The union times., 1945-01-20
Law Presented By Members Of A.F.L.
(Continued from Page D
By Nathan Sherman

1S40, tn0 DOarQ SuperNlSeu ZIO elections to determine the proper bargaining agent. Of these cleo. tions, PIP, or 77%, were held upon the consent of the employers and labor organizations. Only 23O, or 24% of the cases filed last year arose out of charges that employers had violated the Act. This means that the principles of the Act are now readily accepted.
 On the positive side, the figures are even more impressive. In its first 6N years of operation, the Board closed lO,588 cases. It dis posed of 88.6% of these, or almost nine out of ten cases, without the necessity of formal hearing. Over 5O% of these were settled by friendly agreement between the employer and the labor organiza- ton; or by withdrawal of the charge. In only 268 cases (6.2& of the number of cases filed), did the Board find evidence of unfair labor practices. It has never been necessary for the Board to punish anyone for interfering with the proper operation of the law, and :! believe that any attempt to repeal it would be resisted by both man. agement and labor.
 Now for a few brief facts concern ing the State Labor Relations Law now being introduced by the Con necticut Federation of Labor into the General Assembly:
 What is tFte Board For?
 The Connecticut State Labor Re- lations Board would be charged with the duty of protecting employees in the exercise of their right to jon labor organizations and bargain col lectively through representatives ot their own free choice.
 In Connecticut Only?
 Yes. It would protect these rights primarily in business enterprises which are not engaged in interstate commerce and which therefore do not come clearly within the jurisdiction Of the National Labor Relations Act. Is It Peace-nGher? Yes. The work of the Board would be based on the proposition that col- lective bargaining between employees and employers as to wages, hours, and working conditions generally promotes industrial peace and the public welfare.
 HOm Does It Protect?
 The Board would protect the rights guaranteed by the Act in two ways
 1. Upon the petition of employees, it would determine their wishes in choosing collective bargaining agent. 2. It would hear, and act upon any charges of interference with em- ployees collective bargaining rights. Election Cases: Has It Authority tO
 ActS
 The law would confer full author ity upon the Board to certify, after investigation, the collective bargain ing representative chosen by major ity of a given group of employees. The Board would ordinarily deter mine this choice by means of an cleo ton.
 Are Elections Secret?
 GBs 1ue DO0Iu WOu1O NOAOaCe elections by secret ballot for this purpose. When employees have pc titioned the Board to determine g collective baraining agent, a mem Der of the Boards staff would call an informal conference of the parties. The primary purposes of this conference would be to bring about an agreement between the employer and the union on the method of determining the wishes of the employees. In the ordinary case, it would be expected that the parties would consent to the con. ditiOns under which an election might be held-including an agree ment on the type of employees who shall be eligible to vote, the place of the election, and other import ant details.
 What of Failure to Agree?
 In those cases in which the parties fail to agree, the Board would hold a formal hearing at which the claims of the organization to represent { majority of the employees would be subjected to a thorough examination The Board would also investigate which types of employees should vote and bargain together. (The question of appropriate unit The Board ther would order an election, or would dismiss the petition, if an election would not be consistent with the pur poses of the State. Labor Relation: Law.
 Unfair LabOr Practices: What i'
 Unf0irP
 The proposed law declares tha it shall be an unfair labor practice for an employer:
 To spy upon or blacklist em pIoyees; to dominate or interfer' with the formation, existence, o administration of ''compan, union"; to require an employee o one seeking employment to join any company union or refrail from forming, joining, or assist ing labor organization of his owl choosing; to discharge or discrimi nate in any way against an em plOyee because. of his membership or activity on behalf of labor or ganizatiOn; to refuse to bargain collectively or discuss grievance with the duly authorized majOrit representative of his employees. What Happens When Charges fir
 Filed?
 A member of the Boards stat (Labor Relations Examiner) woul AO sf1f0