Evening star., 1939-02-09
Wagner Act
Continued From First Page)

by the American Federation of
Labor. The Chamber of Commerce
and other agencies also have asked
for changes.
Board members have opposed any
change, but Senator Wagner, Demo-
crat, of New York, author of the law,
intimated today the administration
might not be averse to considering
some revision. He said that if any
administra tion-backed amendments
are written, it would be after the
Senate Labor Committee completes
hearings on the subject.
Summary Explains Reasons.
A summary of his proposals, issued
by Senator Burke, explains that the
reason for the act, as set forth in
the first section, ''is reStated to re-
move the assumption of sole en-
ployer responsibility for industrial
disturbances
Some of the proposed changes in
the existing law are analyzed in the
summary accompanying the bill as
follows:
Unfair coercive practices of labor
organizations and employees are list
ed They would include coercive
tactics sometimes used in organiz-
ing and in the conduct of strikes,
boycotts resulting from jurisdiction
al or interunion disputes, unau-
thorized strikes, violation of con-
tracts and coercion in the selec-
ton of representatives.
"A vote of all the employees eligible
in an appropriate unit is required
for certification.
Graft units are given preference
In all cases, plant units are given
second choice. and the employer
unit may be imposed only in the
absence of petitions for the fore
going The duty is laid upon the
board to consider the will of the
employees, associated in whatever
kinds of units groups of employees
decide upon.
employers are given the right by
law to petition for elections.
Must File Statements.
Labor organizations certified for
collective bargaining are, required
as a condition precedent to such
certif1cation to file with the board
copies of their constitution and by
laws, the names of their officers
and the names of those who will
act as bargaining agents, all Of
whom must be American citizens,
o;a1 ~tot
"A statute of limitations is writ
ten into the act More specific
complaints are required, lacking
which respondents may get bills of
particulars. Rules of evidence are
frightened up, the issuance and the
character of subpoenas made fairer,
and the weight of the evidence is
required for findings of fact by the
board.
Remedial severance pay is sub
stituted for compulsory reinstate-
ment against the will of the en-
ployer.
The right of transfer of hearings
to the Federal District Courts on
petition of respondents is granted.
The rights of free speech and
free press stated in the first amend
ment to the Constitution of the
United States is reaffrmed."
Comment by Burke.
In making public the text of the
amendments Senator Burke said:
They are offered for the purpose
of affording a basis for construc-
tive change in this very important
piece of legislation. These amend
fnents, if adopted, will 60 far toward
making the present one-sided act
equally fair to all citizens. These
amendments will not weaken, but
rather materially strengthen, the
declared objective of the Wagner
Act to diminish the causes OF labor
disputes and to safeguard the rights
OF employees to freely organize for
purposes of collective bargaining.
The amendments which I pro-
pose seek to correct many OF the
same defects covered by the amend