The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1955-01-14
From international Typographical
Union, THE JOURNAL

Texas, lies solid blackout region
where collective bargaining for union
security is san illegal conspiracy,
against public policy" Local unions
are directly or indirectly affected by
so-called "right-to-work" laws which,
under Section 14(b) of the Taft
Hartley Act. supersede federal laws.
In the midwestern and far western
sections local unions are similarly
affected by compulsory open shop
laws in six states.
REPEAL IS DEFENSE MEASURE
Defense of local unions and pro-
lection of the rights of members re-
quires repeal of these laws and strong
opposition to the enactment of any
more like them. In December, 1947,
The Journal stated:
Gwen if the Taft-Hartley Law is
repealed or amended in the next SEES
sion of Congress, there are many
state laws which would seriously re-
strict legitimate union activities. In
all, 80 states during the last year
enacted legislation which restricts
union activities. Fourteen states have
passed anti-closed shop laws; II states
have passed laws restricting picketing
and other strike activities and IL
states prohibit boycotts. Six place
restrictions on jurisdictional disputes
and IL passed special laws relating
to labor relations in public utilities.
Several require registration and fl
nancial reports of local unions"
The national picture today, seven
years later, is much worse. 1t has
followed the prophetic statement in
The Journal for January, 1947:
"A witch's brew has been fed our
legislators, both state and national.
A brew to engender hate and in
tolerance; one to draw a mantle of
false virtue around those who are
to crusade against labor"
That was before Taft-Hartley. The
crusade then under way, to enact
union-busting laws nationally and in
all the states, has continued at every
opportunity. Employer organizations
today are planning to complete the
jigsaw pattern of blacking out the
whole country with state legislation
before labor can secure repeal of
Taft-Hartley.
A review of this years activities by
employer groups seeking "right-to-
work" legislation will reveal the
stately planned by such groups to
"divide and destroy" both labor and
management rights throughout the
country. Where management desires
to settle its labor problems with
stable, responsible trade unions, it |
too becomes the target of the Fright
to-work" law sponsors, just as Taft
Hartley forced many fair employers
to give up closed shop contracts they
had found satisfactory and desirable.
Having failed in the Pacific coast
states, the open-shoppers this year
sought to block off that area with an
Initiated law in Idaho, to build
barrier from Canada to Mexico. They
were stopped by the state supreme
court which held the "right-to-work"
title completely improper and mis-
leading.
ATTACK IN MIDWEST STATES
A second attempt to piece out a
blackout barrier between east and
west was made in three midwestern
states this year. In Oklahoma, candi-
dates fronting for the "right-to-
work" groups were defeated in pri-
mary elections. In Missouri, more
than S25O,000 was spent in state
wide advertising campaign soliciting
support for the compulsory open shop.
In Kansas, the union-busters incor-
porated under the name "Kansans .
for the Right to Work" :
That these groups are not spon- !
soring needed or wanted legislation
IS apparent. No group of workers,
1nion or unorganized or nonunlon, |
1as ever asked for or sponsored such
! law! Invariably the "right-to-Work i
pills are backed, financed and pro I
noted by employers who haven't |
,hown any interest in the actual wei (
are of working people. Obviously, $
heir purpose is selfish--one zen. I
rendering hate and intolerance OF S
i'll labor but particularly labor unions. S
r. ): ox,oaront also that these {