THE LABORER Year No. 10 Panama, August 9, 1945 a copy WEEKLY NEWS SERVICE on Libor Welte Years Labor Great Decade Of Progress AMERICAN FEDERATION OF LABOR est labor Highlights NLRB Annual Report cause of strikes, were ordered reinstated, and 30, 000 of them who lost pay while out received 9, 000, 000 in back wages.
More than 24, 000 NLRB elections were held, and 6, 000, 000 workers went to the polls, 85 per ct those eligible a for greater proportion than the number of voters who participate in elections for government offices.
In over 20, 000 of the elections, unions won out, thus proving beyond a shadow of doubt that the vast majority of workers want union protection.
Meanwhile the board cited an alarming current development a 15 per cent upturn in the number of cases charging unfair labor practices by emplayers. This appears to indicate, NLRE spokesmen said, that some employers, at least, are once again embarked on union busting campaigns.
us or Hopkins Named Impartial Arbiter Of Ladies Garment Industries man Washintong, The oldradio program in America, conducted by Albert We have for sometime now ious bigotry and discrimina Dennis, begins its twelfth Washington, Orgabeein receiving from the Am tion.
consecutive year and marks its nized labor great progress erican Federation of Labor, 573d weekly broadcast Over In an article in the July during the pas decade was Washington, their WeekStation WTOP in the nation the spotlighted by National issue of the American Feerly News Service. These pamationist, Mr. Green declared it capital on July 15. During his Labor Relation Board in a plets were, up to three weeks long service, Mr. Dennis has report made public on its ago, printed in the Spanish imperative that the mandate of interviewed many high rankthe last convention for the estenth anniversary.
language only and in order to tablishment of industrial equaling labor leaders an give our English Readers the sought to present labor conOn that day, too, Chairman ity be carried out. He added: benefit of the articles in the Harry Millis retired and We must not falter or fail. structive achievements to the Service, our Secretary, some Paul Herzog, former head We must fight to maintain and public.
two weeks ago, communicated of the New York State Labor preserve American principles with the Secretary Treasurer of Relations Board, took over the and the American way of life.
was the requesting that we reins. He appointed by The faces of all working men be supplied these Weekly News Truman Cuts Hours President Truman several and women must be turned Service in the english langeverlastingly against radical Of Federal Employes weeks ago, after Millis resigned.
uage as well take pleasure and religious discrimination in announcing that his (our Washington, President and in favor of freedom, libTruman Secretary s) request has been directed that The board summary showthe erty, equality and democracy.
ed that in the decade it has The complied with Union hours of federal employes in Emphasizing the importance all but six agencies be reduced handled 74, 000 cases, involving thanks to him for his efforts of organized labor stake in both unfair labor practices by in this direction.
the elimination of intolerance, from 48 to 44 weekly. The exemployers and requests for While the articles covered in Mr. Green declared: empted agencies were old to elections.
cut hours at the earliest posthe referred to Service are, Over 2, 000 company unions in the major degree, not ap When and if organized labor sible date.
were ousted in that time.
plicable to predicates membership in any here on the Employes who go on a 44Three hundred thousand workIsthmus of Panama at the preunion upon race, religion or anhour week will lose four hours ers, who were fired for union cestry, it is helping to create sent time, nevertheless, none activities of overtime, but they will paid discharged bea potential anti labor army of us can prophecy of the futhat can be used by labor bait more than they received for a ture, therefore, it has been ers to fight labor unions, 18 hour week, thanks to decided by the Management of the Laborer to bring to the weaken labor collective bar wage boost approved by Conganing power and destroy its attention of its readers, esgress and signed by the Preseffectiveness.
pecially members of the union, ident.
from time to time extracts and Another danger from discrior entire article (s) of the said mination was cited by Mr.
Weekly News Service for their Green. He said: New York City. Harry information, etc. and we quote Freedom is essential to the Ranking Getting Ranker the following from they WeekHopkins has accepted the post preservation of democracy. Washington, Politaxer of Impartial Chairman of the ly of June 26, 1945: When we begin to limit it by John Rankin, chairman of the New York Women Coat and President William insisting that it be denied to House Veterans Committee, Suit Industry, David Dubinsky, Green called upon all affiliat some because of racial or relig ignored the objections of Vet President of the International ed unions and AFL members to ious differences, the list of exerans Administrator Frank Ladies Garment Workers Unfight against radical and relig Continued on Page Two Hines and hoodwinked the ion, announced.
members of his own committee As Inpartial Chairman, Mr.
