Resolution Adopted by the CCAR
LABOR
Digests of resolutions adopted by the
Central Conference of American Rabbis
between 1889 and 1974
1. We advocate workmen’s compensation for industrial accidents and
occupational diseases,
a fair minimum wage and regulation of industrial conditions with particular
reference
to the special needs of women. (1918, p. 102)
2. Reiterated above and advocated that labor shall have the right to share
more equitably
in determining conditions of labor as well as in the reward. (1920, p. 88)
3. We favor a study of the seven day week in industry with groups seeking to
investigate
the economic causes of war. The twelve hour day in the steel industry was
attacked.
President Harding is requested to bring about a conference in the bituminous
coal
industry to end the present strike. (1923, p. 67)
4. We recommend the investigation of the full-fashioned hosiery industry in
Indianapolis
and their industrial relations. (1928, p. 23)
5. Society must guarantee each of its members the chance to labor and earn a
living
wage. (1928, p. 83)
6. We advocate a maximum of an eight hour day and a five day work week, in
order that
man may enjoy the finer interpretations of life. (1928, p. 84)
7. We petition Congress to appoint a Commission for the purpose of making a
thorough
investigation of the entire textile industry. (1929, p. 82)
8. In the present emergency, hours of work should be limited to not more than
forty
hours a week. (1930, p. 135)
9. We rejoice in the passage of the Wagner-Connery Bill which protects labor
against
wrongs and dangers of economic oppression. We take our stand at the side of
exploited
agricultural and industrial workers of America. (1935, p. 79)
10. We urge our participation in the publication of the Centralia
investigation with
the Federal Council of Churches of Christ. (1939, p. 79)
11. We commend the President for refraining from the policy urged by
reactionary industrial
interests of "freezing" the status quo in industry. (1942, p.
95)
12. We call upon our fellow citizens to refrain from premature condemnation of
workers
in essential war industries who have absented themselves, as indicating a lack
of
patriotism. (1943, p. 125)
13. We deplore the tactics of a John L. Lewis which have given labor a black
eye with
servicemen abroad. We believe that the press of America would do better if it
emphasized
the positive contribution of labor to the winning of the war. (1945, p.
121)
14. We regret the tendency of some employers to give super-seniority to
returned servicemen.
(1945, p. 122)
15. In any period of military mobilization there is danger that the legitimate
requirements
and needs of the working man will be overlooked. This is a serious mistake on
two
counts:–first, because it weakens our defense by depriving labor of its
proper stake in American civilization, thus denying us our maximum Production
Potential; and
secondly, by belying our claim that we are genuinely concerned with the
expansion
of democracy everywhere. The progress made by American labor in the period of
the
New Deal and during the second World War must be continued. Toward that end we
urge that representatives
of their own choosing be appointed to speak for labor on a basis equal to that
of
management in all agencies concerned with the mobilization for defense, so
that our military effort may be the proper concern of the entire American
people, not
of any one section or segment. (1951, p. 104)
16. See Automation.
(a) Collective Bargaining
- We urge recognition of the right of labor to organize and to bargain
collectively.
(1918, p. 102)
- Reiterated 1920, p. 88; 1928, p. 82.
- See Civil Liberties, Sec. 2 (1935).
- We recommend that Jewish Federations urge upon affiliated social agencies
a policy
that will assure to Social Workers the right to organize in order to advance
their
professional welfare. (1936, p. 78)
- We believe that issues such as the closed shop and industry-wide
bargaining should
be decided not by legislation but through collective bargaining between
management
and labor. (1947, p. 70)
(b) Legislation (Labor)
- We call upon Congress to defeat legislation whose purpose it is to
emasculate the
Wages and Hours Law. (1939, p. 162)
- We reaffirm our sympathy with the National Labor Relations Act as a wise
procedure
in achieving true economic democracy. We heartily endorse the affirmation of
President
Roosevelt that recent gains in social and labor legislation must be
safeguarded.
(1940, p. 104, 105)
- See Interfaith Cooperation, Sec. 2 (1941).
- We condemn the Connolly-Smith Anti-Strike Law passed by Congress over the
President’s
veto. We suggest that the law be restudied and a more helpful measure be
enacted.
(1943, p. 126)
- We favor the principle of a dismissal wage and urge the passage of the
Wagner-Murray-Dingell
Bill for the further expansion of social security. (1944, p. 94)
- See Legislation (Social Security), Sec. 2 (1945).
- We commend President Truman for vetoing the Case Bill and trust that the
tensions
of the moment will not lead to the passage of unjust labor legislation. (1946,
p.
104)
- We urge the President to veto any legislation which might destroy labor’s
well-merited
gains resulting from the Wagner Labor Relations Act. We call upon labor to
clean
house of dictatorial labor leaders, to avoid jurisdictional and inter-union
strikes, and to admit to membership all qualified persons without reference to
race or creed.
We commend the President upon having vetoed the Taft-Hartley Bill and regret
that
Congress over-rode this veto. (1947, p. 70)
- We urge the amelioration of the injustices of the Taft-Hartley Act, which
makes the
closed shop illegal as well as forcing one class of citizens to swear that
they are
not members of an unpopular but legally recognized party. (1948, p. 128)
- We recommend that the Taft-Hartley Law be repealed, that the Wagner Act
be amended
to protect both labor and management, that new labor legislation be enacted
for the
best interest of the public at large. (1949, p. 130)
- See Individual Rights. Sec. 1a (1953).
(c) Management (and Labor)
- We urge the application of principles of mediation, conciliation and
arbitration
to industrial disputes. (1918, p. 102)
- We call upon labor as well as capital to exhaust all resources of
peaceable settlement
before resorting to strike or lockout. (1920, p. 88)
- We commend evidence of cooperation of labor and management in producing
the materials
for war and victory. (1943, p. 125)
- We commend the miraculous production achieved by American labor and
management. We
also hail the great record of American industrial management, for its
imagination,
its versatility; its organizing skill in furnishing our soldiers with the
tools of
victory. (1944, p. 93)
- We are profoundly disturbed by the growing tensions between management
and labor,
as highlighted by the recent steel strike. We view with increasing alarm the
bitterness
and vehemence with which certain elements in industry seek to nullify the
rights
that the labor movement has gained. We are convinced that American democracy
will
as a whole suffer a major setback if we permit the rights of collective
bargaining,
mediation and arbitration, the Union Shop, and all other gains in the realm of
management-labor relationships to be lost. We appeal to industry and labor
alike to settle their
differences on the basis of equity, justice, and fair play. (1952, p. 180)
(d) Peace (Labor)
- We support the principle of arbitration rather than resort to open
conflict. (1928,
p. 83)
- We call upon the leaders of the CIO and the AFL to renew their efforts
toward unity
in the general interest of industrial recovery and the labor movement. (1938,
p.
93)
- Reiterated 1939, p. 162.
- We ask the CIO and the AFL to join in the Conference of Unemployment.
(1940, p. 100)
- See Collective Bargaining (a) under Labor, ( 1947) Sec. 5.
(e) Unions (Labor)
- Under the present organization of society, labor’s only safeguard against
a retrogression
to former inhuman standards is the union. (1921, p. 44)
- We call on our congregations to work with those business houses and
employers who
are fair to organized labor. (1931, p. 90)
- See Individual Rights, Sec. 1 (1953).
- The Central Conference of American Rabbis identifies with the cause of
the migrant
worker. We call upon our members to support our
efforts by refraining from eating non-union iceberg lettuce and by initiating
support
programs within their congregations and communities. (1972, p. 92)
- See Farm Workers, Right to Organize.