Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-02-18
Fear Of Split
Bars Ruling in
AFL-CIO Fight
BY LEE M. COIN
star star writer

Feb. lS.-Fear Of splitting the
AFL-CIo will prevent any
clear-cut action to settle the
dispute between craft and in
dustrial unions. informed
sources predicted today.
The labor federation's Exec
utive Council. continuing its
winter meeting here, expected
to evade any decision. either by
calling for further study or by
adopting q face-saying formula
that would leave the issue
where 1t stands.
Formally, the dispute is
based on a charge by the ALL
CLOS United Steelworkers and
Industrial Union Department
that the Metal Trades Depart
ment Illegally organizes plants
in competition with federation
affilates. The Metal Trades
Department has no right to
organize aluminium plants, for
example. in competition with
USW, the complaint contends,
Dispute Much Broader
Actually, the dispute is much
broader. The craft unions.
such as the Pipe Filters and
Electricians. believe it is inn
practical to organize automated
plants by segments. They want
to band together to organize
on a plant-wide basis. using
the metal trades and other
departments as vehicles.
Industrial unions are based
on the concept Of organizing
all workers in a plant through
one union. When this concept
was adopted, craft distinctions
were vague in maSs-production
industries using relatively un-
skilled workers.
With attenuation, however,
skilled workers are dominat-
ing production more and more.
Industrial unions such as the
United Auto Workers and the
USW are making special pro-
vision for these craftsmen to
keep their hold on plants.
In effect, craft and indus
trial unions are adapting facets
of each others structure to
meet the challenge of automa-
ton.
Loss Of Power Feared
If industrial unions win, the
craft unions fear a rapid loss
of membership and bargaining
power. Craft unions feel so
strongly about this that some
leaders threaten to pull out of
the AFL-CIO if they lose the
right to organize plant-wide
through departments such as
the metal trades.
Such secession would put the
house of labor back where it
started in the 1930s when the
industrial unions established
the CLIO after splitting away
from the craft unions AFL.
And the merger OF the ALL and
the CLIO would be destroyed.
The council last year APP
pointed a committee to study
the dispute and report back at
this meeting. 1t has been
learned that the two-man COM
mittee has split, with Joseph
A. Beirne of the Communica-
tons Workers of America
siding with the industrial
unions and Joseph D. keenan,
of the International Brother
hood of Electrical Workers up
holding the craft unions.
Since the industrial unions
take secession threats seriously.
they have been bordering the
idea of letting their complaint
ride for awhile. Even if the
industrial unions decide to
press for action this week, the
council probably will Sidestep
the issue to prevent the COL
lapse of the federation.
In another development, it
was reported that AFL-CIO
leaders will spare Carpenters
Union President Maurice Hut
cheson from action to GUST
him from the council, and that
in return the Carpenters will
launch a thorough corruption
probe of the $50, 000-member
union.
The Associated Press said
responsible sources reported
that solution today on one of
the hottest problems facing the
council.
Mr.. Hutchinson is under in
dictment in Indiana in connec-
ton with a highway land scam
dial. He is also under AFL-CIO
fire for refusing to answer
questions posed by the Senate
Rackets Committee In Wash
ington.
Top AFL-CIO leaders were
as disposed to accept
Mr.. HutcheSon's written asSur-
ance that he never missed
union funds. This would re-
Y1onva fha rao eoyn for niiStino