LABOUR LAW IN AMERICA

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22419, 4 June 1938, Page 15

LABOUR LAW IN AMERICA

- ♦- Relations Act Causes Disputes REVISION PLANNED BY MR ROOSEVELT (tTKITBD PBEBS ASSOCIATION—OOPTBIOET.) (Received June 3, 10.20 p.m.) NEW YORK, June 3. , The Washington correspondent of the “New York Times” says that Mr Roosevelt is dissatisfied with the working of the National, Labour Relations Act, under which many workers’ and employers’ disputes have occurred. He will appoint a commission to propose revisions, probably to model new legislation on the British Trade Union Act. The President believes that the current trade recession is partly caused by disputes engendered by the Labour Relations Act. The present Labour Relations Act in the United States was passed in May, 1935. to overcome difficulties caused by section* 7a of the National Recovery Act. This section was considered unsatisfactory . for the same reason as that which now apparently prompts Mr Roosevelt to desire a further change—namely, it was admitted to have been responsible ' for many strikes. The Labour Relations Act replaced the labour bpards created by the Recovery Act, by a permanent Labour Relations Board, intended to guarantee the workers’ right to collective bargaining. Company unions, largely influenced by employers, excluded by the new law. In April last year the Labour Relations Act which was opposed by most of the larger industrial interests, was declared constitutional by the Supreme Court in five separate cases. This decision was welcomed by the American Federation of Labour as putting an end to “company unions" and strengthening the position of organised Labour. It was declared by the secretary for labour- (Miss. Frances Perkins) to have the principal cause of industrial unrest.”