Evening star., 1941-08-25
Shipyord Seizure


The President, in directing the
Navy Department to open and op-
crate the strike-bound Kearny, N. j.,
plant of the Federal Shipbuilding
and Drydock Company, took the only
course of action that reasonably was
open to him.
Bargaining negotiations between
the employer and the c. I. o. indus
trial Union of Marine and Ship
building Workers had reached a
hopeless impasse on one significant
point. All work on half a billion
dollars worth of ships, naval and
merchant, had been stopped since
August s, and there was no likeli-
hood of construction being resumed
except by Government intervention.
Under these circumstances, 1t is diff
cult to see how the President could
have acted otherwise.
But in taking over the plant, the
Navy has not indicated how it in
tends to dispose of the only issue
which was in dispute-a recon-
mendation by the National Defense
Mediation Board that the company
grant so-called union security
clause, under which the employer
would have been obliged to discharge
any union employe who failed to pay
his dues or otherwise neglected to
maintain himself as a member in
good standing. The Navy now stands
in the shoes of the employer, and
union leaders have made it clear
that they expect the Government to
grant the security clause.
On June % the company and the
union subscribed to the terms of the
Atlantic Coast Zone Standards,
under which 1t was agreed that there
should be no strikes or lockouts for
a two-year period. AS part of this
agreement the company increased
wages by IL per cent. The union,
however, in consideration of its
dSlCC1iCA1U 1loV W oG11hC, dlSo was
pressing for a closed shop, and on
this issue the dispute went to the
Mediation Board. A three-man
panel Of that agency, with one men,
Der dissenting, finally decided to
recommend the security clause COM
promise, and when the company re-
fused to grant it the union called
its members out on strike, despite
the two-year agreement.
The reasoning underlying the
boards decision to recommend the
security clause in this case is not
clear. The board has taken the posi-
ton that 1t will grant the clause
only when special circumstances
exist to warrant such a recon-
mendation. Thus, for example, 1t is
said to have recommended the clause
in the recent North American Avia-
tion case to checkmate an ire
sponsible union minority. After the
settlement Of that strike it was
feared that minority of the work
ers might break away from the
dominant union, form a union of
their own and renew the strike.
Therefore, it was deemed advisable
to compel them to remain members
OF the dominant union.
There is nothing, however, to indi-
cate that any such condition exists
at the Kearny plant. Nor has there
been any public showing that the
employer was trying to under
mine the union, and, in fact, all
available evidence is to the contrary.
Under these circumstances, to say
the least, it is difficult to see how
the boards recommendation can be
justified.
But if there was any threat to the
unions security which warranted
Federal intervention to compel the
employer to grant the desired pro-
lection, it surely does not exist with
the plant under Government control.
And, that being the case, it is to be
hoped that the Navy Department
will not undertake the task of polio
Ing the unions membership. If the
Government once enters the dubious
business of compelling payment of
dues to any union, it soon will dis.
cover that its troubles are not over,
but just starting.