The potters herald. [volume] (East Liverpool, Ohio) 1899-1982, 1940-06-27
LABOR LAW ADMINISTRATION

l ADOh law is leylSldIlOI IOT COHSeTVdClOH Ol lu-
man life and welfare These are things neces-
sary for individual right to life, liberty and the
pursuit of happiness which they cannot secure as
individuals or through voluntary organization.
Such rules or regulations are written into law for
enforcement by the appropriate governmental
agency. AS matter of function, labor laws are
naturally lodged in the Department of Labor for
administration as that is the Federal agency
charged with responsibility to "foster, promote
and develop the welfare of the wage earners of the
United StateS to improve their working conditions
and to advance their opportunities for profitable
employment"
Before the collapse of our economic inStitu-
tions, there few federal labor laws, except for
railway workers. Although realize that the
problem of labor protection grows out of national
ly organized economic institutions and establish
ments operating in national markets, and was
therefore national in scope, such laws as we had
were only statewide in scope - With the establish
ment of the jurisdiction of the Federal Govern
ment came series of important labor laws in
Guiding Public Contracts, National Labor Rela-
tions Act, Social Security Act and Fair Labor
Standards Act. The provisions in these various
laws together provide the standards and the safe
guards which make work and life for millions
more comfortable and secure against unfair labor
practices and the economic emergencies that are
the common fate of all.
But the enactment of laws is only the end of
the first chapter of the effort to conserve the lives
, and happiness OF wage earners. Another chapter
begins with the selection of personnel. The per-
sOnne selected to put any law into effect very def
nitely determines the degree to which the purposes
: of the law are realiZable The administrator and
his personnel determine definitions and procedures
under the law and SO make decisions and rulings.
The key to effective administration is competence.
Competence in turn is established by information
and experience. Academic training is not sub
stitute for experience in labor problems, which
alone teaches the feeling the situations and prob
lens that develop in the field of work and labor
, relations. Civil service procedures that do not
give adequate consideration to experience impede
efforts to promote efficient administrative staff.
When the staff is selected there begins the
third stage in labor law Workers are vitally con-
cerned to get from administration of the law,
whose enactment they secured, the kind of pro-
lection for which they hoped. Unions have con-
tnuing responsibility to keep in touch with the
administration of the law. The administrator
needs to know what is in their minds and expert
ence should provide the machinery by which La
bor'S advice will be continuously available in the
formulation of plans and policies. Such advice can
come only from official representatives of Labor,
acting in official capacity. Labor persons on the
staff are essential, but they part of the admin
istrative staff and not in representative capacity
"A goOdly measure of the justice flowing from
administrative action is conditioned by the wisdom
with which opportunities for representation in
functional matters is provided and definite advance
notice is given to unions of matters which concern
them.
When decisions turn upon presentation of fac
tual matter, justice requires that consideration be
given to relative equality of to the facts at
issue. Employers and trade associations control
private sources of the facts of employment and
work conditions The labor law administrator has
responsibility for seeing to it that his client
the union-has available sources of information
This brings us to the general responsibility of the
Department of Labor for coordinating it's services
SO that it's fact finding meets the needs of it's ad-
mnstrative work. and that is machinery for CO.
ordnatng administration in overlapping fields
While we are still in the early years of develop
ment of labor law administration, it would be most
opportune for the Department of Labor to make
comparative studies of the terms and provisions in
our developing body of labor as well as of admin
istrative procedures. No labor law can be drafted
or administered without reference to the Other
laws Comparative studies would promote better
standards and procedures.