38 Cornell University Library HD 5650.B8 American company shop committee plans; a 3 1924 002 719 817 l\merican Gompany Shop Committee Plans A digest of twenty plans for employ- ees' representation through joint committees introduced by American companies COMPILED BY The Bureau of Industrial Research 465 West 23d Street New York. City 'digitized by Microsoft® THE LIBRARY OF THE NEW YORK STATE SCHOOL OF INDUSTRIAL AND LABOR - RELATIONS AT CORNELL UNIVERSITY Digitized by Microsoft® American Company Shop Committee Plans A digest of twenty plans for employ- ees* representation introduced by the following American companies : Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corporation Bethlehem Steel Company Bridgeport Brass Company Bridgeport Manufacturers' Associ- ation Browning Company Cambria Steel Company Colorado Fuel & Iron Company, Mining Camps Colorado Fuel & Iron Company, Steel Works General Electric Company, Lynn Plant General Electric Company, Pittsfield Inland Steel Company International Harvester Company Irving-Pitt Manufacturing Com- pany Midvale Steel & Ordnance Company Philadelphia Rapid Transit Com- pany Procter & Gamble Company Smith & Wesson Sprague Electric Works Standard Oil Company of New Jersey Youngstown Sheet & Tube Com- pany Compiled by The Bureau of Industrial Research '" 465 West 23d Street New York City >-VXOP£RTY OF LIBRABV Digitize ffiMsUm SCHOOL mm ANniilRflHREUTIQWfi KAHVARO IRANSF eRAD, OF EDUCATmS Copyright by The Bureau of Industrial Research 465 West Twenty-third Street New York City 4J* rvar a l C a ll a g o Lil^a^j^^ ^ 'igitized by Microsoft® Hi 5L50 PREFACE America has historically been fertile ground for experiments in democratic organization. We have been working out the problem of representative political government for a century and a half, and we are still in the experimental stage. But while we have arrived at no final conclusion, certain important principles have been estab- lished. The limitations of purely political representation have be- come clear. We know that effective democratic government must take account of other organizations than those normally described as political; that the principle of democratic representation and con- trol must be applied to economic and industrial organization as well as to geographical areas and political parties. Now that the urgency of extending representative methods to industrial life is more and more widely appreciated, it is encouraging to believe that we may have learned from our political history what mistakes can be avoided, what experiments require no repetition. The present analysis of company plans for the introduction of the principle of representative government into industry reenforces the conclusion that sounder and more rapid progress can be made in the extension of democratic control than would have been possible with- out our long political experience. These Company Shop Committee Plans are especially significant in their recognition of the fact that the basis of representation must be extended to include the economic interests of the workers by crafts, jobs, departments, shops, industries. They illustrate a widespread tendency toward decentralization by a carefully defined functional division of responsibility. They constitute an important recognition of the fact that decen- tralization is not necessarily synonymous with confusion of re- sponsibility. They are significant attempts to create channels of orderly discus- sion and adjustment of the conflicting interests of the immediate parties to the operation of a factory or industry. If vigorously developed, they will make it possible and necessary for more and more manual workers to familiarize themselves with the detailed technique of management and production problems, a familiarity which must sooner or later extend to the fields of sales and finance. The company shop committee movement in its present specifically American manifestation is less than a year old. It Is still unproved and tentative. Its relation tojhe spontaneously democratic activities of organized labor is ®/^teift^?