Evening star., 1946-01-21
luck Urges Ban
On 0nUniioniiziingo oi
State Employees
Move Would Not
Abridge Right to
Join Labor Groups
BY the Associated Pr IS,


BY the Associated Press.
RICHMOND, Jan. 2l.-Gov. VIII
liam M. Tuck today asked the Gen.
eral Assembly to declare unionization
OF public employees, State or local,
In violation Of the public policy of
Virginia. asserting that it is beyond
the authority of any public official
to recognize or negotiate with such
a union on any matter relating to
government employees or their
service.
Appearing before the Assembly for
the first time since his inaugural
address last Wednesday, the Cover
nor recommended an increase in the
gasoline tax from to cents a gall
lon, 20 per cent reduction in the
license tax for private passenger
cars. repeal Of the per cent gross
receipts on motor carriers and an
increase Of two and a half times in
the license tax on all common and
contract motor carriers of person
and property.
Salary Increase Urged.
He recommended salary increase
for State employees, including the
judiciary, Of $1,500,000 over and
above the recommendations of for
mer Gov. Darden-to be effected
within the framework of the present
t,,tIuat n Aiyicioy, ", fy,a uaoIft ne
partment to supervise periodic ex-
of school children and
remedying Of physical ills and de-
defects disclosed, a bipartisan COM
mission to study reorganization Of
the State government, improvement
Of secondary roads and the building
Of private roads for farmers at the
owners expense.
Also recommended were expansion
Of the revenues of the Game Com
mission, legislation to combat
stream pollution, an increase of
workmen's compensation, a boiler
inspection law, regulation of small
loan interest rates within the legal
maximum by the State Corporation
Commission and expansion of the
Division of veterans Claims.
Urges End Of Flogging.
He urged repeal of the statute
permitting the floging of prisoners
and asserted he also was opposed
to claiming them and hoped to work
out means to eliminate it entirely
during his administration.
He said he hesitated to recon-
mend any specific departure from
the election law revisions advocated
by special legislative commission.
II feel" he said, that it is very
important that the General AS
sembly agree on the best plan pos
sible as substitute for our present
poll tax qualifications, SO that the
people Of the State may intelligently
choose between the present system
and that offered in its stead.
recommend, with this in mind, tha,
appropriate resolutions be adopted
embodying constitutional amend.
ments necessary TO effectuate the
plan suggested. together with any
modification thereof which may BIT
deemedi advisable" rt Il
Urges Poll Tax Increase.
While Gov. Darden recommended
an increase to 81 in the capitation
tax, with 81 of it to be allocated fo1
county school buildings, Gov. Tuck
said the capitation tax is tied ur
with voting, and that changes coulo
not be worked out for several years
He said it would rest with some fu.
ture Legislature as to uses to which
the money should be applied even
though the necessary constitutional.
changes are made.
The Governor spoke vigorously in
recommending a resolution against
collective bargaining with unions OF
public employees, and told the as
semblymen that "a labor union field
agent or organizer is now attempt
ing to organize some Of the en-
ployes of the City of Richmond and
conduct collective bargaining ne
gotiations with the city employees
Such action is clearly contrary
to Virginia's established public pol.
ICY" he said. ITO permit organized
resistance by public servants to Of.
f1cial governmental decisions and &C.
tions necessarily results in strikes
These would cause interruption.
and, at times, complete paralysis Of
necessary governmental activities
and functions, thus jeopardizing the
safety and welfare of the people.
Would Not Alter Benefits.
Gov. Tuck said the recommends.
tion he made would not be intended
to interfere with firemen and police
benefit associations, or organizations
with similar objectives, nor te
abridge the right of any employe te
join union.
Gov. Tuck recommended that sal.
aries OF State employees be increased
"a per cent on the first 81 200, plu.
IL per cent on the next $3,400, plu.
6 per cent on any balance, with NJ
salary to be raised above $4,000
This would apply on the presen,
basic salary scale without the pres.
ent wartime bonus. Gov. Darden
had recommended that the bonu.
OF 20 per cent on the first $1,000
plus Is per cent on the next 81 900
be given as permanent salary raise
Gov. Tuck estimated that the Oar.
den recommendation would have In.
volved $500, 900 while his plan will
cost s5,00O,0o0.
He said it had been almost 2C
years since the extensive reorganiza.
ton under the Byrd administration
and that while no comprehensive
State governmental reorganization
appears necessary, it should receive
thorough study. He suggested a BIZ
partisan commission of q reasonable
number Of citizens to make the sur
vey, to be appointed by the Gov
ernor, and to make its report to the
1948 Assembly.
Highway Problem Acute.
Gov. Tuck told the lawmakers that
the highway system is faced with an
acute problem. During the war, its
revenues were curtailed by gasoline
ratiOninr and hoca,ISe IF chorkore~