when he reported favorably on Hopkins will preside over colhis own bill giving veterans lective agreements embracing a free ride in union plants. 50, 000 employes and 1, 300 emMinnority members of the ployers with an annual proHouse Committee charged that duction cutput valued at 500, Rep. Rankin had skipped pub 000, 000, comprising eighty perlic hearings on the bill which cent of the coat and suit outhas been widely denounced as Washington, After put for the nation as a whole.
ident Truman demand for an attempt to pit veterans long and The collective agreements in unexplained delays, meeting human needs during against union workers and the coat and Chairman Robert Doughton suit industry reconversion was the spced place them in the false posiwere formed back in of the House Ways and Means with which they have rushed tion of strikebreakers.
when, in an effort to avert Committee finally introduced passage of legislation givirg by request the future strife, following a long Administra corporations tax reiunds 10 On its face, the bill exempts tion bill to liberalize unemwar veterans from joining a and bitter strike, machincry solve the reconversion headfor the settlement of laborployment compensation bene aches of big business.
union, paying initiation fees or differences was fits during management the reconversion The Doughton bill provides dues even if the plant they established under a protocol for the federal government to period.
seek employment in is operatA similar measure is expectsupplement the madequate un ing under closed shop conof peace. in the preparation of which the late Justice ed to be placed before the Senemployment benefits now paid tracts.
Brandeis had a primary part.
ate soon by Senator Kilgore of under state laws through In 1924, during a study of inWest Virginia.
agreements with the Rankin ignored the fact that states.
most unions already The agreements would underdustrial relationship in the Six weeks ago, President write the trade conducted by a Commisfollowing voluntarily nationinitiation Truman sent a special message fees for ex servicemen.
the wide standards: sion appointed by then to Congress calling for rush Commenting on the bill editGovernor Smith and headed by action to meet the emergency Increasing maxinium un orially, the Washington Post, a Herbert Lehman, the post caused by cutbacks and in employment benefits for diem conhervative newspaper, said: creasing unemployment, but ployed workers an upper Rep. John Rankin has a the law makers have stalled limit of 25 a week. At pres scheme for union busting almost to the point of their re en only a few states pay as which he fancies will appeal to cess for the summer.
much as 15 a week.
American servicemen. Our own Rep. Doughton said his com Increasing the duration guess is that they will readily mittee will decide whether to of such benefits to as many as see through it as a plain piece give prior consideration to the 26 weeks in any one year. In of demagogy.
unemployment compensation some states benefits are now Mr. Rankin, as a matter of Washington, Postal bill or to another measure de permitted for only six or cight fact, let the cat out of the workers got their first basic signed to increase old age ben weeks.
bag and disclosed his real pur pay increase since 1925 when efits. In any event, he held out Granting to federal gov pose when he said that his President Truman signed a law little hope for action before ernment and maritime employ bill would allow veterans to granting them a 20 percent Congress comes back in Sep es the same rights to unem take ojbs vacated by strikers. wage boost plus true time andtember.
ployment benefits are ac What we need is not a means a half for overtime.
In contrast to the lack of corded to other workers. At of fomenting industrial dis The bulk of employes in the enthusiasm displayed by Con present such employes are not putes but means of adjusting lower grades will receive a 20 gressional leaders toward Pres covered by state laws.
them in a friendly spirit. pereent hike or 400 a year, Liberalized Jobless Benefits Provided In Long Delayed Doughton Measure of permanent Impartial Chairwas created with Raymond Ingersoll, long a constructive figure in public affairs, as the first incumbent.
Mr. Ingersoll served for seven years. He was succeeded by George Alger, who was followed after years by Col.
Sol Rosenblatt. Former Mayor James Walker was named to the post in 1940 and occupied it until June 30.
Mr. Dubinsky expressed keen gratification over Mr. Hopkins acceptance of the post in a joint statement representing all parties in the industry. He said. It is a source of utmost satisfaction to us that Mr. Hopkins has acceeded to our caintest request that he accept the impartial chairmanship of the New York Coat and Suit Industry. His vast experience and broad vision will have a great constructive meaning to all factors in our industry. He will unquestionably perable labor employer dealing in which our industry has enacted petuate the industry tradition of progress in sound and equita pioneer role.
1910 have waived to Postal Workers Get Good Pay Boost, Their First In Twenty Five Years whichever is less. For regular employes in the so called automatic grades, the increase may not be less than 300, even if that amounts to more than a 20 percent increase.
The Post Office Department said that 370, 000 employes would share in the increases, Continued on Page Two BIBLIOTECA NACIONAL ERNESTO CASTILLERO