Evening star., 1941-08-28

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union who does not pay dues and
who does not remain member in
good standing" in the union.
Neither merit nor efficiency nor an
employees record of skill can be
taken into account by the employer.
He must fire any employe classified
by the officers of the union as not
'in good standing"
2, Does the maintenance" ar
rangement require any employe to
become member of a union who
does not already belong? 1t does
not but the unions take care of that
through their own methods Of per-
Euasion, haraSSment or coercion.
Once a union obtains the exclusive
bargaining rights-the power given
by the Wagner laW-by enrolling a
majority of the employees. the life
of the minority member who does
not join isn't very happy. Often the
families of workers become the
victims of intimidation or "persua-
sion" by doubtful methods.
Step to Closed Shop.
.. How does the union main
tenance contract differ from a
complete closed shop? The first
is the entering wedge toward the
second. Once the majority of the
workers are tied to a union and
cannot resign for the period of the
employers contract, the minority
Is virtually compelled to fall in line.
Also. no further negotiations with
the employer are necessary to get
the complete closed shop. 1t is
AUTOMATIC because once the en-
ployer agrees to union maintenance
for those who are already members
ors who. become members in the
future. the closed shop becomes
complete for all the employees the
moment union organizers can i'm
pose their will on The few - In
minority.
4. Why do the union leaders
insist on an arrangement whereby
the employer, in effect, polices the
union by compelling members to
remain members under penalty of
losing their jobs? The union argu-
ment is that once a contract with
the employer is signed. there is
nothing much for the union itself
to do for year or so and the
members cease paying dues and lose
interest in the union.
5. Can't member resign from
union when the contract with the
employer expires? Not at all, be-
cause if he resigns at the approach
of such negotiations, he is considered
disloyal and may have trouble get
ting a job elsewhere in any union
shop because he has ceased to be "a
member in good standing"
6. Can't the members elect new
officers and determine upon new
policies within the union? They
could, but they run the risk of being
dismissed from their jobs if they
organize such dissent because the
union officers, or administration in
power in the union, can certify them
for dismissal at any time.
Virtually Means Life Job.
7. Isn't the closed shop a means
OF perpetuating the union officers
In power and doesn't it mean a
vested interest and monopoly for
q few citizens and doesn't it lead to
the use of arbitrary power? The
records show that once in power, 1t
Is difficult to dislodge the union Of
ficers, and some of them have been
found guilty of racketeering and
criminal acts of exploitation of their
fellow members. The vast majority
of the union officers, however, are
law-abiding, and many OF them nat
urally wish to maintain themselves
indefinitely at a high salary. Re-
cent estimates by a congressional
committee show that IS labor unions
have assets of more than $40, ,,000,-
900. e...-
8. Isn't CLOSED shop" term ap-