no employee and no one seeking employment shall be required as a condition of employment to join any company union or to refrain from joining, organizing, or assisting a labor organization of his own choosing; and (3) that employers shall comply with the maximum hours of labor, minimum rates of pay, and other conditions of employment, approved or prescribed by the President. (b) The President shall, so far as practicable, afford every opportunity to employers and employees in any trade or industry or subdivision thereof with respect to which the conditions referred to in clauses (1) and (2) of subsection (a) prevail, to establish by mutual agreement, the standards as to the maximum hours of labor, minimum rates of pay, and such other conditions of employment. as may be necessary in such trade or industry or subdivision thereof to effectuate the policy of this title; and the standards established in such agreements, when approved by the President, shall have the same effect as a code of fair competition, approved by the President under subsection (a) of section 3. CREATION OF NATIONAL LABOR BOARD 1. Statement of the President, August 5, 1933. 2. Statement of N.R.A., through its industrial and Labor Advisory Boards. 3. Statistics of work of National Labor Board. 4. Executive orders creating the present National Labor Board. 1. STATEMENT BY THE PRESIDENT, AUGUST 1933 "Of importance to the recovery program is the appeal to management and labor for industrial peace, which has just been sent to me for approval. "With compelling logic, it calls upon every individual in both groups to avoid strikes, lockouts or any aggressive action during the recovery program. "It is a document on a par with Samuel Gompers' memorable war-time demand to preserve status quo in labor disputes, and in addition to the signature of the president of the American Federation of Labor it carries the signature of every great labor leader and every great industrial leader on the two advisory boards of the Recovery Administration. It is an act of economic statesmanship. I earnestly commend it to the public conscience. "This joint appeal proposes the creation of a distinguished tribunal to pass promptly on any case of hardship or dispute that may arise from interpretation or application of the President's reemployment agreement. The advantages of this recommendation are plain and I accept it and hereby appoint the men it proposes whose names will carry their own commendation to the country." 2. ANNOUNCEMENT BY THE NATIONAL RECOVERY ADMINISTRATION AUGUST 5, 1933. Creation of a National Board of Arbitration to mediate disputes or controversies between employers and employees arising through differing interpretations of the President's reemployment, was announced today by the National Recovery Administration's Industrial and Labor Advisory Boards. The announcement includes an appeal to labor and industry alike for a moratorium on disputes which would impede the progress of the President's recovery program. It reads as follows: "The country in the past few weeks has had remarkable evidence of cooperation in the common cause of restoring employment and increasing purchasing power. Industrial codes are being introduced, considered, and put into effect with all possible dispatch, and the number of firms coming under the President's reemployment agreement is inspiring. "This gratifying progress may be endangered by differing interpretations of the President's reemployment agreement by some employers and employees. "The Industrial and Labor Advisory Boards jointly appeal to all those associated with industry-owners, managers, and employees-to unite in the preservation of industrial peace. Strikes and lockouts will increase unemployment and create a condition clearly out of harmony with the spirit and purpose of the Industrial Recovery Act. Through the application of the act the Government is sincerely endeavoring to overcome unemployment through a Nation-wide reduction in the hours of work and to increase purchasing power through an increase in wage rates. This objective can only be reached through cooperation on the part of all those associated with industry. In order to develop the greatest degree of cooperation and the highest type of service on the part of management and labor, we urge that all causes of irritation and industrial discontent be removed so far as possible; that all concerned respect the rights of both employers and employees; avoid aggressive action which tends to provoke industrial discord, and strive earnestly and zealously to preserve industrial peace pending the construction and adoption of the industrial codes applicable to all business, large and small. Exceptional and peculiar conditions of employment affecting small employers and others whose business circumstances merit special consideration will be handled with due regard to the facts of the situation and with the desire to achieve increased employment and purchasing power. This appeal is made to the sound judgment and patriotism of all our people in the belief that even the most vexatious problem can be settled with justice and expedition where employers and employees act in accord with the letter and spirit of the National Recovery Act, without fear that any just rights will thereby be impaired. In that way only can the reemployment agreement be made to apply with the fairness pending the adoption of the code. "To protect every interest, it is the unanimous recommendation of the Industrial and Labor Advisory Boards of the National Recovery Administration that a board to which differences may be