The union times., 1948-01-24


 annual report to the Council at out that most locals have not felt Law as yet, but will do so witt August B at the latest.
 SLOW BUT SURE'
 We have had our ups and downs as far as finances are concerned, O'Kane said. Nevertheless, progress has been slow but sure in having the working cards adopted by the various afi1iates. We feel sure that this pro gress will continue until all realize that each man in the building trades has a moral and financial reSponsibll- ity to the Council.
 The Building Trades in the past year completed one of the biggest con- struction programs in peace time his tory. This in spite of the fact that government and state construction was held to a minimum in order not to compete with the shortage of material and labor. The most conservative estl- mates for the 1948 construction pro- gram even exceeds this record high, notwithstanding the fact that last year we were pricing ourselves out of the market
 elf you think that was an under statement, you want to hear them this year. Their new story is that Congress will reduce taxes, cut the cost of living to such an extent that we will be glad to take reduction in wages in preference to asking for an increase. They are also of the firm belief that the boys in Washington will be able to clamp on another wage freeze and they plan to stall as long as they possibly can in the hope that these things will take place. Some optimism.
 NOBODY LIKES IT
 You have heard President Barry's report on the Hartley Bill but 1 can assure you that the contractor does not like this bill much more than the labor unions. Nevertheless, he likes to use it as false face to score the nego- tiating committee of the various local unions.
 'sThis makes it absolutely neces- sary that all Councils and Local Unions work in absolute harmony for whether they realize it or not they are in the battle of their lives. If unified front is not presented and maintained during the coming struggle, labor unions will get their ears beat off. You must realize the full impact of the T.-H. Law will not be felt until your present agree ment runs out and you kiss your closed shop goodbye, which for 9O% of the Local Unions, will be within the next three months and at the latest, August 23, l948.
 HELP OURSELVES
 'We cannot wait for something to be done for us by the National Depart ment but must line up our forces at home for our protection. This game is going to be played in our own back yard. Let us not get pushed around too much before we get organized. There is one thing we do not have to do, and that IS work with non-union men.
 "So let us get out and practice this, and go all out for organization in the remaining few months we have. In other words let us organize as we have never organized before.
 HOUSING
 "The building trades have come in for some very, very unfavorable pub licity because of the housing shortage So much so that we were forced to re- flute some of it that appeared in the Sunday Herald. We have a resolution coming before this body that will en- dorse the bill drawn by the Bridgeport Housing Authority to be submitted at a special session of the Legislature.
 'We have also a resolution asking for the passage of the Wagner Ellen der-Taft Bill which was stymied in the House at the last regular session. These two resolutions speak for them selves but as building tradesmen, we must go on record favoring this type of legislation.
 JURISDICTION
 Jurisdiction is the greatest men, ance to the building trades under the T.-H. Law. Unfortunately our leaders in the Department did not see fit to recall or wipe out all those screwy and contradictory decisions (fOr one job only) after the war was over. "~>
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