The union times., 1945-06-09
PROTECT WORKERS"

PROTECT WORKERS"
 With thousands of Connecticut war workers soon to be disemplOy- ed, and with dual organizations ready to step in and attempt to reap the bnefits of the many years of hard work put in by the A.F.L. in creating wage standards and con. ditiOns, the Council was firm in its conviction that now is the time to ''create stronger and more unified organization from the bottom to the top, thereby protecting the workers engaged in the industry and providing broader coverage which will stimulate uniOnization of workers now in branches of operations partly organized and in many cases totally unOrganized."
 The core of the organizing cam. paign, it is expected, will center around recruiting building trades mechanics as such; and building and construction tradesmen em- plOyed in factories, mills, stores, and various types of housing.
 President Michael J. Barry calI- ed the special meeting to order, and told the delegates that the A.F.L. building trades unions must ex- pand now, or fight for their exist ence in the postwar period. Plans now being made by dual Organiza- tiOns to invade this field can he crushed if a strong organizing drive is undertaken at once. Secre- tary-Treasurer James O'Kane gave the keynote of the meeting when he outlined steps necessary to mod ernize the building trades move ment in order to offset any en-. croachment by dual organizations. The text of his statement is print. CT below.
 The delegates then acted, para graph by paragraph, upon report drawn up at the New England Con- ference of Building Trades Unions, held in Boston upon cali of John J. Murphy, Regional Director for the A.F.L.
 Based on the report, and additional recommendations by the executive board of the Connecticut Council, and by the delegates, the following program will be followed in the or ganization drive:
 1O-POINT PROGRAM
 1. Existing local building trades councils will be strengthened by hay rg all locals affiliate. All Interna- tionals will be asked to notify their local unions to immediately affiliate.
 2. Adoption of blanket agreement to be issued by Local Councils, and signed by Council officers, which will establish com. plete uniOnizatiOn of each and every project and prevent raids by dual organizations or enemy groups. Blanket cOverage is def. nitely necessary if the force and power of the combined building and construction trades unions arc to continue effectively.
 The present practice of each craft or calling signing individual agree ments covering their respective groups is not interfcred with. The Local Union agreement is. in fact, strengthened by having it attached to the blanket agreement.
 The blanket coverage has one out standing purpose, and that is to es- tablish without question of doubt, definite obligation to employ none but A.F.L. members on all opera tions as direct employer or through contractors or suo-contractors.
 3. The organization of mainIe- nance employees is one of the ma- jOr Objectives of the drive.
 4. Workers in heavy cOnstruc- ton, Highway, and Marine opera tiOns will be organized. Working conditions applying to this type of work will be set up.
 5. The local unions will be
 Continued on Page Three)