referred should be created, this board to be made up of the following members: Hon. Robert F. Wagner, United States Senator from New York, chairman; Dr. Leo Wolman, chairman of Labor Advisory Board of N.R.A.; Walter C. Teagle, chairman of Industrial Advisory Board of N.R.A.; William Green; John L. Lewis; Gerard Swope; Louis E. Kirkstein "This board will consider, adjust, and settle differences and controversies that Io may arise through differing interpretations of the President's reemployment agreement and will act with all possible dispatch in making known their findings. return, employers and employees are asked to take no disturbing action pending hearings and final decision. This board will promptly proceed to establish such central and local organizations as it may require to settle on the ground, such differences as arise in various parts of the country." WALTER C. TEAGLE, GERARD SWOPE, LOUIS E. KIRSTEIN. DAVID R. COKER, W. F. VEREEN, HENRY H. HEIMANN, AUSTIN FINCH, R. L. LUND, JOHN B. ELLIOTT, EDWARD N. HURLEY, ALFRED P. SLOAN, Jr., JAMES A. MOFFET, HENRY I. HARRIMAN, Industrial Advisory Board. LEO WOLMAN, WILLIAM GREEN, JOHN 3. STATISTICS OF WORK OF NATIONAL LABOR BOARD NATIONAL RECOVERY ADMINISTRATION Immediate release, January 6, 1934. Release No. 2599 AFFAIRS OF 600,000 WORKERS HANDLED BY NATIONAL AND REGIONAL LABOR BOARDS A total of 600,000 workers have been involved in cases which have been handled by the National and regional labor boards, according to tabulations made public today by Senator Robert F. Wagner. The Board's reports show a high proportion of settlements by agreement, a diminishing number of strikes, increased recourse to the system of labor boards for arbitration, and a diminishing number of cases listed as still pending. "A total of 350,000 workers were involved in National Board cases to December 15, and about 220,000 in regional board cases", said Senator Wagner. "Since then cases involving 120,000 more have come up. Allowing for duplications the total is about 600,000." On the latest date (Dec. 15) for which comparable reports had been obtained from the National Board's 17 regional boards the totals involved were as follows: In addition, the National Labor Board itself had taken jurisdiction of 155 cases involving 350,000 workers; 97 cases were strikes or lockouts; 104 cases had been settled, largely by agreement; 14 cases were pending; 25 had been referred to regional boards and 6 to the Labor Department or special committees. The National Board had held 43 hearings and supervised 31 elections. Notable features of the work of the regional boards were the number of strikes averted, 87, and of strikes settled, 273; 11 boards. "Reports show a continuation of the trend which I first pointed out a month ago," said Senator Wagner. "Namely, a diminution in the number of actual strikes and a corresponding increase in the number of cases submitted before strike or lockout. Recourse to the system of boards for purposes of arbitration also is on the increase. The proportion of cases pending is low. The work of the regional boards has received the congratulations of the National Board and deserves the thanks of the country. Sample reports lying before me read as follows: "From the New York board, from October 24, when it was appointed, to December 15: Total cases, 170; workers involved, 21,087; strikes settled, 148; strikes averted, 22; arbitration agreed to, 6; workers reinstated following discrimination because of union activities, 552. "From the New England Regional Board: Cases, 54, involving 11,000; strikes averted, 6; strikes and lockouts settled, 11; elections held, 7; voting, 3,700. "From the Chicago board: Cases, 69, involving 32,663 workers; 13 settlements by agreement, involving 17,809; 8 strikes pending; 49 cases under investigation, the fact of taking jurisdiction in many instances having averted strikes. "From Cleveland: 49 cases, from 15 northern Ohio cities; settlements by agreement, 16; decisions and recommendations, 12; 8 strikes averted, involving 6,100; total workers involved, 14,700; returned to work after discrimination for union activity, 300. "From the Detroit Regional Board: 102 cases, involving 18,444 workers; settlements, 83; number of strikes, 75; settled, 73. "From New Orleans Regional Board: 13 cases, involving 10,242; strikes and lockouts, 5; strikes averted, 8, involving 8,900. "The lists of cases read like a roster of the Nation's industries, so varied have been the problems put before the boards. No case has been too small, as many cases involve only 2 or 3 workers; and a single case may involve 70,000. All the while it must be remembered that the boards' members, some 170 men, are volunteers serving under Presidential appointment without compensation, comprising busy industrialists and labor leaders, with impartial chairmen drawn generally from the ranks of universities or the bench. "Despite certain recalcitrants, the outstanding thing still is the widespread acceptance of this system of settlement of disputes, which was created by Presidential order adopting a joint proposal of capital and labor. Instances of what are termed defiances' of the boards naturally make more spectacular headlines than do these quiet labors which, for example, prevent strikes from breaking out and so into the newspapers. Those who do challenge the boards' activities are, I am afraid, people with bad cases and bad consciences. Unquestionably there is a small minority, the same minority which wants all the advantages of the National Recovery measures and none of the responsibilities, and to deal