The potters herald. [volume] (East Liverpool, Ohio) 1899-1982, 1943-08-12
Limits Contracts
UnderClosedShop
NLRB Rules Such Arrange.
ments For Duration Are
Not Binding After A Year


Relations Board ruled that IA closed
shop contract, entered into for the
duration of the war and containing
no provision for, unilateral termina-
ton, was not binding after it had been
in operation more than year.
1t ordered an election within thirty
days at the Cincinnati plants of the
Trailer Company of America and the
Highland Body Manufacturing Com
pany for Il decision aS to whether the
employees shall be represented by
United Automobile Workers (AFL) or
the United Automobile Workers (CIO),
or by neither.
The claim by the AFL union that
its cloSed-Shop contract, made July l,
1912, for one year or the duration
of the war, which ever period is the
longer, automatically blocked the
CIO unions request for an election
was denied.
There is nothing that is more like
ly to breed discomfort among the EN-
pIoyees or make for irresponsible
union leadership" The board decision
said, than II policy which deprives
workers of any voice in the conduct or
identity of their representatives for an
unreasonable length of time.
''Ierhaps an appearance of stability
may be achieved by Il contract of eX-
tended duration, but the ephemeral
quality of such stability is no better
eNempilied than in the case before us
If, was concetediby all the parties
10 the case, the board pointed out, that
Il dispute over representation was il
progress at the plants.
Such disputes it stated, 'consti-
tute il threat to industrial peace and
the flow of war production. We believe
shat to deny to employees the OppOr
tunity to select new bargaining repre-
SentatiVeS after reasonable time
serves to a4gravate rather than mini
niZe diScord and to remove the
foundation upon which stability may
be based
Counsel for the companies, The
board noted, has based Il part of theil
argument for dismissal of the CI(
petition on the fact that industrial
peace had prevailed i'm recent weeks il
| improved materially.
1T does not appear, however, tn
boards order stated, that the con
tinuancc of the contract is reSpOnS
ible for this condition, but rather thai
this state of affairs has prevailed only
since Il recent interim order or recon-
mendation of Il regional board of th'
National War Labor Board.
The matter came before thai
agency because of Il threatened strike
contracting union that the employees
engaged in activities for the petition
ing organization he discharged undel
the terms of the ClosedShop provision
The boards decision in the case OF
The Cincinnati companies, it was eN
planned, would have no effect upon the
Af'L-CIO disputes in west coast ship
yards, where the CIO has sought
elections. Just before the Congress re-
ceSScd il enacted II provision, the ef
feet of which WAS to order the NLRIi
To keep hands off and permit the
Afl'S cloSc-Shop contracts to remain
in effect
In the case of the west coast con
tracts, 1t was pointed out, the closed
shop contracts were effective for Il
stated period. The Cincinnati case was
the first to come before the board in,
NolNing Il contract with Il term of such
II definite duration as the length of
the war.