The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1941-08-27
SEC. OF LABOR
DOING SOME
REDBAITING

Helen Miller, one of the most active
leaders of the United Federal Work
ers of America-CIO, has been dis
charged by the secretary of labor be
cause her usefulness as an employee
of the bureau Of labor statistics has
been impaired" She was dismissed
on charges of communism" and mem
bership in the American Peace Mobil-
fzation, and has been refused hear
ing before an impartial board.
Helen Miller has been employed in
the department of labor for sever
years. She was the first president oil
Local IL of the United Federal Work
ers of America in that department and
has continuously been either presi
dent or adjustment director of Local
IL since it's organization. She is rec
ognized in Washington as one of the
most prominent leaders and organic
ers Of the entire UFWA. Approx
mately three months ago she was at
tackled in a hearing of the Dies Com
mittee, through the usual unsubstan.
tiated hearsay testimony which she
was never given an opportunity to
answer
Shortly thereafter she was grilled
by four high ranking labor depart
ment officials for nine hours concern
| ing her union activities and her per-
sonal beliefs and opinions. The Sec
rotary of Labor then suspended her
ON charges of Communism" Helen
Miller has denied these allegations
and charges that she was dismissed
because of her union activities. The
Secretary of Labor has refused to
recognize or negotiate with the UF'
WA concerning the case. The Sec
rotary offered Mrs. Miller a so-called
hearing" before another employee of
could tell her story After Mrs Mil
Ter and the UFWA refused to appear
at this hearing" Secretary Perkins
discharged Mrs. Miller.
The discharge follows a long his
tory of anti-union activity against the
UFWA by Secretary Perkins. She
has consistently refused to bargain
collectively with UFWA Local II
since its organization in 1887. She
has stated in this case that she is the
sole judge and that there can be mo
collective bargaining for government
workers." Declaring that workers in
the government service should expect
a limitation on their constitutional
rights, Madam Perkins has, in effect,
said that workers who accept govern
ment employment must check their
right of free speech and their consti-
tutional liberties at the door.
The Washington CLIO Committee for
the Reinstatement of Helen Miller
25 CLIO unions in Wash
ington, is waging vigorous campaign
for her reinstatement and for public
hearing before an impartial board.
The defense Of this outstanding lead
er of government workers is crucial
to the preservation of the rights of
federal employees to organization and
collective bargaining. This consti-
tutes a threat to organized labor as
a whole. 1t is a shocking contradic-
IlOH IudL Lu0 OCClCldly VI ie'pOi, q
Cabinet member who heads depart
ment created to protect and defend
the interests of all workers, adamant-
ly refuses to recognize the trade I'M
ion rights of the workers in her own
In this whole situation the Secre-
tary of Labor has departed from the
policies of President Roosevelt who
has supported the right of collective
for government workers.
At the present time, the Secretary OF
Labor should be the first to protect
the rights of labor. Government
are one of the first groups
whose morale is Of great public con-
Germ at this period. Government Off
Gals have a responsibility so to con-
duct themselves as to justify the faith
Of the government workers in the de-
of their government.