The Daily Alaska empire., 1947-03-17

Slde the unlOnS Tor lOngShOre work and requiring the unions to give them work permits, was based on the view that spreading the avail able longshore work any thinner would not provide a decent living wage to any worker Union mem berS would seek other fields where they could earn more, he said The result would be destruction of the longshore unions and a blow at organized labor in general. He said that the Ketchikan local. he knows, does have list of tex tra men" that it calls on when there are not enough members to work ships.
 Admits Standby Time
 He amitted, however, that ships lare sometimes forced to stand by and that there are times when not enough men are provided by the union to work all matches on ships.
 The only solution Albright had to propose for elimination of the costly delays was for the com panies to contract to maintain a minimum annual wage Then, he said, the unions could take in as many men as the company felt they needed. He held that it would be cheaper for the companas in the end than the present sys- tenn.
 1 Senate hearing on the matter lcame to an abrupt end and AL Upright was excused when several Senators objected to spending more time upon a measure that had yet to pass the House and might nev- CT come before the Senate.
 In the House
 1 Immediately following the close of the Senate discussion of the shipping question, the House be- gan consideration of H. B. no Objection was made immediately to the Declaration of Policy and Legislative Findings" in Section of the bill. Much of this section was deleted from the bill, includ- ing the statement:
 Evidence in successive public hearings indicates that an impor tant factor of increased costs of shipping is due in part to artific ial shortages of labor and decreas- ed production of labor and to var ious unsound labor practices which have greatly increased the length of voyages through long delays while loading and discharging car go at Alaska ports
 i Attorney General Rivers was called for advice on this section of the bill and told the members that the statement was factually : correct and that it is usual to have a statement of findings and policy in a bill of this type. It would not, he said. destroy the purpose and intent of the tiN by removing the statement.
 Repeats Statement.
 Rivers repeated the statements ha had made in the Senate re- garding the shipping and rate sit uation and answered questions from the floor In answer to a question he said that the effect of H. B. no would be to spread the work of
 
 would be employed at it but that each would have fewer hours of work.
 If this bill is passed" Rivers said, we can go before a rate hearing and tell the Maritime Commission that We have done something that will effect econ omies in the operation of ships"
 Rivers was followed on the stand by Leslie Grove, who said that hc represents the Seafarers Interna- tional Union. He opposed passage of H. B. no and blamed the lest time on the ship operators.
 Staggered Sailings
 The companies should stagger tfeir sailings so that we won't get three or four ships in port at a time" Groves suggested He spoke of getting more modern equipment for handling cargo, but said that docks in the States with such equipment handle less cargo per hour than do tEe docks in Alaska.
 There is always a surplus of manpower in the winter months, Groves said, but the situation is reversed during the summer. This bill would force some men to work "A hours day, seven days week" he asserted.
 Asked by Representative Maurice Johnson if he opposed H. B. no, Groves said that he did.
 Do you oppose aiding the At tcrney General in keeping down freight rates that effect the econ omy of the whole Territory?' Rep. Johnson asked.
 I'm opposed to using labor for that purpose" Grove answered.
 He asserted that the unions have not been responsible for the increased costs of shipping Wage increases do not cause price