The potters herald. [volume] (East Liverpool, Ohio) 1899-1982, 1947-05-15
SERVICE PERFORMED BY UNIONS

SERVICE PERFORMED BY UNIONS
THE HOUSE representatives by big majority approved
H. r. 1920 which proposes to nulify labor legislation
of four decades and to revive injunction control OF unions
Before final action is taken this country should consider
seriously whether desires to curb unions into ineffective
The records show that unions are basic democratic
force.
The organized labor movement in the United States has
it's in the early history of this country Our forefath
ers who came a wilderness had to build homes and de-
veop the of earning their livings elemental
necessity in each community was the craftsmanhe
carpenter brick mason blacksmith and shoemaker
Craftsmen whose skls the result of guild and union
foresight and activities in the Old World helped to build the
foundations of Western World its economy and clvza
ton Early New World unions the training schools OF
craftsmen and performed chiefly fratena services for
members.
In those days of limited means of travel and commun
cation, organized mainly in local unions
tonal movements which all workers interested
manhood suffrage without property qualification lhls was
public school system in all states These two achievements
to which early made Indispensable contribution
were basic in the development of democratic institutions.
The net result was to make possible manhood suffrage
ercised by educated eectroae Labor early advocated
women's suffrage.
factories unions became the which managed terms
and conditions of work for thus initiating the
group entitled to share in free enterprise Only by acting
collectively workers have work rights and responsible
ties Unions had to dsesabsh the legal concept that union
effort to promote the welfare of illegal
conspiracy against employers and their right to do business
for collective bargaining unions secured opportunities for
to promote their economic interests and share
made possible higher living conditions for the masses OF our
citizens.
But the struggle liberty does not end Soon organ
lied employers mobzed their influence in the government
develop weapons against unions in the form of court
orders nunctons and prosecution under antitrust law
on tho ground that unions monopoies Equity Judges
became strikebreakers for employers resisting in
and collective bargaining Courts began confscat
ngng workers homes with triple damages required under
antitrust law because Of union activity Workers rights to
collective action order to make effective their rights pos
sessed individuals had to be written into public policy
the right to quit work collectively the right to collective
right to promote their economic welfare These purposes
part achieved by the labor provisions of the Clayton
Antrus Act differenatng between human beings and
control over products constituting trusts THIS was COM
pemented by the Norris Act prohibiting issuance
of nunctons in labor disputes and the National Labor Re-
aons Act assuring unions the right to collective contract
BY these achievements workers in reality exercised the
rights of free workers. with effective right of contract and
position to share the benefits and responsible
ties of free enterprise
In addition developing the procedures by which work
accepted partners production unions provided
their members raterna benefits covering sickness
poymen DEATH dependents, etc They developed employ
ment bureaus provided for medical and recreation for
members and other services which constituted the proto
types for social legislation The social which de-
veoped abors protests include protection of children
safety and health provisions social insurance to provide
come earnings minimum wage standards fixing the
floor for competition in private enterprise, etc
Strong and effective unions have supplemented political
democracy by assuring economic rights for the numerical
majority Of our citizens and enabling them to assume re-
sponsbles for their welfare Unions take pride in
the fact that the workers OF this country while loyal to
democracy are also known throughout the world as the
The United States leads the world in technical progress and
has work force with corresponding work ability All this
because the freest workers in the world - free
through unions and national opportunities
These facts and these achievements submit to our
nation why oppressive punitive legislation should
not be enacted TO throttle the unions which have had
egra part in the development of national life and demo-
cratic institutions and must have effective role and
sponsbiy in promoting democratic institutions the
ganization of international relationships Upon the decision
of policy for free unions home rests nations auth
orty to claim world leadership III the promotion of freedom
for all other countries.