(^li§/^S3fel9f, hDCBra«g%^ere is no necessary antipathy between collective bargaining with trade unions and the intimate contacts between management and men which the development of company shop committees is intended to establish. On the contrary, the two developments should supplement one another as time goes on. One thing may be safely taken as a certainty — 'if plans for em- ployees' representation, such as those analyzed in this pamphlet, are deliberately used to keep out, put out or weaken the established trade unions, they will arouse suspicion, they will become fresh sources of friction and will ultimately defeat their own avowed ends. What we have constantly to keep in mind is that there is need of different organizations and different types of organization to per- form different functions. The function of the Shop Committee form of employees' organ- ization is clear and of superlative importance. The Shop Com- mittees are designed to provide a basis of cooperation and common understanding between the two immediate parties to the conduct of a business enterprise. The scope of that cooperation must inevi- tably be extended beyond the interest of the employees in wages, hours, and satisfactory physical working conditions to include their interest in problems of management and production. The need for their interest in solving the problems of production was never greater than at the present moment. This need no doubt accounts for the fact that the shop committee movement is spreading at a rate which defies inclusive record. It is for this reason that the present analysis of Company Shop Committee Plans is confined to those that were obtainable from authoritative sources when the analysis was made. With a distinct appreciation of their functional limitation, the Bureau of Industrial Research offers this analysis of Company Shop Committee Plans in the conviction that they constitute a valuable experimental contribution toward the building of a system of gov- ernment in industry that will square with the principles upon which our American democracy is based. The Bureau of Industrial Research. New York City May, 1919 [iv] Digitized by Microsoft® TABLE OF CONTENTS PREFACE iii THE DEFINITION OF SHOP COMMITTEES vii KEY TO FIRM NAMES x I. GENERAL DEFINITIONS 1 THE DEFINITION OF AN EMPLOYEE. 1 Employees excluded from voting or office-holding on account of position; No discrimination against union members. THE RIGHT TO VOTE 2 Previous period of employment required ; Minimum age required. QUALIFICATIONS OF REPRESENTATIVES 3 Previous period of employment required; Minimum age required; Citi- zenship requirements ; Literacy qualifications ; Requirements after election. VOTING GROUPS 4 Definition of the voting unit; Proportion of representation; Proportional representation of women working with men; Provisions for minority representation. II. ELECTION OF REPRESENTATIVES 6 NOMINATIONS 6 Method of nominating; Time of nominations before elections; Number of candidates for nomination proposed by individual voter; Number of candidates declared nominated. ELECTIONS 7 Periodicity of elections; Place of elections; Hour of elections; Notice of elections; Election officials; Nature of ballot. TENURE OF OFFICE 8 Term ; Recall ; Provision for special elections to fill permanent vacancies ; Provision for special elections to fill temporary vacancies; Provision for automatically vacating office upon ceasing employment. in. REPRESENTATIVE BODIES 9 SUMMARY 9 Chart; Forms of representative committees. LOCAL COMMITTEES 12 Forms; Names; Joint or Separate; Number of employee representative members; By whom elected; Meetings, Chairman, etc.; Records; Decisions. DEPARTMENT COMMITTEES 13 Forms; Names; Joint or separate; Number of employee representative members; By whom elected; Joint regular meetings; Joint special meet- ings; Separate meetings of employee representatives only; Place of meetings; Hour of meetings; Expense of meetings; Recompense of repre- sentatives; Chairman of separate meetings; Chairman of joint meetings; [V] Digitized by Microsoft® Secretary of meetings; Quorum; What constitutes a decision in joint meetings. WORKS COMMITTEES 16 Forms; Names; Joint or separate; Number of employee representative members; By whom elected; Joint regular meetings; Joint special meet- ings; Place of meetings; Hour of meetings; Expense^ of meetings; Re- compense of representatives ; Chairman of joint meetings ; _ Secretary oi meetings; Other officers; Quorum; What constitutes a decision in joint meetings. EXECUTIVE COMMITTEES OF THE WORKS COMMITTEES 19 Forms; Names; Joint or separate; Number of employee representative members; By whom appointed; Qualifications of members; Term of office; Joint regular meetings; Joint special meetings; Separate meetings; Place of meetings; Hour of meetings; Expense of meetings; Recompense of members; Chairman of joint meetings; Secretary of meetings; What