Evening star., 1947-08-03

SeSAA do VA1S (1OcCu SllOp.
The plan involves the abolitio
either written or oral, between
substitution therefore of "condi-
tions of employment terms under
which the printers would work. The
conditions" including wage scales
would be worked out unilaterally BY
the union and presented informally
to employers on take-it-or- -leave-i
basis.
OF course, one of the conditions
would be that no union printer
would work if an employer hired g
non-union man. In that way the
ITU would retain informally the
closed shop which it has had in most
places since the last century. The
Taft Hartley Act prohibits the max.
ing of closed shop contracts aftel
August %. The closed shop, widely
used in other industries as we'll a,
printing, means that a worker can.
not be hired unless or until he Is 6
member Of union.
interpretations Awaited
Actually. the printers scheme
would mean that after August q
the only new contracts or renewals
in the industry would be oral under
standings between individual print
ers and employers. There would be
In effect, contract" between each
printer and employer based on
terms of the conditions of employ
The union as such would
be entirely outside the contractural
arrangement. It would become a
sort of employment agency only. In
that way the printers feet they
could quit work If conditions proved
unsatisfactory to them without sub
jecting the union to possible suits
LOI StIlke damage.
Labor lawyers are confident the
ldea will work without bringing
down the new labor law on the
heads Of the ITU. Whether 1t is
IN idea for successfully circumvent-
ng the law cannot be determined
until the revised National Labor
Relations Board, which takes over
August %, has made pertinent in
expectations Of the Taft-Hartley
Act.
1t is predicted in some quarters
hat the plan will lead to widespread
trikes. In any event. it would not
eem to be conducive to peaceful
abor relations since it involves
dictation of wage terms
md other working conditions. Just
low much trouble there will be, of
curse, depends in large measure on
low temperate the printers are in
heir demands.
Headquarters Speaks
The ITU idea Is not one which
an be applied widely by unions
eeking to preserve the closed shop
md other conditions despite the
lew law. It's successful operation
S dependent on a monopoly of
killed labor, which the ITU has in
most communities. Few other unions
lave so tight a hold over labor
upply.
Printers strategy has unfolded in
bulletins to locals from in
ernational officers and in the an
lual report of Woodruff Randolph,
president. Mr.. Ran
lolph's ideas could be upset at the
.TU convention in Cleveland, be-
ginning August 16, but the odds
eem against it.
The words from union headquar-
ers do not rule out the possibility
hat a way may be found to make a
contract with employers
lnder the Taft-Hartley Act, al
hough the union leaders do not
;eem optimistic that it can be done.
4 bulletin from the international
puts it this way:
You tthe LOCALS will be advised
t we can devise contract we can
lfford to write in view Of the haz-
lrds of TILL (Taft-Hartley law
abor relations"
In his annual report Mr.. Ran
iolph describes the issue of the
;losed shop with characteristic
Whether or not we can contract
or a closed shop. we will operate
,nder the closed shop" he asserted.
There is the chance that Wash
ngton printers and publishers may
erve as guinea pigs" in testing the
.TU plan against Federal law. The
printers contract with the news
,apers here expires November ii.
Outlined
The Taft-Hartley Act requires a
minimum of 60 days notice of inten-
ion to terminate or modify labor
contract and the ITU will not quar-
el with the law on that point. The
in fact, caution the locals
o take unusual care in seeing to it
hat proper notice is given.
The first half Of the go days is
cserved for negotiations between
he parties. II they are unable to
gree, the law calls for the new Fed
raj Cancellation and Mediation
Service to step in at the end Of 80
lays and try to get the parties to-
ether. Strikes and lockouts over
ontract revisions are forbidden by
he law until the 90 days are up or
he contract expires, whichever oc-
,stvr 1nk