Toledo union journal. [volume] (Toledo, Ohio) 1942-current, 1946-11-22
Washington.
LaborReport
BY BRADFORD v. CARTER
LPA CoIumnist


talked about then was amend
ment.
Now the accent Is on re-
peal and the most daring and
fortnight proposal comes
from the National Metal
Trade Association. OF course
they favor outright repeal.
But in addition they seek to
establish the following prin-
ciples of worker-management
relationships:
/. The right of every work
er to deal with hie employer
by collective bargaining
through any agency he
chooses.
2. The right Of every indi-
vidual to work or not as he
chooses.
3. The right of every indi-
vidual to deal with his en-
ployer directly as individual
if he chooses.
4. The right Of every indi-
vidual to 60 to and from his
work unmolested.
S. Equality under the law
and the protection of minor
ity rights.
6. Monopolistic activities
whether employee or employ
er must be controlled in the
public interest.
RIGHTS
Since the Metal Trades As
sociation uses such laudable
words and phrases as "the
right of every individual to
work." "unmolested," and
equality" let's see what they
mean in terms of the Asso-
Citations history. This is quite
relevant because if the AS
sociation's recommendations
are enacted we have a right
to know what to expect.
1t happens that we know
a great deal about the Asso-
citation because the LaFollette
Committee almost 10 years
ago subjected its operations
to detailed d investigation.
Here are some of the Commit
tees findings:
The National Metal Trades
Association maintained a net
work of spies called special
contract operatives" within
the International Association
of Machinists, the National
Molders Union of North
America, and other labor or
ganizations.
The National Metal Trades
Association utilized strike
guards called Special service
men" for the purpose of
breaking strikes for members
and non-members of the AS
sociation. The strikeguards
were not required to furnish
references and many of them
had been convicted of felon-
les including assault with in
tent to kill, and other crimes
of violence.
The strikeguards of the
National Metal Trades Asso-
citation in June 1885 entered
the Black & Decker Elec-
trio Co. at Kent, Ohio, which
was on strike, and fired
sawedoff shotgunS and tear
gas guns at pickets, injuring
several men and q woman,
and provoking an armed re-
Italian.
DEFY LAW
The National Metal Trades
Association, having success
fully defied the labor pro-
visions of the National Indus
trial Recovery Act in the
name of patriotism" fought,
with equal virulence, the pas
sage and successful operation
of the National Labor Rela-
tions Act of 1898. With the
advice of the National Asso-
citation of Manufacturers, 1t
proclaimed that the National
Labor Relations Act was un-
constitutional; and advised its
members to disregard the
law.
After the law took effect,
the Association expanded its
espionage and strikebreaking
services to its members in an
effort to prevent employees
exercising their rights guar
anteed by the statute.
Here then are the men who
will uphold law and order
and equality under the law.
These are also the men who
in acting as the spearhead for
the open shop for over a gen.
Grafton conspired with spies
who sold out their fellow
worker for money and with
stumblebums with criminal
records whose stock In trade
was the fomenting of violence
on the picket line.
In case the moral of this
story escapes the legislators
who are being inspired by the
lofty sentiments of the Ma
tional Metal Trades Associa-
ton, they should remember
that for 120 years our ma