constitutes a decision in joint meetings. DISTRICT COUNCILS 22 Forms; Nature of districts; By whom elected or appointed; Term of office; Names; Joint or Separate; Regular meetings; Place of meetings, Chairman, Decisions, etc. COMPANY COUNCILS 23 Forms; Names; Joint or separate; Number of employee representative members; Proportion of representation; By whom elected or appointed; Term of office; Regular meetings; Special meetings; Place of meetings and hour of meetings; Expense of meetings; Recompense of members; Chairman of meetings; Secretary of meetings; What constitutes a decision. SPECIAL COMMITTEES 26 Forms; Names; Joint or separate; Number of employee representative members; Eligible for membership; Restrictions of membership; Term of office; By whom appointed; Regular meetings; Special meetings; Place of meetings; Hour of meetings; Expense of meetings; Recompense of members ; Chairman of meetings ; Secretary of meetings ; What con- stitutes a decision. IV. MISCELLANEOUS 29 INITIATIVE AND REFERENDUM 29 Initiative; Referendum; Reporting to constituents. THE LINE OF APPEAL 30 Number of steps; Local appeal, in the department; Department appeal; Plant appeal ; District and company appeal, for companies with more than one plant; Arbitration. ARBITRATION 32 Form of arbitration process. MANAGEMENT REPRESENTATION 33 Nature of management representation on joint committees; Existence of special official for intermediary purposes. DISCHARGE OF EMPLOYEES WITHOUT NOTICE 34 Number of offenses justifying discharge without notice; List of offenses. ADOPTION. AMENDMENT. AND TERMINATION OF THE PLAN OF PRESENTATION 36 Adoption; Amendment; Termination. V, SELECTED REFERENCES 37 [vi] Digitized by Microsoft® THE DEFINITION OF SHOP COMMITTEES The present analysis has been limited to certain forms which it is the object of this introduction to define. Shop committees may be defined as numerically equal bodies of employee and management representatives meeting jointly within a single business house or manufacturing concern.* Whenever the organization of workers extends beyond the con- fines of a single company, corporation or concern, that organization has been rigorously excluded from this analysis. To include it would have been to enter upon the wider field of industrial and trade unionism. But not all representative bodies within company limits may be called shop committees. Broadly speaking, company employee representation plans take three forms, only one of which is treated here under the designation of shop committees. ( I ) There is the organization of employees which does not pro- vide for any joint sessions with the management or its representa- tives. Sometimes it is called a "Cooperative" or "Welfare Associa- tion," or a "Brotherhood" or "Society," Sometimes it is without a name. Sometimes it is modelled along lodge lines and sometimes along the lines of a political party. Frequently it involves the em- ployment of one person who gives all his time to the organization and is compensated by it. Generally the payment of monthly or weekly dues is required. Sometimes all employees are ipso facto members. Generally the purpose of the association is to provide for insurance, funeral expenses, and other forms of welfare, but occasionally power is given its highest committee or council to treat with the management about working conditions. Whatever its provisions be in these and similar respects, it may be grouped with "company unions"; it has been excluded from this analysis for the sole reason that it does not provide for joint sessions of manage- ment and employee representatives.^ 'Needless to say, foremen committees have been excluded. Useful as these have been to companies, they are not true employee representation. 'No attempt can be made to list below all the company unions and dues-paying mu- tual benefit associations of one form or another, but a few are noted here which have been considered for this analysis, but not included under the terms of our definition of a shop committee. American Rolling Mills Co., Middletoivn, O. Columbia Graphophone Co., Bridgeport, Conn. Cornell Wood Products Co., Cornell, Wis. Dennison Mfg. Co., Framingham, Mass. Everlastik, Inc., Bridgeport, Conn. [vii] Digitized by Microsoft® (2) A step removed from the "company union" in form and several steps removed in scope of jurisdiction, is the plan of bicam- eral company representation sometimes called "industrial democ- racy," modelled upon the United States federal government. The essence of this plan is a committee of employees, a committee of foremen and managers, and a committee of executives and higher officials. These three bodies are often known as House of Repre- sentatives, Senate and Cabinet. The employee has, in form at least, an integral part in the governing structure of the company. But there is still little or no provision for regular joint sessions. This plan has likewise been omitted.