The potters herald. [volume] (East Liverpool, Ohio) 1899-1982, 1947-03-06

ployees working in the business
plant, or in such unit thereof, ex-
pressed by a secret ballot, cannot
be sustained. AS we have previous
ly noted, each individual employee
has right to strike for a legally
Justifiable purpose, and such a
right, of course, rests upon min
ority as well as upon a majority.
"We are all convinced that a pro-
hibition to strike placed upon mi
nority group, unless sanctioned by
secret ballot of others who are
without interest in their welfare is
an unreasonable and arbitrary re-
straint and must be stricken
down." Alabama State Federation
of Labor VS.. McAdory, ct al, 246
Ala. /.
Registration And Financial Ac-
counting OF Labor Organizations
If H.R. 8, H.R. 725 and others
dealing with this question embody
the principle that labor organiZa-
tions are subject to licensing by
the Government, and thus exist
only at the sufferance of the Gov
ernment, it must be opposed. If it
is mere registration, then there is
no objection in principle However,
on the practical side, it is to be
noted that the required report con-
cerning internal affairs of labor
and in particular con-
cerning the state of their fnan-
ces, is, under some Of the propos-
ais, to be made available not only
to union members but to the gen
eral public.
Since, through public filing,
financial position is made
known to the employer, that en-
ployer's willingness to bargain and
his good faith in making counter
may be very well condi-
toned by his estimate of the
unions ability to weather either
lockout or a strike. 1t is certain
that public disclosures to the en-
ployer, will result in a crippling of
the bargaining process.
If the Congress should find it
necessary to enact legislation re-
Iuiring registration and financial
accounting then common justice
and equal treatment demand that
,he same requirement be imposed
lpon employers, trade associations,
md all fraternal organizations.
Jurisdictional Disputes
H.R. 1896, H.R. $50 and H.R.
'25, among others, would outlaw
io-called "jurisdictional strikes"
lnder any and all circumstances.
3asically the jurisdictiGnal strike
involves the right to do a certain
ype of work and hence the right
o earn livelihood. They are most
lcute in times of depression and in
ines of an over-crowded labor
market. When striking is the only
lternative to starving are such
trikes to be cutlawed? Until and
Inless our society is prepared to
'rovide employment for all who
re willing to work, attempts to
utlaw the jurisdictional strike
an have no moral justification.
Imendments To The Wagner Act |
H.R. 725, H.R. 1905, H.R. 8. H.R.
0, H.R. 80, H.R. 1896 and others
rovide for extensive, complex and
etailed revisions of the National
.abor Relations Act
Unfair Labor Practices
We are opposed to the provision
\ several of the bills making it an
nfair practice for labor unions to
1terfere with the rights of en-
loyees to self organization, desig-
alton of representatives, and the
ke.
In so far as this provision may
e addressed to unlawful acts like
ssaults and batteries, they are
subject to regulation
nd control by the State authori-
es, and under our federal system
government that is precisely
here they belong. The National
abor Relations Board is not and
,ould not be a police court.
Compulsory Arbitration
H.R. II, H.R. "a, H.R. 68, H.R.
and HR. rs are identical bills.
hey authorize the President to
reclaim the existence or threaten
! existence of a public emergency
of a labor dispute and to
sue an order prohibiting any
ckout, strike or other work stop
ige and they require the parties
submit to compulsory arbitra-
on.
Organized labor is unalterably
'posed to compulsory arbitration
are the leading spokesmen of
dustry. Our reasons are many
Id clear. Compulsory arbitration
the very antithesis of collective
and collective bargain
& is the very cornerstone of eco
mic and political democracy.
Conclusion
As | told the Senate Committee
st week, the large number of
oposals now before this Commit
e are ill-considered in the ex-
eme. | say with full conviction
I'd full sincerity that their enact-