Evening star., 1940-04-09
Norton Amendment
AssaiIed bye. |. O.,
Defended byA.F.L.
Lewis Calls Union Men
To Map Campaign
Against Proposal

The proposed Norton amendment
to the Wagner Labor Act, giving
craft unions the right to bargain
with employers. was condemned ty
the c. I. o. and defended by the A
F. Of L. in statements made public
today.
The amendment is contained II
the bill reported by the House Labor
Committee. 1t would require tn.
National Labor Relations Board tt
recognize a craft union wherever
1t could muster at plant majority
Of workers in this trade
John L. Lewis. president Of tn,
Congress of Industrial 0rganiza'
tions, summoned representatives @
its national and internationa
unions to Washington today TO maj
a campaign against both the Nortor
and Smith bills. The Smith bill
based on the conclusions of spe.
cial House investigating committee
proposes more drastic revisions oi
the law. including abolition of the
present board.
Jones to Direct Campaign.
The C. I. o. announcement said
opposition to the various suggested
amendments would be centered on
the provision in the Norton bill re-
quiring the board to certify craft
union splinter groups in industrially
organized plants. even where indus
trial union contracts have been in
force for years"
John T. Jones, president of the
Maryland and District Industrial
Union Council, named by Mr.. Lewis
to direct the campaign, said:
Every industrial union sees in
the craft amendment proposed in
the Norton bill a threat to its very
existence"
On the other hand, George Meany,
secretary-treasurer of the American
Federation of Labor, praised this
amendment in a letter to Chairman
Norton Of the Labor Committee. He
said II would give workers ''the right
in each case to decide for themselves
whether they want a craft or in
dustrial union"
Cites New York Act.
He added:
Already we hear shrill outcries
to the effect that this provision will
carve up industrial unions, and 1t
is reported in the press that certain
members Of your committee intend
to file minority report alleging this
provision will cause industrial dis
cord.'"
Mr.. Meany cited the New York
State Labor Relations Act, from
which. he said. the Norton amend
ment was taken word for word. This
act was passed in 1897. he said, and
the craft clause has not caused a
single contest. either before the New
York Labor Board or in the courts.
"The record shows he added,
that, although the Legislature has
met at least once each year since
1887, no one has ever attempted
to amend or alter this provision"
C. 1. o. Demands Rejected.
The National Labor Relations
Board, it was announced today, has
rejected c. I. o. demands that Mrs.
Gilmore M. Herrick, the boards re-
gional director in New York, be re-
moved because Of the way she con-
Quoted employe election at the Con-
solidated Edison Co. Of New York.
The c. I. o. Utility Workers Or
ganizing Committee competed in the
election against the unaf1iliated
Brotherhood Of Consolidated Edison
Employees. The c. I. o. charged that
Mrs. Herrick was lin collusion" with
company officials. Counting of the
ballots was delayed while Mrs. Her.
rick checked the eligibility of some
voters. The board advised the G.
I. o. that 1t could protest the elec-
ton formally in a complaint to the
board II it chose.