The Chronicle-star combined with the Moss Point advertiser., 1945-03-16

The October 8, 1943, directive
denied the Metal Trades Councils
request for a union shop and in
serted a clause in the contract
whereby the company would urge
new employees to become MEM
bers of the union. This was later
amended by mutual agreement to
the effect that the company would
issue referral cards to new en-
ployees directing them to proper
union business agents and fur
nish escorts to the local offices
of the unions.
Production has been interrupt
ed at the yard since that time
by several work stoppages in var
ious crafts, a strike vote and a
five-day general strike.
In closing the hearing Thurs
day, Jack G.. Day, vice-chairman
of the Commission who presided
at the local hearing said that I'VE
(the commission propose to ar
rive at a conclusion which will
make it possible to adjust these
matters He added that he could
not, of course, intimate what the
decision would be nor when it
fwAculd be reached however, de-
cisions in hearings of this sort
normally take four to eight weeks.
Many Witnesses
The three-day hearing was
marked by a parade of witnesses
from both sides, and claims and
counter-claims.
The first day and a half of the
hearing was given to the taking
of testimony on compliance by
both parties with the October 9th
directive.
Union witnesses, which were
heard first, generally claimed that
the company did not observe the
spirit of the agreement, although
in most instances observing the
letter of it. Failing off in union
membership, the eompany's re-
fusal to insist on the payment of
union dues by delinquent mem
bers, and other causes were cited
by witnesses in support of the con-
tention.
Company witnesses, on the 9TH
er hand, testified that every effort
had been made to observe fully
the directive, but that the unions
insistsnce on a union shop in de-
fiance of the directive had made
it impossible to maintain harmo-
NOUS relationship.
Among those who testified for
the unions on the first day were
E. L. Mancil, president of the
Metal Trades Council, who said
that delinquent members, who
were brought before company of
ficials according to the terms of
the agreement, We're told each
time at the beginning of the dis
cussion that they did not have
to belong to organized labor which
he maintained, killed the intent
and purpose of the agreement.
T. c. Steele, business agent for
the laborer's union testified that
the company had referred new
employees to his office in accord
ance with the agreement, but also
in line with the agreement, in
structed the men that they did not
have to belong to the union to
work in the yard.
Holt Ross, general representa-
tive for the laborer's international
union. and state representative of
the A. F. of l., testified that in
his opinion if the company had
been sincere in urging new men,
bers to join the unions, certain
ly a substantial number would
have joined. He then said that his
organizations local union has only
80 members, most of whom joined
recently.
Poor saleSmanship on the part
of the company was blamed by
MIR. Ross for this condition. Under
cross questioning by Charles A.
Mitchell, attorney for the COM
pany, he admitted that the com
pany was under obligation to tell
new employees that union mem
bership was not a condition of
employment if the direct ques-
ton was asked. He added that
by craftsmanship he meant the