Evening star., 1953-03-12
7Major Changes
In Taft-HartIey Act
Urged by Reuther
BY jones Y. Newton

principal effect of the 6-year-old
law "has been to worsen labor
management relations"
He gave the CLOS position to
the House Labor Committee,
which is considering revision of
the Nations basic labor rela-
tionS law.
Mr.. Reuther said that while
the CIO is convinced Taft-H Hart
ley ultimately must be repealed,
there is nothing doctrinaire''
about his organizations position.
1--WE are realists, well ac-
quainted with the political facts
of life" he said. Therefore. the
CIO is ready to cooperate with
any sincere effort to amend the
law"
Mr.. Reuther quoted literally
from the speeches and remarks
of President Eisenhower about
the need for changes in urging
an almost complete rewriting
of Taft-Hartley.
Proposals Listed.
The major revisions he pro-
posed are:
/. Elimination of all injunc-
tionS, including provision for an
80-day court stay of a So-called
national emergency strike.
2. Elimination of undue Gov
ernment interference with collec-
tive bargaining, including the
present ban on the closed shop
and restrictions on union welfare
funds.
3 Elimination of hampering
restraints on union organization
and activity.
4. Elimination of what he
called provisions of the law de-
signed to harass and weaken
unions, including the right Of
employers to sue unions for
damages under certain condi-
tions.
S. Simplif1cation of the law and
elimination of unnecessary de-
lays in processing unfair labor
practice charges in the National
Labor Relations Board and
through the courts.
s. Change the law to prevent
the "disruptive" practice of per-
mitting craft units to be carved
out of a plant where an in
dustrial union is the bargaining
agent.
7. Rewrite the so-called free
speech-for- employers" section to
prevent managements from head
ing off union organization by Co
ercion and intimidation"
Mr.. Reuther said Gen. Eisen-
hover had observed that court
injunctions wouldn't settle the
underlying fundamental prob
lens" which cause strikes. He
Cp4O I1C was Ill 1uA1 dI1O IlCdI Gy
agreement.
AS a substitute for the in
junction in a national emergency
dispute Mr.. Reuther urged plac-
ing full responsibility on the
parties to settle through collec-
tive bargaining, with Congress
maintaining the power to act in
cases where no agreement was
reached.
He said the President called
for 1.-The encouragement of col
lective bargaining" and the lift
ing of "the heavy hand Of Gov
ernment intervention from labor
relations. Mr.. Reuther said the
free bargaining process, a rim
ciple with which "all believers
in a free economy will purely
agree" had become "eroded"
under Taft-Hartley.
Mr.. Reuther advocated, and
he pointed out Gen. Eisenhower
had too. elimination of the pro-
vision denying workers involved
in an economic strike the right
to vote in subsequent union
representation elections. The
President said the provision
could be used to break unions.
He described as grossly unfair
the part of Taft-Hartley per-
mitting employers to sue unions
for damages without allowing
unions the right to sue manage
ments for unfair labor practices.
AS for governmental delays in
processing unfair practice cases.
Mr.. Reuther said, the average
case required 469 days through
the National Labor Relations
Board and an additional year to
get through the courts. He said
one CIO case had been in the
courts Is years without settle
ment.
Charges Intimidation.
The present free speech" sec
ton of Taft-Hartley, he said,
opened the door to employer
prevention of union organiza-
ton by coercion and intimida-
ton" He said the CIO had no
objection to a section which
would permit employers to speak
freely with employees about un-
ions and still would not "intimi-
date" them.
Mr.. Reuther said Taft-Hartley
has not destroyed the labor
movement because our roots
are sunk too deeply in the aspi-
rations of people who work for a
living" But, he added, it had
made it hard for even big unions
to grow. And lone of the great
ironies" of the law was it had
adversely affected most the
weaker unions, and the workers
who need the benefits of organ
iZation the most"
The law. he added. "discour-
ages collective bargaining and
creates disputes instead Of en-
couraging industrial stability" "
At another point he said:
Taft Hartley has discouraged
good faith at the collective bar