Evening star., 1953-03-03
AL Demands Repeal
OF Practically All
Taft Act Provisions
BY the A,.oeiaf.d Rr.,,

Repeal or all major PROVISIONS
Of the Taft-Hartley labor law
restrictive of unions was urged
on Congress today by the Amer
lean Federation of Labor.
The AFL recommendations
called for clause by clause change
in the Taft-Hartley Act that
would just about accomplish the
outright repeal which labor or
ganizations have advocated.
A 15-page statement, read by
AFL President George Meany
to House Labor Committee,
called for elimination of in
junction provisions of the pres
ent law, including the 30
day court ban allowed in ma
tional emergency strikes.
Mr.. Meany's recommendations
closely paralleled those made
public recently by the CIO. The
effect of carrying out the recon-
mendations of both big union
organizations would be to return
the basic labor law largely to
the framework of the Wagner
Act, which the Taft-Hartley Act
modified in 1947.
Meany Quotes President.
Mr.. Meany quoted President
Eisenhower as advocating "a law
that merits the respect and sup
port Of labor and management"
1.-THE Taft-Hartley Act, now
on the books. does not merit or
enjoy the respect of American
trade unionS-and that's putting
1t mildly" the union official said,
declaring 1t has placed "intoler-
able restrictions upon the exer-
else OF basic rights and freedoms
by trade unions and their men,
berS."
GAS result, this law that pur-
ports to promote labor-manage-
ment peace, has served in many
instances to instigate and pro-
long strife" he said.
Declaring there should be min
imum Government regulation of
employer-employe relations, Mr..
Meany recommended repeal of
the 80-day emergency strike in
junction provisions of the pres
ent law. Instead. he said, the
Government should rely on medi-
alton and conciliation-or per-
suaSion-to settle the big strikes.
Favors Voluntary Arbitration.
He also suggested voluntary
arbitration, or the willing sub
mission of issues to a third neu-
tral party for a recommended
solution. =
"The trouble has been that any
specific Government procedure
such as that outlined in the Taft
Hartley law encourages one party
to the dispute to hold back from
genuine collective bargaining be-
cause it might benefit from in
voktng the established emergency
procedure" Mr.. Meany said.
Mr.. Meany recommended again
legalizing the closed shop-a pro-
vision, now banned by the law.
which would allow contracts to
provide that only union members
be hired on a job. He urged
eliminating present bans on sec
ondary boycotts and elimination
OF provisions permitting employ
ers to bring damage suits against
labor unions.
Would Drop AFFIDAVIT.
The AFL leader said the pres
ent non-Communist AFFIDAVIT re-
quirement should be eliminated
altogether. with strengthening of
facilities of the Justice Depart
ment to nab Communists.
He urged eliminating present
Taft-Hartley rules governing the
union health and welfare plans
and the laws requirement that
notice must be served before a
union may seek to terminate or
modify a collective bargaining
agreement.
Mr.. Meany also asked that a
ban on "featherbedding" or
make work" be dropped from
the law. In this regard, he said
he was convinced Congress would
approve of virtually all such
practices" If 1t. took a close look
at them