The potters herald. [volume] (East Liverpool, Ohio) 1899-1982, 1939-02-09
NO-STRIKE AGREEMENT FOR WASHING
TOMS LOW-COST HOUSING

WIDESPREAD cOnmendatlOn expressed IN
" the nations capital with the no-strike agree
ment reached between the Alley Dwelling Author
ity of the District of Columbia, in charge of the
slum clearance and low-cost housing program
under the United States Housing Act, and the
Washington Building and Construction Trades
Council, affiliated with the American Federation
of Labor, guaranteeing that work on A. ID. A. prof.
ects shall not be stopped because of jurisdctonal
disputes and that the wage rates in effect when
work on project starts shall be continued until
the project is finished.
The agreement is in conformity with the policy
recently established by the Building and Construc-
tiOn Trades Department of the American Fedora
ton of Labor and the Labor Relations Division
of the U. S. Housing Authority, which A. F. of L..
Building Trades Councils representing hundreds
of local unions in many cities have agreed to OBJ
serve
In an editorial on the "'No Strike Agree
ment' for loW-cost housing in the District of Co.
lumbia, the Washington Evening Star said:
"The pledge given by the Washington Build
ing and Construction Trades Council that no work
shall be stopped on projects of the Alley Dwell
ing Authority because of iuIiSdctonal disputes
should receive the welcome it deserves from all
who are interested in the speedy completion of
the local sum clearance and low rent housing
program.
"The no strike agreement is in line with the
improved labor relations negotiated by the United
States Housing authority sponsor of the nation
wide slum clearance program, with the building
trade councils representing 1875 local unions. 1t
is start in the right direction to avoid some
of the pitfalls that embarrassed and frustrated
the initial housing program of the government
several years ago.
During four years Of alley recaiming and
building in the district, the relations between the
A. ID. A. and the local Building Trades Council
have been friendly. BY submitting plans and spe-
in advance to the council for the pur-
pose of having the latter point out possible causes
for jurisdictional disputes the A. d. A. has avoid
ed all controversies Of serious nature. Labor
has reciprocated by occasionally pointing out pos
sible savings in construction costs.
'"The new agreement also will serve to stabilize
wage rates to the satisfaction of both labor and
contractors. A provision continuing wage rates eff
fectve at the start of the pro ject through the
tire period Of construction will discourage possible
demands for increased wages the one hand OF
for downward revision on the other Such de-
mands usually are fraught with strike possibilities,
even without such an agreement, the record
Of the A. d. A. indicates little chance of such in
stances arising in connection with the slum clear
ance program Labor is primarily interested in
the construction Of oW-rent dwellings in the dis
trict. With strikes and delays elsewhere reflected
in increased building costs, it is heartenng to
know that labor is willing and apparently anxious
to cooperate in keeping these costs down.