Montana labor news., 1939-05-11
MONTANA CI0 MOVES
FOR UNITY WITH AFL
Committee Will Call on A. F. of
l.. State Convention.

GREAT FALLS. ~ The two-day
convention of the Montana State In
dustrial Union Council closed the
evening of May 1st with a splendid
record of achievement behind it.
Several progressive amendments and
additions to the constitution were
adopted; measures taken to concen-
trate or~ganizational activity in one
field at a time; more detailed and
more frequent reports of state Off
GERS to the members locals provided
for; subscription drive for the Peo-
pies Voice, published by the Co.
operative Educational Publishing Co.
urged on the locals; and, most i'm
portant of all, steps taken to seek
actual unity with the American Fed
Grafton of Labor in Montana.
In a communication addressed, ITO
the President and Executive Com
mittee of the Montana Federation of
Labor and to the delegates at its
And Convention; to all Central La
Dor Bodies and to all local unions
in Montana affiliated with the
American Federation of Labor, the
Railroad Brotherhoods, or the Con-
gress of Industrial Organizations"
the State CLIO Council sets forth the
fact that many workers in Montana's
basic industries are unorganized and,
even where labor is strongest, many
craftsmen are unprotected by unions;
the dangers from reactionary activi-
ties, both state and national, are
called to mind; and a united front
Of all oragnized labor is urged in
order to successfully meet the
attacks launched on the labor move
ment.
Concrete proposals were made for
accomplishing unity in the following
words quoted from the communica-
ton:
Il. That not later than sixty days
after adjournment of the 42nd con-
vention of the Montana Federation
of Labor, a convention shall be held
in Helena, Montana, composed of
delegates representing all labor or
CARNATIONS of the A.. F. of L., CLIO
and Railroad Brotherhoods in Mon
tana.
%. That this convention shall hold
discussions and formulate a program
for merging the Montana Federation
of Labor and the Montana Industrial
Union Council into one state organi-
cation which will supersede both
and embrace the membership gen
orally of labor unions in Montana.
SO. This convention will outline its
detectives, adopt a constitution, and
nominate officers for a term of one
year, officers to be elected by refer
endum vote of bona fide members
of CLIO and A.. F. of L. unions and
Railroad Brotherhoods.
"These proposals are offered in a
spirit of sincerity and good faith and
with the profound hope that they
will be accepted as a basis for nego-
tiations by all sections of the organ
lied labor movement in Montana"
A committee of three was elected
from the convention floor to meet
with the State Federation conven-
ton in Livingston, June 10th, for the
purpose of putting these proposals
before the delegates there and bring
ing about unity between the two
bodies of organized labor in the state.
The committee: Sylvester Graham,
president of the Council; Glen Zorn,
of Butte Miners Union No. l, and
Tony Boyle, of the United Mine
Workers.
Many of the rank and file mem
bership of both sections of the labor
movement in Montana are heartily
in favor of the move and sincerely
Continued on Page 4)