1978-02 February IBEW Journal.pdf - International Brotherhood of ...

• The AFL-CIO IS calling on all affiliates and e,ery segment
of Ihe trade union movement 10 step up efforts for the
passage of Labor Law Reform BIllS. 1883 in Ihe U.S, Senate.
It is necessary that every etror! be madc In order to counteract
(he "massiYe blitzkrieg" that is belllg conducted by the
opponents of the bill. The enemies of the AFL-C10 arc
conducting a vicious campaign with outright lies. dis,ortions,
fabrications and misrepresentations and are deluging the
offices of every Senator with untruths about whnt would
happen if S. 1883 is passed into law by the member~ of the
$cnate,
Union members and ,heIr friends know that the legislation
before the Senate is simply to adjust the labor law so
it will work for wage clLrners and those who wish to join a
union instead of the anti-union employers who now usc and
take adYanlage of the weaknesses of the law as It now
Slands.
The labor law reform bill is slmpl) designed to ensure
the legal right of ..... orkers 10 orgamze and bargain eollectiyely
by doing three things. speeding up National labor Relations
Donrd proceedings, removing administrative barriers, and
Giving workers relief from the pres~ure and harassment many
ha~e suffered at the hands of anti-union employers.
Every union member and labor ally should undentand
how and why labor law reform IS 50 .mportant. The technical
changes 10 reform the law arc vital.
Organizing delays alone can be enough to deslroy an organizing
drive. It now takes an average of 57 days from the
filing of the petition until the actual election for even the
simplest uncontested elections-and much longer for others.
These delays. moreover, increase the potential for harassment
and pressure upon workers by the emplo)er
The Labor Reform bill would sct four different lime limIts
-rangllIg from 15 to 75 days for holding an election. depending
on the compleXity of the Issue.
Another major cause of delays IS the National Labor
Relations Board's handling of most decisions on a ease-bycase
basis.
The Reform Bill requires the Board to ~nlC plalll rules
that would co\ er broad categories of cases, to ehmllIate
lengthy hearings, ensure faster eh .. 'Cllons, and cut down the
time before certifications.
Restrictions on union communieallons- Emplo}ers may
require employees to attend meetings- including anll-union
meetings at the workplace. Unions, however. are often re ..
strleted from communicating with workers at the workplace,
and must resort to the telephone or home visJis, The result
is an imbalance III employer-emplo)cc ulllon rights.
The Reform Bill calls for the NLRIJ to develop realistic
rules givlllg employees a fair chance to hear both s.des,
from the union as well as the boss, before making their
choice in a secret ballot election.
Technically. both unions and employers have equal rights.
under the National Labor Relations Act. to obtalll court
injunctions against the other side to stop violations, In prac_
tice, ho .... c\'t'r. thiS power is used rna lilly against the UOions,
The Rdorm 8111 would equalize the ability of unions to
obtain injunctLons. It .... ould reqUIre the NlRB to seek a
prellmmary Injunction agallut an employer when an employee
is unlawfully discharged during a union's orgamzing
drive or pTlor to negotiation of a first cont ract.
The Nationnl Labor Relations lJoard is a generlllly wellmeaning
body whose manpo .... er cannot keep pace with an
enormous ..... orkload. The result IS long delays-almost a full
) ear. for example. to dLspose of an unbir labor practice
complaint. a year in which the damage of the original violation
can have an increasingly damaging impact on the
wronged worker or union.
The Reform Bill would seck to ensure more {lIpid :t nd
fair dispensation of justice by increasing the Board's size
from five to seven members thereby strcamlinlllg procedures
and speeding up enforcement of uncOntested Board orders.
Many employers have found that crime docs pay, that 1\
IS cheaper to violate the labor law. even if they get caught.
than to obey it.
The Reform Bill calls for tougher enforcement of lOugher
penalties against labor law violntors. It would deny government
con,racts for thrce years to any person or firm the
NLRB found to have willfully and repeatedly violated nat.onal
labor law. The only cxceptions ~ould be firms whose
products were in the national interest or which were the sole
manufacturers of these products. The bill would also require
double back. pay for a worker fired illegally during orgrLll1zation
Of before negotiation of a first contract; and would require
companies that unlawfully refused to bargain for the
first contract to compensate their employees for those delays.
The ultimate effect of thiS bill would be to restore the
principal labor law of the land to its former strength and
dignity and to make sure that II ser.es Ihe vital needs of
millions of union members, and the millions of their fellow
workers who urgently desire to become union members. To
become law. this bill must be approved by the members of
the U. S. Senate and that i~ why I urge all IB EW members
to communicate with their Senators to let them know that
you ..... ant them to support and vOle for the passage of Senate
8111 S. 1883.
YOU CAN H ELP BRI NG TilE LABOR LA W REFORM
lULL AU. 'n-IE WAY 1I0ME IN T H E U. S. SENATE.
Please write 10 your Senators and urge them to support
0;;, 18RJ- the Labor l aw Reform Bill. Address yOllr cards.
lellers, aud wires to:
The Honorable (Name)
U. S. Senate
Washington, D. C. 20510