Evening star., 1949-03-06
Carpenter Charges
He Was Fired for Not
Belonging 10 Union
BECAUSE he did not have 8 |

Because he did not nave q union
card, Walter S. Smith. 39-year-
old World War II veteran and
father of two children, who has
been a carpenter for 10 years, said
last night he was fired from his
Job by a construction firm here.
Mr.. Smith has taken his fight
to the Baltimore regional office
of the National Labor Relations
Board, charging violations of the
Taft Hartley Act by both the
union and the contractor.
The carpenter, who lives at 5608
Hamilton Manor drive, Hyatts-
vile, Md. explained he was work.
ing on the Washington and Lee
Apartments, Unit No. 2, Arlington,
Va, an FHA construction project.
But last Monday, .he said, his en-
ployer. Alvin L. Auhinoe. Inc,
1907 Pennsylvania ave. NV, ad-
vised him, after he had been on
the job five days. that it had to
let him go because he lacked q
union card. Mr.. Smith declared
the union never even approached
him.
Re-employment Plan Under Way.
Last night, Everett c. Embrey,
construction manager for the firm,
said an arrangement is being
worked out to re-employ Mr..
Smith. Mr.. Embrey said the firm
has heard from the NLRB and
declared he looked for settlement
this week, but was unable to give
details.
Mr.. Smith contended that in
stead of being summarily dis
missed, he should have been given
80 days in which to join the union
and in the meantime have con-
tinued on the job. He declared
the Taft-Hartley Act requires a
majority vote of the workers on
a job before the union can be-
come the bargaining agent for
them. But he points out he was
the only carpenter on the project,
which was just beginning. He
said the superintendent and about
four colored laborers were the
only other workers there.
Mr.. Smith said he heard the
carpenters union was going to
put pressure" on the employer,
as there are a lot of union car
penters now out of work. He
regards his NLRB action as
friendly case against the contrac-
tor. realizing it is in "a tight
spot
Tried to Confer With Taft.
Not knowing what to do when
he lost his job. the carpenter said
he went to Senator Taft's office,
asked to talk to the author of the
labor act, but was unable to do so
because the Ohio Republican was
on the Senate floor.
He was advised by Senator
Taft's Office to go to the NLRB.
Accordingly he went to Baltimore
and told his story. He said his en-
ployment was ended because OF
his failure to join the Carpenters
District Council of Washington.
He declared the contractor re-
fused to re-employ him in viola
ton Of the Taft Hartley Act. He
complained the company was in +
terfering and coercing it's EN- 7
ployes in the exercise of their
rights to work, guaranteed in the
act.
Field Examiner Assigned.
Mr.. Smith signed an official
NLRB complaint against the con-
tractor and against Ben A. San
ford, union business agent, and the
Council. He charged the labor
organization and its agent were
illegally forcing the contractor to
discriminate against him. In do
ing so. he said. the union was
violating the labor act.
Eugene A. Curry, acting NLRB
regional director at Baltimore
wrote Mr.. Smith that he had as
signed Field Examiner Louis
Aronin to the case.
AS his trump card. Mr.. Smith
presented to the NLRB a letter.
signed by Mr.. Embrey, which said
"since Mr.. Smith does not carry a
union card, we are forced. against
our wishes. to let him 60" Mr..
Embrey added he can recommend
the carpenter to anyone wishing
to employ him.
In the meantime, after looking
all week for work, Mr.. Smith said
he got q Job yesterday making a
survey for a contractor on the
amount Of earth needed for a