Evening star., 1943-05-27
Machinists 10 Leave
AFL Monday Because
Of Jurisdictiona| Row
Association Will Remain
Independent Union,
President Declares

Independent Union,
President Declares
The International Association
OF MachinistS will withdraw
from the American Federation OF
Labor as of Monday because of a
long standing jurisdictional dis
pute, President H. w. Brown an
nounced today.
Explaining that the action takes
565 42o members out Of the AFL. in
Guiding approximately 100000 dues
paying members, Mr.. Brown said
the machinists would not join the
CIO. but would remain an indie
pendent union. The machiniStS
hope to return to the AFL when
''injustices" have been removed, he
declared
The AFL thus will lose almost the
same numerical strength it stands
TO gain by the prospective readmit-
tance of John L. Lewis United Mine
Workers.
The jurisdictional fight involves
chiefly William L. Hutchesons car
penters' union, which the machln-
lists contend has been ''muscling in
on its field with the sanction of the
AFL Executive Council.
Mr.. Brown said the break after
43 years aff1liation is regrettable
but If we are going to continue to
get a beating we are not going to
pay for it
Says They Pay Tribute"
Mr.. Brown said At press confer
ence that 1t is our conservative es-
innate that within the past five
years there have been as many as
$4,000 machinists and auto mechan-
les obliged to pay tribute to the
Carpenters Union. Operating En-
gineerS Union and the Street Car
mems Union for the right to work at
our trade
He emphasized that 1T is just such
appalling violations Of the principles
upon which this AFL was founded
that has given enemies of labor ad-
ditional incentive to pass such un-
favorable labor legislation as we are
experiencing at this very time"
The action of the machinistS'
Executive Council, Mr. Brown said.
followed membership referendum
In which 1881 members favored
and 2O,l79 members opposed with
draWal He added that the small
vote was due to members working
on different shifts and not attend
ing union meetings where the poll
was taken.
Averaged $50. 900 Annually.
Mr. Brown said the machinists
have not been on full membership
due paying basis to the AF'L for
several years. but that assessments
from approximately 300 900 members
had been paid to the parent body.
The maChlnlStS' per capita tax
payments to the AFL have averaged
about s60,000 a year. The union
has been growing rapidly. however.
because of organization in the air
craft field and tax payments on the
full. claimed membership would sub
Stantlallv exceed $50. 900
Replying to a question, MI Brown
said the machlnlStS would not take
their lurlSdictiOnal fights into court
1t is with sincere regret that we
take this step" a statement on the
Withdraw said. However, in leav-
ing the American Federation of
Labor, We are firmly resolved TO
cies of the International Association
of MachiniStS-tO respect the juriS-
diction Of and cooperate with the
bona fide trade unions who respect
our jurisdiction.
Mr. Brown said the carpenters
union had threatened to withdraw
its dues payments to the AFL if the
latter granted relief to the ma
chinists' union.
An Impartial analysis of the
manner in which the AF'L Executive
Council has handled our repeated
appeals for Justice Mr. Brown de-
clared, can only lead TO one con-
CluSion: Namely. that AFL conven-
tlon decisions and rulings pertaining
IN the work jurisdiction of our union
were totally dlSregarded and the
merits of our contentious completely
ignored when our case was decided
BY their refusal to abide by AFL
convention decisions and rulings af-
fecting our jurisdiction, and to grant
us the relief asked for. they have
once more placed their stamp OF ap-
prOval on a practice whereby thou
PEELED to pay tribute TO other AFL
unions for the right to work at our
trade
Notice of withdrawal. dated today,
was sent to AFL President William
Green and Secretary Treasurer
George Meany.
Grievance Against Council.
The IAN president said he did
not know at the moment" how
the union proposes TO handle Its
controversy with the carpenters.
That union has been contending
for the right, Mr.. Brown said, to
install and repair machinery. In a
more recent development, they have
claimed ]urisdictional rights in the
small. but growing. wooden airplane
field. The maChiniStS claim eXclu-
Sive rights III that industry.
Mr.. Brown said the machiniSts
grievances are not directly against
the carpenters. but against the AF'L
Executive Council. which. he said
has prevented Mr.. Green from carry
ing out the mandate of a convention
Under an AFL convention ruling
MI Brown said, the maChlnlStS re-
ceived rights to install and repair
machinery. and that when an en-
ployer or contractor inquiries of the
lAFT about juriSdictional lines, the
president is required to supply the
information to the inQulring party
The Executive Council has forbidden
Mr.. Green to do this, Mr.. Brown
disclosed