Evening star., 1944-05-24
Writer Sees WB
Muneuvered by Unions
Declares the Seizure Of Plants
Ignores Fundamentals


Declares the Seizure Of Plants
Ignores Fundamentals
By David Laurence
When Chairman Davis Of the War
Labor Board says that 1t ID necessary
to seize plants In order to prevent the
"no-strike pledge" from being ignored
by labor itself, he In In fact saying
that 1t Is necessary to put pressure on
the employer In order to win over the
employees.
For In many cases the employe unions
have maneuvered the situktion into one
where, after they have called strike,
the War Labor Board has been unable
to get jurisdiction over the strikers ex-
cept by SELLING the plant. The adminis-
tration has never recommended the use
Of any penalties for striking labor unions,
and the idea that the no-strike pledge
has been kept Il based upon the equiyo-
cal statement that strikes which are
unauthorized" do not count In the tally
As matter Of fact, labor union lead
ers frequently maneuver the War Labor
Board into the position Of seizing a
property In order to prove to their
constituent members that they are
doing something" to justify their posi-
tions.
Awakens to Tendency.
The War Labor Board has recentlv
awakened to this tendency and has
started to apply some sanctions to strik-
ing unions. The National Labor Rela-
tions Board has assisted in the process
only to receive the condemnation of
labor unions. The fact is that rs long as
the labor unions can get favorable deci-
sions from the War Labor Board and the
National Labor Relations Board, they
support these decisions, but once the
decisions 60 against them, they assail
the members and either withdraw from
participation in the boards or ignore the
hearings.
The real reason for this is that labor
unions have not really appreciated the
fact which employers have already
recognized. namely, that the War Labor
Board has taken unto itself the power
OF compulsory arbitration. No labor
leader in his right mind viii accept
Government compusion in peacetims
and very few Of them have been willing
to accept compulsory arbitration In
wartime.
The truth is that every suggestion
or proposal to legislste compulsory arbi-
tration has been rebuffed by the labor
leaders. The idea that a Government
tribunal can order a settlement Is not
relished by labor unions when the orders
are unfavorable to the employe, but
most OF the orders of the War Labor
Board have been against the EMPLOYERS.
That is why the War Labor Board. with
out any authority from Congress. has
ordered maintenance of membership"
contracts.
The War Labor Board consists of three
groups-namely, labor representatives.
management representatives, and So
called public" representatives. The
public representatives, as reflected in
sheir decisions, are in the main favorable
TO the labor unions. The policy of
ordering the maintenance of member
snip" clauses in union contracts has
been consistently supported by the three
public members Of the labor boards.
Theory Behind Clause.
The theory behind the "maintenancs
OF membership" clause Is that the labor
unions should be given some sort of
reward Tor their loyalty In not induleine
IN strikes. It is contended that labor
unions are unable. on account OF wage
stabilization, to get much for their MEM
bsrs, and this would result In : dropoff
OF members, and hence in the amounts
oI labor dues. unless the Government
put into effect the maintenance of
membership" clause requiring members
70. stay in the union once they join.
There Is no such reward for the en-
pioyer who fails to lock out employees
In wartime, or maintains his plant even
az loss in order to keep going in the
nope OF eventually getting into the black
Ihere Is no reward for the employer
VINO is the victim Of jurisdictional dis
putes between employees. Nobody has
ever suggested that he, too, be compen-
sated for the loss he incurs while unions
night 1t out. Indeed, there Is no fairness
In the Roosevelt administration policies
where the employer Is concerned.
To argue. therefore, that it Is neces-
sary to seize plants in order to prevent
an epidemic Of strikes Is merely to
scratch the surface and ignore the fun
damentals. If the War Labor Board
had policy that applied equally
between the employers and employees
there would have been very little clanor
over the seizure of the property of
employers who were recalcitrant.
Reproduction Rishts Reseryed)
Not Prepared to "FuI"