| Show Changes in Our Labor Laws Needed for Industrial Peace The house of representatives has passed new labor legislation legislation legislation legis legis- lation tightening up various weaknesses in present labor laws by the overwhelming vote of to That vote is an indication indication indi indi- cation of congressional recognition of a public demand for new legislation strengthening labor labo laws eliminating ng certain abuses and erecting various safeguards against major strikes and labor disputes which threaten the publics public's welfare The house action is of course only a step toward final enactment of a new labor law The senate must still act on labor legislation and there are signs that the senate will not go as asfar far as the house has Furthermore there is the possibility of a presidential ve veto Such a veto mig might t be 00 ove overridden in the house would definitely be overridden on the basis of the v vote te on the bill Friday Friday but but there are arc reports that a n veto could not be overridden in the senate Nevertheless less the house action is important and commend commend- commend commend- able We need improvement of our labor laws Jaws We need to balance balance bal bal- ha- ha ance the power of oC organized labor with responsibility We need to outlaw unfair labor tactics as we have outlawed unfair employer employer employer em em- tactics We need to assure democracy in our unions and safeguard the rights of or individual workers against the tyranny and dictation of labor Jabor bosses just as we have safeguarded workers ag against the tyranny and dictation of employer bosses There are many excellent provisions in this house-approved house bill Jurisdictional strikes and secondary boycotts among the worst unfair labor labor practices practice are prohibited Mass picketing and picketing violence are arc outlawed The dangerously monopolistic practice of wide industry-wide bargaining is generally forbidden Strikes which threaten national paralysis may be stopped by court Unions will be liable as employers now are f for r unfair labor practices The union shop is permitted but not the closed shop Workers Workers' rights ar are protected with provisions requiring the workers worker's consent for the ch off check off ck-off system of collecting union dues by y requiring a vote of the membership before a a. a strike can be called and by forbidding unreasonable fees or dues union intimidation of members or interference in their political activities Opponents of the bill have assailed it as an labor anti measure We do not agree with them We honestly believe that most rank-and-file rank members of organized labor will approve all or most of the provisions of this legislation as protection for them rather than an attack upon them It does not deny workers the right to organize and bargain collectively It does not remove any of the basic rights or pow powers rs of labor We Ve agree with Utah's Representative Da Dawson on when he describes describes describes de de- de- de scribes this as a bill of rights for labor and a ua bill bilI to protect the laboring man against labor labo leaders In the long run we are convinced that organized labor will be better off and individual members of labor unions will be better off if some changes are made in our labor laws We are convinced that will viIi promote better relationships between labor laborI I and because it will make a better balance in those relationships with rights and prohibitions and that work both poth ways Certainly its it's worth trying We hav not brought industrial peace with present labor laws New legislation offers real Ireal hope for improvement If it doesn't bring improvement if it doesn't work satisfactorily we can always change it But unless some action is taken to correct present abuses in our labor relations we cannot annot hope to progress and prosper as a nation Instead we will be in int real danger of chaos and andt disaster t I |
