Evening star., 1939-11-22
First Building
Industry Pact
Signed byC.|.0.
Contract Designed
To End JurisdictionuI
Disputes

tract IN the building industry in
Washington was announced today,
marking the formal entry of the
Congress of Industrial Organiza-
tions into an organizing field here
previously held exclusively by the
American Federation of Labor.
A. D. Lewis, chairman of the
United Construction Workers Or
ganizing Committee, a c. I. o. af-
f1liate, announced the signing of
the contract. 1t is with Construc-
ton Industry Employers, Inc, an
association of local builders and
contractors, and is the first contract
in the country the c. I. o. has signed
with such an association. Previous
industrial contracts have been
signed with individual companies.
The association, recently formed,
has headquarters at 110l Vermont
avenue NV. 1t is composed, it was
announced, of 80 to 40 contractors
covering all types of work.
The number of workers covered
was said to run into the thousands,
the axact number depending, it was
explained, on the amount of work
under way here.
Aim to End Disputes.
Elimination of jurisdictional dis
putes and other abuses associated
with the craft union form of Or
ganization u.s." the announcement
said, "the cardinal objective of the
contract. All workers on the job of
any contractor no matter what type
of work they may do shall belong
to the same union"
The contract provides grievance
machinery to settle disputes with
and stoppage of work. Selection of
an umpire is provided to decide
cases that are not settled by direct
negotiation.
The contract calls for an eight
hour day and the five-day week,
with time and a half for overtime
and double time on holidays and
Sundays.
wage Scale Included.
A standard wage scale based on
50 day for journeymen is embodied
in the contract. 1t was explained
that this wage represents a COM
promise between the non-union
scale, which ranges up from Sc a
day, and the prevailing union wage
for work on Government buildings,
which is $12 day. 1t was said
that 80 per cent of the private build
ing work here is done by non-union
labor.
The contract runs until March /,
1910. 1t may be continued there
after from year to year unless a
30-day notice is given by either
party desiring a change.
Safety standards to protect work
ers are provided and also a check
of for union dues. An apprentice
system is included in the contract
as means of training younger
workers under union conditions, it
was said.
Important Results" Seen.
Officials declined to comment spe-
ciflcally on what effect it will have
in the ranks of organized labor here
but forecast some important results.
The contract was signed by Mr.
Lewis, Thomas P. McTigue, chair
man of the District of Columbia
Construction Workers District Con-
ference, and officers of Local Union
No. 80, representing the U. c. w
o. c., and by Richard w. Frey
president of r. w. Frey, Inc, and
chairman of an employers Negoti-
ating Committee.
Mr.. Lewis and Mr.. Frey made this
joint statement:
THE District of Columbia is tc
be congratulated on being one OF
the first cities of the Nation tc
adopt the modern industrialized
form of organization in the build
ing industry. Industrial unionism
offers the only effective answer tc
ancient craft union abuses with
which the industry confronted for
so years."
The United Construction Workers
Organizing Committee was formed
last August for the purpose of or
ganizing the workers in the con-
struction industry. Besides Mr.
Lewis its members include Philip
Murray, chairman of the Steel
Workers Organizing Committee and
vice president of the United Mine
Workers; James B. Carey, president
OF the United Electrical, Radio and
Machine Workers and secretary OF
the c. I. o.; r. J. Thomas, presi-
dent OF the United Automobile
Workers of America, and Sherman
H. Dalrymple, president of the
United Rubber Workers of America
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