Evening star., 1941-10-01

to the defense &
consequence of jurisdictional strikes
In which the employer is the inno-
cent bystander.
This does not mean that this
actual number of propellers is not
available but that the whole sched-
ule has been set back by at least
1000 propelers.
The direct cause of the loss of
propellers is the unionizing drive
and strike weapon carried out in
defiance Of pleas of governmental
agencies. The administration has
temporized with the issue and, in
one instance, the National Defense
Mediation Board has allowed itself
to become the unwilling instrument
Of production delays and strikes.
1t would appear that unions now
have the impression that when a
collective bargaining election has
been held and they lo7e out, they
can carry the case in scme fashion
to the National Defense Mediation
Board. 1t is true that the latter
agency has dismissed all cases to
date where the National Labor Re-
lations Board has certified a union
as the legal bargaining agent of
the ajorlty but unfortunately the
Mediation Board has allowed time
to elapse during which it took cases
under advisement.
Union Politics Seen.
Also it is apparent that the Office
of Production Management's labor
division under Sidney Hillman is
playing union politics.
A case in point is the propeller
strike at Caldwell, N. j., in the plant
of the Curtiss-W Wright Corp. The
history shows that the Wagner La
hor Relations Act means nothing
and the machinery of the Labor
Board means nothing when labor
union inside the A. F. of L. wants
to disregard it.
Despite the fact that hearing
was scheduled by the National La
Dor Relations Board, the A. F. of L.
union at Caldwell announced 1t
would strike on June 9, This was
averted and hearings begun. After
the testimony was taken and all
parties awaited the ruling by the
board at Washington, the A. F. of L.
on June Is again voted to strike.
Again the union was persuaded to
defer action and did.
On July II, the Labor Board
certified the proper unit for collec-
tive bargaining and ordered an elec-
ton held on August 7. 1t resulted
In a victory for the independent
union by a vote Of 1904 to 526 for
the A. F. of L.
Department Walks Out.
The next day-August 8-the
entire steel blade department, COM
prising 200 employees, at Caldwell
walked out. At first the A. F. OF L.
said the walkout was unauthorized
and then stepped in and put picket
lines around the plant. Mrs. Gilmore
M. Herrick, regional director at New
York for the National Labor Rela-
tions Board, commented, 1T is un-
fortunate that they should take this
method of protesting a decision they
don't like"
Conciliators from the o. P. M
and the New Jersey Mediation
Board tried to settle the dispute but
TO no avail. On August 13, Secre-
tary Perkins certified the contro-
versy to the National Defense Media
ton Board and the neXt day the
strikers went back to work. Having
Accomplished their aim-to transfer
the matter from the Labor Board
which had decided against them
to the Mediation Board, which might
possibly issue some other decision
the striking minority went back or
the Job to await developments
Efforts were made to switch the Is
sue to wage matters and meantime
q membership drive was carried or
with the hope of getting prestige.
Delaying tactics were having E
serious effect on morale at the plan
but the A. F. of L. unions officers
and the National Defense Mediation
Board started hearings on Angus
% and then adjourned until Sep
tember 5. The A. F. of l.. insisted
on another hearing on August q
and again the matter was postponed
by the Mediation Board. The Media
ton Board, after hearings on Sep
tember 5, adjourned with the state
ment that a final recommendation
would be issued in a week or II
days. Instead of a recommenda
ton, the board notified all partie
that the whole matter had beer
"adjourned."
Agitation Continues.
Thus it will be observed tina
maneuvers behind the scenes il
Washington kept up the agitation
opportunities for the defeated union
Here is a case in which the com
pany has scrupulously obeyed tn
law of collective bargaining and ha
been given {. clean bill of health b
the Labor Relations Board and b
implication also now by the De
fense Board, but the trouble con
tinues.
1t is doubtful whether the mi
norities tied up with national union
would continue to ignore the lette
and spirit of the Wagner law if tn
President ventured to say as muc
publicly about these mistakes on tn