Evening star., 1939-08-12
Construction Boom
Forecast as Result
OF Labor Accord
A. F. of l. Council Bans
Work Stoppoee During
JurisdictionuI Rows

Edward j. Harding, managing di-
rector of the Associated General
Contractors of America, Inc, yester-
day forecast boom in private con-
struction as result of the action of
the Executive Council of the Build
ing and Construction Trades Depart
ment of the American Federation
Of Labor forbidding any of its men,
ber tradesmen from stopping work
during so-called inter-union juris-
dictional disputes on construction
jobs.
The decision Of the council was
reached Thursday in Atlantic City,
where it met with the Labor Rela-
tions Committee of the Associated
General Contractors.
Under the decision, workers of any
trade already engaged in the per-
formance of specific type of job will
continue on that job during any
jurisdictional dispute with another
trade union until a decision is made
by President John Coyne of the
Building and Construction Trades
Department.
Decision Is Hailed.
Mr. Harding, in statement made
yesterday at his Office in the Munsey
Building, said in part:
The understanding reached by
the Labor Relations Committee of
the Associated General Contractors
Of America and the Building and
Construction Trades Department of
the American Federation of Labor
and the action of the Executive
Council of the department which
will result in no cessation of work be-
cause Of disputes between affiliated
unions on any and all types of con-
struction coming under jurisdiction
OF the department, is cooperative
achievement outstanding in history
of the labor relations movement in
the construction industry.
This cooperative understanding
should clear the way for badly
needed increase in private construc-
tion. Without a return to normal OF
private construction volumes, pros
perity cannot come to this country
The instructions issued by the
Executive Council of the Building
and Construction Trades Depart
ment, in Atlantic City, mean the
elimination of the stoppage of con-
struction projects because of inter-
union jurisdictional disputes which
have been more prevalent because
of the lack of employment for the
various construction crafts during
the depression"
The action of the Executive Coun-
Gil was covered in part of a reso-
luton which said
Disputes or misunderstanding
arising as to union craft or terri
torial jurisdiction must be promptly
settled, giving due consideration to
the interest of the employer through
the most effective means without
stoppage of work. Work shall pro-
ceed with the craft controlling the
work previous to the dispute"
Under the agreement the Execu-
tive Council instructed all inter-
national presidents, A. F.. of L., to
Immediately return all men to work
on jobs stopped because of juris-
dictional disputes between trades
affiliated with the department, all
work in dispute to remain in pos
session of the trade in possession
of the work at the time of stoppage
and proceed with the work pending
appeal to and decision by the pres
ident Of the department"
$500 Firms Included.
Among incidents resulting in So
called jurisdictional disputes was
one here some years ago when speci-
fications on a building called for
metal moulding. The carpenters,
through tradition, felt it was their
job. The sheet-metal workers
thought it was theirs. The result
was temporary standstill, and
wound up by painters simply paint
ing strip in place of the metal
moulding.
The Associated General Contrac-
tors has a membership of some $500
contracting firms throughout the
country, who, it is estimated, en-
ploye several million workers, it was
said.
Mr.. Harding, the managing direc-
tor of the contractors group, SHE'D
away from any questions regard
ing how the contractors would deal
with any c. L O. QrOllnS regarding
jurisdictional disputes. He explained
that the contractors had been deal
ing closely with the A. F. of L. and
asserted that the resolution ap-
proved by the Executive Council
Of the labor group was the same as
that adopted by the contractors at
their annual convention in Cali
fornia last March.