with this minority steps will have to be taken to prevent their getting an advantage over the majority which is honestly endeavoring to attain the better industrial relations necessary to recovery and reform." February 4, 1934. Release no. 3113. NATIONAL RECOVERY ADMINISTRATION (NATIONAL LABOR BOARD) LABOR BOARD SYSTEM HANDLED CASES OF 900,000 WORKERS The affairs of over 900,000 workers, Senator Robert F. Wagner announced today, have been passed upon by the National Labor Board and its regional labor boards in the shape of labor disputes brought before this system of mediation and arbitration. The National Labor Board was set up last August and began to form regional boards late in October. Tabulations made public by the Board, based on detailed reports from the regional boards, show that the regional boards have handled so far 1,628 cases. Adding the 190 cases of the National Board makes a total of 1,818 cases. The regional board cases involved a total of 514,321 workers. To this must be added, approximately 400,000 workers in cases brought before the National Labor Board, making a total of 914,000. "Getting along toward the million mark", said Senator Wagner, "in the number of workers whose representatives and employers have appeared before the Labor Board system proves what a necessary and progressive step the President took in establishing the National Labor Board. "The fact that the work gets heavier shows another thing, namely, the steadily increasing recourse had to the boards. "This is pointed out in most of the reports from the 17 regional boards, which I have been examining; labor in established areas continues to resort to the regional boards in preference to striking. Some boards' reports show a greater number of strikes averted than of strikes breaking out. Other boards report a marked increase of strikes in areas to which new organizing movements are extending. "A number of boards, however, report an increased tendency on the part of a small minority of employers to resist decisions of the boards. Complimentarily these boards report an increasing amount of criticism by labor for failure to enforce Board decisions. Boards in widely distant parts of the country report impediments to their work by a minority which is watching 'how certain cases come out.' "The sum total of impressions based on reports from New England to California is that the overwhelming majority of employers and employees use, trust, and support this system of industrial adjustment.' National Board settlements were 132 cases out of 190. Regional board settlements totaled 1,021 out of 1,628. Combined total, 1,153 settlements out of 1,818 cases. The National Board settled 107 out of 132 strikes. The percentage of regional board settlements range from 89 percent (New York board) down to 31 percent. The great variation in the success of the boards is attributed, in the regional board reports, to the varying conditions in different communities, principally to the local willingness or unwillingness of parties to abide by Board decisions. The regional boards' reports show a total of 466 strikes, of which 359 were settled. In addition 169 strikes were averted. The regional boards have 373 cases pending; the National Board, 27; total 300. NOTE-Duplications, of cases involved both in the regional boards' reports and the National Board's report, are canceled out, in the estimate of the Board's statistician, by a very large number of "adjustments" which a number of boards make without recording them in their tabulations as "cases." Summaries of cases handled by the National Labor Board and regional labor boards follow: NATIONAL LABOR BOARD SUMMARY, FEBRUARY 1, 1934-continued It should be noted that 25 cases have been transferred to other boards, of which number many have been settled but not listed as such in this report. This is exclusive of the cases over which the regional boards assume original jurisdiction. A comparison with the report of December 21, 1933, will show the total number of cases increased 45, or nearly one a day. Thirty-five of these cases had strikes. There has also been an increase in the number of elections held and decisions rendered, the first by 18 and the latter by 15. The number of men involved in the last 45 cases was only 50,000, or an average of only 1,100 men to each case, as compared with the previous figures of 155 cases, involving 350,000 men, making an average of 2,300 men to each case. NATIONAL LABOR BOARD REPORTS TO THE PRESIDENT Senator Robert F. Wagner today submitted to the President a statistical report summarizing the work of the National Labor Board system from its inception to February 1. The report reads: FEBRUARY 21, 1934. TO THE PRESIDENT: I have the honor to submit a statistical summary of the work of the National Labor Board and of 17 of its 18 regional labor boards. Disputes involving 914,000 workers have been before the boards, or a total of 1,818 cases, to February 1, of which 69 percent were settled. Altogether about 650,000 workers have been put back to work or kept at work, or had their less acute disputes adjusted. Included in this total are 599 strikes, of which we have settled 80 percent, besides averting 197 more strikes a total of 482,500 returned to work or kept at work in strike situtations. Cases pending are 322, or 18 percent, involving 164,000. About 100,000 workers (or a flat average of 5,500 to a board) come under cases, largely of strikes which dragged on, where no definite solution could be enforced, or of disputes where some adjustment resulted whose terms were not reported to the boards. |