^ (3) The third and last form of company representation of em- ployees provides for committees of employee and management rep- resentatives meeting jointly. This is the type of shop committees which by the terms of our definition will be here treated. It may or may not be a part of this plan that employee representatives meet separately as well as jointly with the management. The manage- ment may occasionally be represented by fewer representatives than the employees, though this not regularly. The shop committee proper Garner Priitt Workt & Bleachery, Wappingers Falls, N. Y. Gtobe-Wemicke Co., Cincinnati, 0. Hercules Poioder Co., Kenml, N. J. Hydraulic Pressed Steel Co., Cleveland, O. Interbtrough Rapid Transit Co., New York City. Jeffrey Mfg. Co., Columbus, O. Metal fFare Mfg. Co. Mobile Shipbuilding Co., Mobile, Ala. Morse Dry Dock & Repair Co., Brooklyn, N. Y. Northfield Co., Sheboygan, Wis. Simplex Wire & Cable Co., Boston, Mass. Warner Bros. Co., Bridgeport, Conn. Western Union Co., Neta York City. White Motor Co., Cleveland, O. The many plans installed by Mr. John Leitch under the name of "Industrial Democracy," which provide for a "House of Representatives" for employees, a "Senate" for managers and foremen, and a "Cabinet" for executives and higher officials, have not been analyzed because the sessions are fundamentally separate rather than joint With these belong other plans Which do not use the nomenclature of our Federal Government, but include separate employee representation, integrated in the company management, the best known of which is the Filene plan of Boston. The following list is by no means exhaustive of either group: — American Multigrapk Co., Cleveland, 0. Sidney Blumenthal, New York City. John David Sons & Co., New York City. William Demuth Co., New York City. Joseph Feiss & Co., Clothcraft Shops, Cleveland, O. William Filene's Sons' Co., Boston, Mass. H. P. Hood !3 Sons, Boston, Mass. Packard Piano Co., Fort Wayne, Ind. f. Passaic Metal Ware Co., Passaic, N. J. Printx-Biederman Co., Cleveland, O. [viii] Digitized by Microsoft® is a group of the company employees' and management's representa- tives equal in number, meeting regularly or upon occasion to settle their joint problems. The plans which conform to this statement are the subject of this analysis.* It by no means follows that the power of such joint committees is uniform. In most cases the management has not hesitated to agree to be bound by unanimous vote, as they are adequately pro- tected by their own representatives. But a difficulty arises when the joint committee fails to agree. In many plans arbitration stands beyond the shop committee as a last resort. In others no provision has been made for cases of disagreement. But the initial function of the joint shop committee, to afford a clearing ground of opinion in shop, department and plant, remains fundamental. 'In the sense of shop committees defined above, some twenty- or twenty-one plans have been included in (his digest. Of these, all except the Midvale and Browning plans provide equal representation for management and employees. The two exceptions noted make no explicit provision for equal numbers, the management sometimes being represented by the two or three highest officials only. But they have been included be- cause in other respects they conform to the definition given above, and are frequently mentioned as shop committees by contemporary writers. The plans digested are listed under the head of "Key to Firm Names." [ix] Digitized by Microsoft® KEY TO FIRM NAMES The following abbreviations have been used in the text of this analysis : Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corporation, Sparrows Point, V a.. Bethlehem Ship Bethlehem Steel Company, Bethlehem, Pa Bethlehem Steel Bridgeport Brass Company, Bridgeport, Conn Bridgeport Brass Bridgeport Manufacturers' Association, Bridgeport, Conn.. Bridgeport Mfgrs. Browning Company, Cleveland, O Broiuning Cambria Steel Company, Philadelphia, Pa Midvale Colorado Fuel & Iron Company, Denver, Colo. Colorado And Wyoming