case. In this case DR.. LeiScrSon lait
down the doctrine that once an indus
trial unit has been established fol
the entire plant and an industrial or
ganzation has obtained contract
such unit will be left undisturbo'
even though craft workers have or
panizcd and affiliated with the Amer
ican Federation of Labor and de
manded the right to vote separated.
at the time Of the expiration Of tn
contract
"Now this is a very unique dcci