July 27, 1977 EXTENSIONS OF REMARKS 25325 EXTENSIONS OF REMARKS THE NEED FOR LABOR LAW then did so only under threat of con­ chairinan of the House Armed Services Com­ REFORM tempt of court. mittee on which I serve, the distinguished Under present law, the National Labor gentleman from Illinois, Mr. Melvin Price. Relations Board must seek preliminary I congratulate your organization for select­ HON. RONALD M. MOTTL ing Mel Price to receive your annual L. injunctions when a union is charged Mendel Rivers Award for Legislative Action, OF OHIO with the violation of certain provisions just as I congratulate him for being chosen. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES of the National Labor Relations Act. The Your organization named this award for one Wednesday, July 27, 1977 Board also has discretionary powers to of Mel Price's predecessors as chalnnan of seek preliminary injunctions against our cominittee. He and Mendel Rivers were Mr. MOTTL. Mr. Speaker, when the employer activity, but this authority is alike in that they were men of persistent Wagner Act was enacted in 1935 Con­ rarely used. Inequities have resulted from dedication to the good of our country. Both gress intended to grant workers the right this imbalance as demonstrated in the of them believed, as I do, that we must have to organize for their collective benefit, a military establishment second to none U: case of this company. our country is to remain free. They also be­ and, to secure this right, the discharge The discharged employees were forced lieved, as I do, that our nation and our peo­ of an employee for activities related to to wait over 2% years before even being ple have pledged long-term support to the organizing was made illegal. Such firings offered reinstatement and a considerably men and women in our armed services, and remain illegal under the law, but thou­ longer period before receiving the com­ that support includes protection of their sands of employees continue to be ille­ pensation owed them due to their illegal retiremen•t benefits which should not be gally dismissed each year. The problem firings. eroded. is that the law provides remedies which Requiring the Board to seek a pre­ I propose to touch bl'ie:fly on matters in are too slow in application and too weak liminary injunction in the cases of il­ which you and our House Committee have to successfully protect the worker once common interest, but :first let me say why legal discharges during an initial orga­ I think your award this year to Melvin Price they are finally levied against an em­ nizing campaign--or refusal to bargain is especially appropriate. ployer. after an expedited election-would pro­ You may know that he is the first Con­ The employees of a company in Cleve­ vide protection from blatant attempts gressman to head our committee after hav­ land learned this lesson when in Feb­ to deny workers their rights to associate ing had military service of his own. Even ruary 1971, they became interested in and organize. This is why it is incum­ more significant, I suggest, is that he came union representation and initiated an bent upon this Congress to pass a com­ to the Congress directly from the army, that organizing campaign. prehensive reform of our national labor he was a non-coininissloned omcer when he Within months, the company had dis­ laws. was elected, and he must be one of the few charged workers for their efforts to orga­ corporals ever promoted to sergeant because nize fellow employees. he had been elected to the Congress. Mel Price today is a distinguished Con­ A lady worked as a punch operator and NCOA CONVENTION gressman, but before he came to Washington in various other capacities for the com­ he was a sports writer. When he entered the pany for 2 years. She signed an author­ HON. MENDEL J. DAVIS Anny in World War II, he even arranged ization card, joined the picketing of the to have his reporting date delayed untll he company, and met with company repre­ OF SOUTH CAROLINA could watch his beloved St. Louts Cardinals sentatives in an attempt to settle the is­ IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES play in the World Series. He had also been an elected omctal-he was only 24 when he won sues which prompted the strike. Wednesday, July 27, 1977 a seat on the County Board of Supervisors In July. her physician gave her a slip Mr. DAVIS. Mr. Speaker, On June 30 in East St. Louts, Illinois. stating that she had a swollen hand and July l, 1977, I had the privilege of He gave up that position, as well as his which might have been caused by her being a guest of the Non-Commissioned sports writing, to serve from 1933 to 1943 as operating the punch press. He suggested Officers Association of the U.S.A.