The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1950-08-18
MOST REA C0-0PS ARE FAIR, SOME ARE NOT,
SAYS IBEW Representative


found the managers and boards of
directors to be fine group of honor
able gentlemen to deal with. You are
most fortunate to have in this state
the type of men we have found these
representatives of the electrical CO.
operatives to be. In this class are
the co-operatives listed below:
Hill County Electric Cooperative,
Havre; Big Flat Electric Co-opera
tive, Turner; Northern Electric Co
operative, Opheim; Sheridan County
Electric Cooperative, Medicine Lake;
Yellowstone County Electric Coop
erative, Huntley; Lower Yellowstone
Electric Cooperative, Sidney; Fergus
County Electric Cooperative, Lewis
town; Park County Electric Coop
erative, Livingston; McCone County
Electric Cooperative, Circle, and
Flathead Electric Cooperative, Kalis-
pell.
These co-operatives are fair to lab
or. The boards of directors have en-
gagged in honest collective bargain
ing. Agreements exist which provide
for decent wages and working con-
ditions. A harmonious relationship
exists between those representing
sent labor.
A few other co-operatives in the
state are in the process of collective
bargaining with the international
Brotherhood of Electrical Workers
and no doubt contracts will soon ex
ist as we have found the majority
of these people honest, sincere, and
quite willing to bargain in good faith.
Some Instances of Deplorable
Conditions
In sharp contrast to this fine re-
latiOnship we have a few co-operatives
in Montana whose managers and the
attorneys representing those coop
eratives have taken such a narrow
and backward view that deplorable
sweat shop conditions exist. Fortu-
nately this group represents a minor
ity. A case or two exists where GER
tain attorneys have gained control of
the co-operatives and the boards of
directors (no doubt to further their
own political aims in their particu-
lar community permit them to pur-
sue a more or less anti-labor policy.
Labor was staunch supporter of
the original Rural Identification plan
because we believed that the ad
ministration would function in the
public interest.
While these co-operatives are fight
ing the International Brotherhood
of Electrical Workers to prevent or
lganizational work that would establish
decent wages and working conditions,
the taxpayers money is being wasted
on excessive engineering and legal
costs. The House Committee on APP
preparations for the fiscal year end
ing June 30th stated as follows:
''In the opinion of the committee
fees paid for engineering and legal
work in connection with the larger
loans are too high"
A situation has been created by
a few prejudiced and selfish Rural
Electrification cooperative managers
which is shameful and disgraceful
and has forced the international
of Electrical Workers
to use the services of the National
Labor Relations Board to attempt
to secure bargaining rights for en-
ployees who have been subjected
to abuses and, in many cases, threats
of losing their jobs, intimidation,
and coercion. In some cases unfair
labor practice charges will have to
be filed under certain provisions of
The STANLEY E. THOMPSON,
TBEW Int1. Representative Great
Falls.