The union times., 1943-05-01
Plans Talks With Labor
 Com mittee.
A.F.L. Worried Over Fate Of This Legislation As Assembly's Last-Minute
 Rush Draws Near
By ROBERT B. BICKEL

Gov. Raymond E. Baldwin told The Union Times this week that he would take up the matter of legislative action on a state labor relations act with the Labor Committee of the General Assembly.
 The Governor gave this promise after being informed that labor was growing apprehensive lest the much-needed and much-hoped-fOr measure proposed by the Conn. Federation of Labor would either die in committee or be held up until too late for action at this ses- sion of the Assembly. He was in- formed that a number of people were looking to him to save the bill from this fate.
 He declined to state whether he was in favor of the act, without talking the matter over with mem. bers of the Committee, in order to determine its status.
 The Governors promise is the latest development in the attempt to get action on the Number One item on labOr's legislative program.
 GROWING UNEASY
 With the General Assembly ore. pairing to adjourn in a few weeks. and with bills more recently heard already reported out by the Labor Committee, uniOnists and Iaborite legislators have been growing more uneasy day by day over the situa- ton.
 Sen. James P. Geelan, Democrat, New Haven, last week asked MaxSim Pepin, Republican Jewett City, Sen ate chairman of the Labor Committee. when that committee was going to report the bill out for consideration. As a member of organized labor. Geelan said he was growing appre- hensive lest the bill be not brought forth in time for consideration and passage at this session. Pepin said the Committee still had the measure in mind and would report it out soon.
 MEMBERS IN DOUBT
 Labor members in the House. however, expressed some serious doubts about the matter. Several of them expressed the fear that the Republican majority was defi- niteIy opposed to the bill and was keeping it on ice in committee. They felt that if the Governor would come out either in favor of the act or at least for its con- sideratiOn, it would be reported out without delay.
 THE UNION TIMES decided to ask the Governor how he stood on the labor relation act question.
 Are you in favor of the enactment of state labor relations act at this session of the General Assembly ?" Gov. Baldwin was asked.
 His first reaction was:
 ''I have no comment on it-at this times
 It was explained that members of organized labor felt that an encourag- ing word from him might help a great deal in getting this matter set tied; that this measure was the most important piece of labor legislation to the organized workers of the state.
 Mir. Baldwin stated that he really didn't know the status of the bill in the Legislature owing to the fact that he had been too busy with other matters to follow the prog ress of the measure.
 ''I shall take it up with the Com mittee," he promised.
 SOME CONSIDERATION
 The Governor reminded this inter- viewer that labor was being given some consideration in the passage of the bill to improve the Unemployment Compensation act, and in the Senate's passage of the measure to liberalize the Workmen'S Compensation Act. The House had not at this writing acted upon the WIG. measure, but the chief executive was confident that it would pass.
 When asked if he would sign these bills, Gov. Baldwin replied:
 They were part of my platform" Manufacturers Mv,e4