­ statr assistant to Congressman Edwin M. an alternative job. In spite of the fact NCOA-at its 16th Annual International Schaefer. That gave him 10 years of basic that she was experienced in a number of Convention, San Antonio, Tex. training for service in the House of Repre­ other jobs that the company was seeking sentatives. By the time election day came I was honored on June 30 as the key­ around in 1943, Corporal Mel Price was busy to fill through public notices, she was re­ note speaker for the NCOA annual counting. But he wasn't counting votes; he fused a job transfer and terminated. awards night. was counting crates of apples and other sup­ Two other girls were also employed as The following evening I had the pleas­ plies in the warehouse section of Camp Lee, packers by the company and both had ure of hearing our colleague, "CHICK" Virginia. worked for over 2 years. Both signed un­ KAzEN, address the convention assembly The next afternoon, Corporal Price was ion authorization cards. Although nei­ in behalf of Chairman MELVIN PRICE of told to report to camp headquarters to take ther had previously received verbal or the Armed Services Committee whom a telephone call. When he :finished the call, written reprimands regarding attend­ the NCOA honored with its anual "L. a colonel asked him "What was the news?" ance or performance, they were dis­ Mendel Rivers Award for Legislative And the corporal replied "I've been elected charged for absenteeism. Three or four to Congress." Action.'' That colonel was not unimpressed. He days prior to the discharges, one of the Regretfully, the chairman could not said "Maybe the general would like to see girls was warned by a lower echelon be there, but the gentleman from Texas you; do you mind 1f I call him?" and Mel supervisor that she was being set up to did a magnificent job of "telling it like Price recalls that he answered "No, sir." The be fired. That supervisor testified that it is" within the committee. In fact, he colonel went into another omce, called the he was told that the setup was initiated did such a great job, the association's general, and came out to tell the corporal because she was involved in union president awarded him a special plaque. that General Harkins would like to see him activity. right away. I commend "CHICK'S" remarks to the "I'll walk up to headquarters," said the But this was only the beginning of Members of Congress. Hopefully they In corporal, and the colonel's answer was "No, the company's illegal activities. July will be as well received by my colleagues we have a statr car out there." So Corporal and October of 1972, the Board found as they were by the noncommissioned Price reported to the general, tried to pop a that these employees and four others and petty officers assembled at the NCOA good salute only to have the general hurry had been discharged in violation of the convention: over to shake hands, and then say "I see you are a corporal." Mel Price had a good answer. National Labor Relations Act, and or­ REJ4ARKs OF CONGRESSMAN ABRAHAM dered them reinstated. The company ap­ KAzEN, JR. He said "Yes, sir.'' So General Harkins said pealed. On December 21, 1973, nearly 2% "Make him a sergeant, that will be the pol­ I am pleased and honored to be with you icy here. Anybody elected to Congress will years after the initial discharges, the tonight--pleased that your organization court found the Board's decision correct holds its annual convention and is based in automatically be promoted one grade.'' and ordered it to be enforced. The com­ San Antonio, for which I share representa­ I don't think any of you would be surprised pany then refused to reinstate two of tion in the Congress, and honored that I am to know that General Harkins and Mel Price the employees for nearly 2 years and here to represent a great Amerlca.n.. the remained friends for years. Friends have al- 25326 EXTENSIONS OF REMARKS July 27, 1977 ways been important to Mel Price, as have Texas member, and Mendel Rivers, once Yet to save a relatively small amount by his Illinois constituents and those of us who again, would have been proud of him as I am. the measurements of the Federal budget serve with him in the Congress. I came to I could not be here when he spoke to your figures, there were those who said we ought the Armed Services Committee after 8 years convention, but I am certain that he made to cut out the commissary support funding, of service on the Foreign Affairs Committee, clear that he and I stand together in recogni­ thus showing no regard for the promise made just as he became chairman, succeeding a tion of the importance of manpower in our to those in uniform or in retirement.