Evening star., 1944-11-22
Question of Control
Seen in Phone Strike
Writer Would Put Workers
Under Railway Act

Writer Would Put Workers
Under Railway Act
Bp David Laurence
Possibility of an extension of the Ohio
telephone strike to other parts of the
country has raised the question OF
whether President Roosevelt, who has
on his desk plan to reorganize the
labor agencies OF the Government,
should recommend to Congress that
workers on communications systems and
utilities be placed by Congress under the
jurisdiction of the National Mediation
Board, which, under the Railway Labor
Act, handles labor disputes on railroads
and airlines.
Interruption of service to the public on
telephone or telegraph systems or on
electric light and power lines is of such
great danger to the public safety and
of such peril in time of war or peace
that limitation on the right to strike
such as has been imposed upon the rail-
roads would seem logical.
The Railway Labor Act has been
working satisfactorily ever since it was
passed in the 20s by Republican Con-
gress and signed by Republican Presi-
dent and supported by the Democrats.
1t has been hailed by both MANAGEMENT
and labor as perhaps the most salts
factory labor statute ever passed. 1t
does not prohibit the right to strike
but requires that certain procedure
must be definitely accepted by either or
both sides in dispute before the right
to strike can be exercised.
No ajor Strike Since.
Under this law, no railroad strike of
major Importance has ever happened.
The closest thing to a strike came last
December. Though a strike vote had
been taken, the problem was adjusted
satisfactorily by a special procedure.
Even in this case, both railroad labor
chiefs and management say that had
the machinery of the law itself been
followed and had the matter not been
referred to the War Labor Board and
gotten tangled up with the ONCE of
Economic Mobilization, the dispute
would have been settled satisfactorily
without the final threat of strike.
II any subversive influence wanted to
sabotage Americas war effort, q. tie-up
OF telephone and telegraph lines and
communications systems would be one
OF the first places in which such an
attempt would be made. Well-meaning
leaders of labor groups could be made
the victims of outside influences who
seek to utilize the bad feeling that
might exist between management and
labor for prodding and antagonizine
labor groups into strike action.
To protect against such a misuse of
the strike power or the use of it by
irresponsible labor chiefs, the facilities
OF the National Mediation Board would
be available.
One OF the principal reasons whv the
railroads and the labor unions working
on common carriers have had no ma ior
strike is that the labor unions con-
cerned are among the most responsible
and experienced in the entire labor union
movement. One of the difficulties with
the present telephone strike and threat
OF more strikes is that the Federation
OF Telephone Workers is a new union
with relatively little experience. What
ever inequities there are in the situs.
tlon-and doubtless there are MANY, or
else there would not be grievances
could be ironed out by governmental |
tribunals especially set up for the p,Ir-
pose such as the Railway Labor Act
provides
WLB Lacks Prestige.
One of the problems of the moment
is that the War Labor Board does not
have as much prestige or authority as
the public believes. The fact that three
members of the WLB recently offered
their designations and that the word is
going out that the WLB,s functions
will be changed soon haYe all served
to undermine its moral force with the
public and especially with the dis
putants in the realm of labor.
Prompt action is needed in order to
prevent other labor unions from irving
the strike threat or some other device Of
work stoppage in order to force favor
able action by the WLB or by employers.
incidentally, work stoppages of all kinds
are prohibited by the Railway Labor
Act unless the machinery of the law
is used. This is one of the phases of
labor union warfare that is becoming
more and more perplexing. Thus, in
order to avoid an apparent violation of
the mo strike" pledge given by labor.
there are some labor unions resorting
to the evasive device OF calling CON
tinuous meetings" of labor union mem-
oers. This was done in the local tele-
phone controversy several months ago
and has the same effect of threatening
an interruption of service as a strike.
1t seems tragic that before Congress
acts some major catastrophe has to
happen, and such contingency could
happen if telephone service in such i'm
portsnt cities as Washington or war
production centers is cut of or curtailed
due to labor union difficulties.
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Empire Effort
From the london Ds iIv TeJsvranh .nx