The potters herald. [volume] (East Liverpool, Ohio) 1899-1982, 1947-02-13


a mortal blow" at organized
The councils denunciatior
it's second weeks session. En-
invited the Congress of Industrial
Organizations to return to the fed
Grafton to form a united body for
fighting anti-union legislation.
AFL President William Green
sent a letter proposing "organic
unity and solidarity within the
ranks of labor" to CIO President
Philip Murray.
Council Action Unanimous
The merger plan was the AFL
reply to a suggestion by Murray
last Dec. 5 that all labor combine
in a fight against anti-labor legis-
lation. The CIO leader, however,
had not proposed complete mer-
ger of membership.
Green said the executive council
of Is members had voted unani-
mously to send the letter to Muir
ray.
AS an indication of the serious
ness with which the AFL leader
regarded their proposal, Green
said, committee of 5 was named
to represent the federation in
working out details of the mer-
ger with similar committee from
the CIO.
Strikes Seen "Incubated"
The councils analysis of the
Ball-Taft- Smith bill marked the
beginning of a systematic examin-
alton of pending labor legislation.
1t discussed the measure section by
section.
Title |, providing for estab-
ishment of a Federal Mediation
Board with control of all the labor
disputes functions now in the De-
partment Of Labor, was described
as "a step in the wrong direction"
The mediation board would have
authority to forbid a strike for 60
days, a practice which "does not
prevent strikes but incubates
them," the AFL said. Peaceful
collective bargaining would be
dealt a mortal blow. In order to
protect it's legal rights a union
would have to serve notice of
dispute at least 2 months before
the expiration of a contract and be
in negotiations for new agree
ment i'm strike atmosphere
rather than in a spirit of coopera-
tion and understanding"
Check0ff Abolition Proposed
The council interpreted the pro-
hibition in Title ii against pay
ments by employers to unions or
union representatives as a pro-
posed abolition of the checkoff of
union dues from wages and the
end of unemployment funds, to-
ward which some employers con-
tribute.
Title III, dealing with the or
ganization Of supervisory employ
ees, the council said, would force
foremen who want union "to
strike for the attainment Of just
ice because peaceful methods of
organization are barred to them"
Title w provides for suits in the
event of breach of contract and, in
the AFL's opinion "would encour-
age litigation rather than media
ton or arbitration as the means
for settling disputes over contract
terms" "No intelligent employer
who wants to operate a successful
business and earn the goodwill of
his employees" it added, "would
think Of taking them or their union
to court and suing them for dam
ages" The statement pointed out
that unions may now be- sued in the
federal courts and in most states
for breach of contract.
death OF Patient" Foreseen
Title v, dealing with secondary
boycotts, was described as "the
vicious core Of the bill"
while it may be true that
abuses have developed in certain
forms Of secondary boycotts, this
bill proposes to kill the patient be-
fore attempting TO cure the dis
ease" the council said. "As Presi-
Truman said in his annual mes
sage to Congress, there are GER
tain forms Of secondary boycotts
which are wholly legitimate and
necessary to carry out the free
Of trade unions"
Under Title vi, according to the
council, "the only real objection to
the provisions for registration of
unions and the publication of fl
nancial accountings is that labor
organizations might be subject to
licensing by the government and
could therefore exist only by suf
ferance of the government"
Right OF Privacy Defended
The statement added that the
publication Of financial statements
was fairly general except in the
case Of few small unions which
feared to disclose their vulnerable
condition to certain employers.
"The right of privacy should be
protected" the statement declared.