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Show THE SEARCHLIGHT Union Wins Copper Strike (Continued from of the strike, W. O. Peters, the International AFL, Union, which functioned—and still does—as an elaborate Snipe Hunt, staged for the amusement of Copper officials. But not withstanding the order of the National Labor Relations Board Moffat again page-1) Association said: representative of of Machinists— | “On February 25, 1935, the union asked for representation as railroad workmen, instead of being classified as Copper Company shop employees, and won a decision in October, 1940, favoring the local. “The Copper Company appealed the has used de- cision to the United States district court, which upheld the classification of the local, as railway employees. The Copper Company then appealed to the circuit court of appeals and finally the supreme court. Both courts upheld the decision of the district court. “In May, 1943, the local was certified by the railway mediation board as bargaining agent for shop employees under terms of the railroad labor act. On May 27 the Company protested the decision and on July 16 the board again certified the local as a barganing agent. | “On August 4 the Independent Association of Mill Workers protested the certification of the mediation board, which, however again returned a decision favorable to the local as railroad workers. “On September 23 the Utah Copper pany again protested to the mediation Comboard and again the board recognized local No. 155. “The Company has now protested this last decision and has still failed to recognize the union after all these years and other decisions.” It will be noted that on August 4th of this year, the Independent Association of Mill Workers—Doug Moffat’s Company Union— protested against the certification by the Railway Mediation Board. Moftat’s Company Union was ordered dis-established by the National Labor Relations Board about a year ago on the ground that it is Company dominated. Appeal was taken to the United States cireuit court, where the matter is pending. A review of the evidence at the NLRB hearing discloses that the National Labor Relations Board was more than justified in or- dering the dis-establishment of the Company his Company Union creatures, this time to try to break down the decisions and orders of the Railway Mediation Board, and attempt to wear down and destroy a _legitimate labor organization. In reality the acts of the Company Union —or Snipe Hunt—are the acts of Utah Copper Company itself. Snipe Hunt moves are made at the behest of Copper officials—a statement well supported by the findings of the National Labor Relaions Board. Thus, when Charles Graham, chairman of the regional War Labor Board, last spring described the actions of Moffat’s Company Union as ‘‘Little short of treason’’, the Searchlight could see no reason why the same stigma should not be applied to Copper Com- pany of officials and the Company itself. The Company’s methods, and its desire to deprive the operating rail brotherhoods of their security benefits under the Railway Retirement act resulted in a strike of conductors, and a shutdown of Utah Copper less than four months ago. Under pressure from the War Department the Company finally receded from its stand. However, the Copper Company does not limit its anti-labor acts to the railroad brotherhoods. The Company is a chronic offender in all of its labor relations. It is totally lacking in good faith. And forthright dealing is something it 1s wholly unable to comprehend. For many years the Company has persistently and systematically violated both the letter and spirit of the Naional Labor Relaions act through numerous unfair practices directed against the CLO. When complaints were filed by the CIO and investigations disclosed that the Company was guilty of the offenses charged against it, it smilingly promised to behave itself. But 1mmediately after the departure of the NLRB representative from (Continued this on area, following the page) Company |