Evening star., 1948-06-27
Temporizing With Leftist
Unions Called Dangerous
Inquiry Boards Hint for Compromise
in NMU Dispute Deplored
By Gerard d. Reilly

Of Republican orators in Philadelphia last
week. the boldest challenge which our domestic
Communists have made thus far to the ability
Of the Federal Government to enforce the laws
Of Congress and protect national security seems
to have been excluded from the realm Of
political debate.
Thoughtful proponents of the European aid
program have often wondered how effective
bulwark it would be against Russian agrees
sion, If Communist agents In this country
resorted to strategic sabotage through the
unions which the Stalinists control. In view
Of the necessity Of maintaining continuous
now Of supplies to our occupation forces and
potential allies abroad, one Of the major
weaknesses of the United States is the dubious
loyalty ofs two major maritime unions.
Under current closed-shop conditions the
loading and unloading of ships on the West
Coast Is completely at the mercy Of the Inter-
national Longshoremen and Warehousemen's
Union tCIO). The National Maritime Union,
another CIO afnlate has a monopoly Of the
manning of ships at most of the Great Lakes
and Eastern ports. Both organizations are
regarded in labor circles as being Communist
dominated. 1t Is significant that officers OF
neither union have filed the anti-Communist
disclaimers required by the amended Labor
Relations Act and the NMU has sought vainly
to have the Supreme Court invaldate this
requirement.
The key to these union monopolies Is In the
present hiring hall system, method which
places the selection Of applicants for seamen's
or stevedoring jobs entirely in the hands OF
the unions. This system has been a matter Of
deep concern to Congress. The Senate report
recommending the restrictions on the closed
shop now embodied in the Taft-Hartley Act
states:
"In the maritime industry . union hiring
halls now provide the only method of secur-
ing employment. This not only permits unions
holding such monopolies over jobs to exact
excessive fees but 1t deprives management OF
any real choice Of the men it hires. Extension
of this principle to licensed deck and engine
officers had created the greatest problems in
connection with the safety of American vessels
at sea-"
At the time the act passed, the maritime
union contracts had about a year to run.
These agreements have now expired and crisis
has been looming for several months because
of the stubborn insistence Of the union leader
ship that the new contracts must embody the
same hiring hall practices which 1t was the
clear intention of the statute to forbid. Efforts
of the Mediation Service to persuade the
unions to recede proved unavailing.
As a result the President was finally forced
to order the Department of Justice to appear
In Federal courts to enjoin the threatened
nationwide strikes. These injunctions were
granted under the emergency provisions OF
the Taft Hartley Act, but their only legal effect
is to put of the day of reckoning for another
two months.
Meanwhile the general counsel's Office of the
National Labor Relations Board, acting with
commendable speed, issued complaint against
the NMU and its officers on the charge of GER
tain Great Lakes carriers, unable to operats
their tankers as their crews had struck In the
hope of getting the companies to captulate to
the hiring hall demand. The Board assigned
the case to one of its most experienced trial
examiners, Howard Myers.
Mr.. Myers found the union guilty OF violating
the act in three respects: Cd Refusing to
bargain in good faith, (2) coercing the en-
ployes in rights guaranteed by the act and
(3) attempting to cause employers to discrimi-
nate in hiring. Although the union had tried
to muddy the record by having Its president,
Joseph Curran, testify that there were many
nonunion seamen on ships which were under
contract with the NMU, Mr.. Myers found that
the unions method Of running the hiring halls
was clearly repugnant to the act'
As to the unions method OF operating the
halls he said:
"The record q. . clearly indicates that the
hiring halls maintained by NMU are for
members and nonmembers. The former, how
ever are given frst chance to take any job
that is offered. If no union member Is available
when the Job is called or posted in the hiring
hall or II q union member is available but de-
clines the Job the first available person Is then
assigned to the job.
"Any nonunon member so assigned Is subject
to replacement by union member at the end
Of the first round-trip voyage. In short, the
hiring hall Is maintained mainly for NMU
members In good standing, for NMU menu
bers are given preference and non-NMU
members may obtain jobs through the NMU
hiring halls only when NMU members are
not available or when NMU members decline
the job
The publication of these unequivocal findings
drew from Mr. Curran the retort that the union
will strike at the end Of the 80-day injunction
period unless the ship operators agree to dis
regard the Myers report. He declared that
this negotiating committee would reject any
offer that does not provide continuation OF
present hiring practices and improvements in
wages, hours and conditions. His statement
made no mention Of appealing the Myers deci-
sion to the Labor Board ITSELF but 1t is con-
ceivable that he may instruct his counsel to file
exceptions as delaying tactic.
Although the Labor Board officials thus far
involved in the matter have met the unions
challenge to the law in fortnight fashion. the
same cannot be said for the board Of inquiry
appointed by the President. 1t includes two
former staff members of the War Labor Board
who were never conspicuous for their fortitude
in resisting union pressure. In filing Its pre-
liminary report to the President this investigat-
ing board described the impasse correctly as
arising over legal issues, but then deplored the
fact that the parties had not displayed greater
imagination and ingenuity in trying to work
out some compromise