Evening star., 1940-04-02
Two Changes
In Wagner Act
Are Approved
Mojority's Right to
Bargain Upheld in
Compromise Move
BY CARTER BROOKE JONES.

Dy SAAS Gn DNoo4AG JOlNE6s
The House Labor Committee
moved swiftly today to report bill
designed to compromise with foes
Of the National Labor Relations
Board by approving two proposed
amendments to the Wagner Act and
seeking suspension of rules in the
House preventing members from Of
fering further amendments from
the floor.
The committee approved these
new proposed amendments:
l. Providing the right of a ma
Jority of the employees of any craft
In an industry to recognition as a
collective bargaining unit.
2. Providing the right of employ-
ers to petition the board for an
election among workers to settle
disputes among unions.
The committee previously had ap-
proved a proposed amendment in
creasing the N. L. R. B. from three
to five members.
Will Meet Again Tomorrow.
Chairman Norton said the COM
mittee would meet again at 10 am.
tomorrow and probably complete
consideration of amendments and
instruct her to draft a bill imme-
diately.
The amendment allowing crafts
mastering a majority of votes at a
plant to bargain for themselves, re-
gardless OF other unions in the fac.
tory, was sought by the American
Federation of Labor and opposed by
the Congress of Industrial Orpani-
cations, which has urged plant-wide
elections.
Mrs. Norton denied, however.
that this amendment necessarily
would give the A. F. of L, an ad-
vantage over its rival, which has
mostly horizontal industrial unions
though she admitted some people
might so construe it,"
At the executive session TODAY.
1t was revealed, Representative
WEIGH, Democrat, of California
moved to instruct the chairman
to ask the Speaker to bring up the
amending bill under a suspension
OF rules. This would mean the meas
ure would not have to 20 to the
Rules Committee, but could if
Speaker Bankhead chose. be brought
up at any time. 1t also would have
the effect of shutting off further
amendments from the floor.
This is intended to forestau the
anticipated effort of some members
to move substitution of the more
drastic amendments recommended
by the Smith Investigating Com
mittee, including abolition of the
present board and substitution of a
new three-man board and complete
separation of the prosecuting and
Juolclal functions Of the board.
Ramspeck Hits Move.
Alter the meeting Of Mrs. Norton's
committee, one of the members
Representative Ramspeck, Demo-
crat, OF Georgia, said of Mr.. Welch s
motion and its adoption: ITS the
most asinine thing I ever saw a
committee do"
1T has been done before" Mrs.
Norton retorted, smiling.
She explained to newspapermen
We are authorizing a bill in
tended to meet the complaints
which have been made against the
board and enforcement of the act,
Those OF us who are interested in
labor feel that these amendments.
and perhaps one other which has
been adopted, tomorrow will take
care OF the situation without de-
stroying the Wagner Act.
I'VE are taking into account COM
plants which have been brought
out at the Smith Committee hear
ings."
The board already has adopted,
as matter of policy, the right of
crafts to organize themselves,
though there has been pressure to
make this clause a part of the act,
and majority of the Smith Com
mttee recommended similar
amendment.
Would Add to Section.
The amendment which the Labor
Committee approved today would
add to the collective bargaining Sec
ton of the act:
Provided, however, that in any
case where majority of employees
OF a particular craft shall decide,
the board shall designate such craft
as a unit appropriate for the pur-
pose OF collective bargaining"
Ihe N. L. R. B. also has approved
(See WAGNER ACT, Page A-4.)
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