Evening star., 1940-01-06
MI. R. B. Promotes
Industrial Peace,
Says Madden Report
Chuirmon Cites Figures
To Show ImportioIity
Between CLIO. and A.F.L.

The National Labor Relations
Board, involved in three different
congressional investigations, was de-
Tended vigorously in the annual re-
port which its chairman, j. Warren
Madden, submitted to Congress to-
day.
He quoted figures showing, he
said, that the board had promoted
industrial peace during the four
years of its existence.
A former employe of the board
testified yesterday before the House
committee investigating the agency
that some of its Washington OFF,
cials and its Indiana regional Office
were partial to the C. l. o. and dis
eliminated against the A. F.. OF L.
The board" Chairman Madden
reported, recognizes that industrial
relations are still deeply disturbed
by the controversy between the A.
F. of l.. and the c. l. o. Its record
during the fiscal year shows that the
board has followed the obvious
course in this dilemma by handling
as expeditiously as possible all
charges and petitions filed with it,
whether by one or the other of the
rival organizations.
Impartiality Claimed.
During the 12-month period A.
F.. of L. filed ATS cases, C. I. o.
filed 5,025 cases. The manner of
handling these cases-in terms of
percentages settled, dismissed, with
drawn and disposed of by the board
shows no essential variation be-
tween the two.
THE benefits of the act likewise
seem to have fallen impartially to
both organizations. In numbers of
unions recognized, contracts written
and workers reinstated with back
pay, the comparison between A. F.
of L and c. I. o. follows closely the
respective proportion of cases which
each filed with the board"
The chairman reported that dur
Ing the fiscal year the board dis
posed of $3.50 cases, involving rights
of more than million workers
under the Labor Relations Act.
Nearly half a million of these
employees" he said, had engaged
In disputes charging their employers
with unfair labor practices. Through
informal conferences, the great ma
jority of these disputes we're settled.
dismissed or withdrawn. Only
sixth of them required formal ac-
ton.
Workers Elections.
More than half a million work.
ers selected their representatives
through board elections and by GER
tification. or else had their petitions
dismissed or withdrawn as not pre-
senting grounds for board interven-
ton"
Out of 1920 cases closed during
the year came employer recognition
of 923 unions, 635 written and 1874
oral labor agreements and the post
Ing of 903 employer notices not to
engage in unfair labor practices, Mr..
Madden said.
"These figures" he added, mark
many steps in the progress toward
universal acceptance of the COL
lective bargaining procedure as the
basis of American industrial rela-
tions.
That the board brought about
the reinstatement of 7,738 workers
who had been unfairly discrimi-
mated against. and that a total of
$658,523 was paid in back wages to
3063 workers shows that the act is
effective in providing a remedy for
employees whose only deviation from
being satisfactory workers was their
interest in lf-organization.'
746 Elections.
There we're 746 secret-ballot elec-
tions among employees TO determine
their agency of collective bargain
ing. The chairman added:
'In an overall picture of the fiscal
year, these trends may we'll be
linked: Workers in organization
disputes have turned to board pro-
cedure rather than to strikes; there
were more board decisions in repre-
sentation cases than there were
cease and desist orders "a reversal
of board experience during its first
years.; there was a rapid and
healthy growth in labor agreements
and in the renewal of contracts en-
tered into the year before"
In addition to the special House
committee at present holding hear
ings on the Labor Board, the House
Labor Committee and the Senate
Labor and Commerce Committee
have taken up phases of its work,
though these hearings are in recess.
The Senate committee plans to re-
sumo hearings next month. The
House Labor Committee has post
poned its inquiry of the board indefl-
nitely.