Evening star., 1947-08-17
BY the Associated Press


road to labor peace is paved by
bosses and union men shovelins
like mad at something else.
At least that seems to be the
secret of the Portland Labor Man
agement Committee. which has done
so well at labor peace that har-
assed citizens from cauliflower-
cared towns are always writing in
to plead, Please, now do you do it?'
This is a town where not a single
local dispute ended in strike dur
ing the war. It was called the
strikeless city. That would be a
misnomer now, but you can still
count the strikes without using your
toes.
This year the city's good labor
record has been bringing in big
new industry a month.
Two days after the Taft Hartley
bill was passed, the Labor Man
agement Committee met. The
president of shipyard declared
that mo legislation can be passed
that will alter friendships We will
have industrial peace in this district
regardless of what happens N other
areas"
Establish Confidence.
The president of the traction
company. which had just settled a
wage dispute without any strike
said he was going to treat the boys
just as he had before the law was
passed. - -''' :, - =
The secretary OF the steamftters
rose to say he condemned the Law
as bitterly as all other unions did
but he didn't think it had. to throw
monkey wrench in local relations
I'VE can find a way to get along
here" put in the painters union
business representative.
One by one, the entire member.
ship promised they would continue
industrial peace by establishing con
fldence and mutual understanding
between labor and management"
Takes No Sides.
The curious part of this Labor
Management Committee is that il
spends 80 per cent of its time or
things that aren't labor relations
at all. 1t takes no sides in labor
disputes. 1t doesn't arbitrate. II
doesn't intervene in collective bar
gaining. 1t never says that the hod
carriers should get 10 cents more OF
the busboys eight cents less. II
works so quietly that the man in
the factory, asked about it, gives 8
blank stare.
Labor or-management what? Nope
never heard of it."
It's formal corporation, founded
by group of key industries ano
unions to foster industrial peace
They take it seriously enough te
shell out its funds themselves-two.
thirds from industries, one-thirC
from the unions, who tax themselves
two cents per member per month.
New Industries Encouraged.
The committee tries to prevent la
bor disputes from arising. 1t en-.
courages new industries with the
promise of smooth labor relations
1t works to get more jobs for Port.
land.
Last fall, for instance, funds tc
start the huge McNary Dam. up the
Columbia River, were frozen. THAI
would have meant no work on the
dam this year.
The Labor Management Commit.
tee, which estimated that the freeze
order. directly and indirectly. af-
fected $4,000 jobs in this area, went
to bat. 1t interviewed; 1t argued: ii
bombarded Congress and the Prssi-
dent.
In November President Truman
released the funds. And, in the same
way. the committee has fought sue.
cessfully for dozen other projects
that meant more jobs for Portland
Breeds Friendly Atmosphere.
The result Is not only the jobs
themselves, but friendly atmos-
phere. When labor disputes arise il
makes knock down. drag g-outs come
lot harder
Some employers who'd cringed al
the very mention of industry wide
bargaining, for instance. changed
their minds after hearing the system
extrolled by employers and union!