Toledo union journal. [volume] (Toledo, Ohio) 1942-current, 1943-09-24

story about company-unionism.
You haven't heard the half of it.
When the CIO lost the election
to the company union in the
plant we mentioned in this col
umn, there were obviously a
great many workers who voted
against the CIO and who doubt
less rejoiced at having defeated
it in the secret-ballot vote.
But when the newspaper re-
porter phoned the union office
for a verification of the ballot
count, the writer happened to
answer the telephone. In the
course of the conversation | was
told that the president Of the
company had also called the
newspaper reporter and had
seemed quite pleased and elated
with the result Of the vote"
LET'S BE HONEST
Now, let's be honest with our
selves-if the company president
is made so extremely happy by
keeping the CIO out of his plant,
just how do you reconcile the
fact that many of the employees
were likewise joyful because of
the outcome?
| believe that if you were to
ask Mr.. - why he was glad
to see the company union win
the election he could give you a
very logical and sensible an
swer, although he wouldn't say
it in front of a group of his
workers. (He'd tell the truth if
he were dining with his business
associates, though, wouldn't he?)
If | were a company president
and wanted to keep the CIO out
of my plant, ! wouldn't pay any
one any money to do the job for
me, and | would make certain
that the company union president
was a likeable, we'll meaning
boob, apparently honest, but not
so smart that he'd ever catch on
and bring the workers into a
real union. Then I'd give the
company union committee a bit
e outside help in the form of an
attorney, even if it had to be a
shyster or an ambulance chaser.
But I'm not company presi-
dent, and if were ! would mind
my own business and not have
my foremen patting people on
the back and dishing out lot
of empty promises on election
day.
And if ! were a company union
leader l would have the intesti-
nal fortitude to tell the workers
that the place for them is with
all the other industrial workers
in town, and not have myself
made a laughing stock in the
eyes of everyone, while the plant
management holds its sides while
guffawing at my stupidity or
naivity, whichever you prefer.
GOOD AS MEMBERS
A union is only as good as the
members make it. But it is inn
possible to find strength, leader
ship or guidance in any 'inde-
pendent" union. The company
controls the leadership body and
soul. The shop committee never
talks back. The management's
word is final, whereas collective
bargaining, as established by the
Roosevelt administration, which
so many of the managements de-
spiSe, means that there must be
agreement on all mat
ters pertaining to wages, hours
and working conditions.
You men and women who have
belonged to independent" unions
can we'll remember the ineffec-
tiveness and the floundering of
your erstwhile independent" or
ganizations, and you have seen
many changes made since you
switched over to real union.
IL the leadership Of any fake
union is ashamed to admit its
errors, or if for personal and
selfish reasons they wish to
shackle the workers by keeping
them in the company union, it is
up to the membership itself to
exercise its democratic privilege
of insisting on a vote to settle
the question of affiliation, even
if it has to be done in COM
pany union meeting. It's never
too late to change over, if they
really want to.