Mining Camps Colorado Fuel Minnequa Steel Works Colorado Steel General Electric Company Lynn, Mass General Electric Lynn Pittsfield, Mass General Electric Pittsfield Inland Steel Company, Indiana Harbor, Ind Inland International Harvester Company, Chicago, 111 Harvester Irving-Pitt Manufacturing Company, Kansas Cily, Mo Irving-Pitt Midvale Steel & Ordnance Company, New York City Midi/ate •National War Labor Board, Washington, D. C. ITar Labor Board Philadelphia Rapid Transit Company, Philadelphia, Pa... Philadelphia Procter & Gamble Company, Cincinnati, O Procter •Smith & Wesson, Springfield, Mass Smith Sf Wesson Sprague Electric Works, Bloomfield, N. J Sprague Standard Oil Company of New Jersey Standard Oil Youngstown Sheet & Tube Company, Youngstown, O Youngstoian •Only the section on General Definitions includes features from the War Labor Board and Smith & Wesson plans, other details not being sufficiently definite to be listed. [X] Digitized by Microsoft® I. GENERAL DEFINITIONS THE DEFINITION OF AN EMPLOYEE For the purpose of defining employees who may vote or hold office as representatives, so as to distinguish those whose office binds them to the interests of the management, the following are specifi- cally excluded in the various plants from the class of "employees" on account of position. Employees Excluded from Voting or Office-holding on Account of Position: Leading hands. General Electric Lynn. Assistant foremen. Harvester, Sprague. Foremen. Bridgeport Mfgrs., CotoraJo Steel, General Electric Lynn and Pittjfield, Harvester, Sprague, War Labor Board. Persons with power to employ and discharge. Bethlehem Steel, Harvester, Inland, Youngstoivn. Salaried foremen. Midvale. Salaried employees. Colorado Fuel, Colorado Steel, Standard Oil, Youngstovm. Weekly or monthly salaried employees. Bridgeport Brass. Officials higher than foremen. Bethlehem Steel, Bridgeport Mfgrs., General Electric, Lynn and Pittsfield, Inland, Sprague, War Labor Board, Youngstovin. Superintendents. Midvale. Employees "who may properly be said to represent employers." Philadelphia. No provision. Bethlehem Ship, Brovming, Irving-Pitt, Procter. No Discrimination Against Union Members: Express provision against discrimination. Bethlehem Ship, Colorado Fuel, Colorado Steel, General Electric Lynn and Pittsfield, Harvester, Inland, Irving-Pitt, • Philadelp hia, War La bor Board^ "Beih i«' M e ^ St P r ( ^ Tt 3 ii d ^ )■ J (| No provision. BetklthSM SlSSl, Bridgeport Brass, Bridgeport Mfgrs., Brovming, Mid- vale, Procter, Sprague, S t and tm i - OU , [1] Digitized by Microsoft® THE RIGHT TO VOTE It goes without saying that only those employees as above defined who are actually in the employ of the company in the voting group or section where the election is held, may vote for representatives. In most plans the number of enfranchised employees is reduced by further qualifications : Previous Period of Employment Required: None. Bridgeport Mfgrs., Browning, General Electric Pittsfield, Harvester, Irving- Pitt, Midvale, Standard Oil, War Labor Board. Two continuous months immediately preceding. Bethlehem Ship, Bethlehem Steel, Inland, Procter, Youngstoitm, Three months in aggregate. Sprague. Three continuous months immediately preceding. Bridgeport Brass, Colorado Fuel, Colorado Steel, General Electric Lynn. Six months in aggregate. Philadelphia. Minimum Age Required: None. Bethlehem Ship, Bridgeport Brass, Bridgeport Mfgrs., Broiuning, Colorado Fuel, Colorado Steel, General Electric Lynn and Pittsfield, Harvester, Irving-Pitt, Midvale, Philadelphia, Procter, Sprague, Standard Oil, War Labor Board. Eighteen years of age. Bethlehem Steel, Inland, Youngstoim. [2] Digitized by Microsoft® QUALIFICATIONS OF REPRESENTATIVES Not all the employees who are eligible to vote can be elected to office on the committees. In most plans the qualifications required of representatives are greater than those of voters. Previous Period of Employment Required: None. Browning, General Electric Pittsfield, Irving-Pitt, Standard Oil. Two continuous months immediately preceding. Bethlehem Ship. Three continuous months immediately preceding, unless six such candidates cannot be found in the voting group. Bridgeport Mfgrs., War Labor Board. Three continuous months immediately preceding. Bridgeport Brass, Colorado Fuel, Colorado Steel. Six months in aggregate, including work in other plants of similar industry. Sprague. Six continuous months immediately preceding. Bethlehem Steel. One year in aggregate. General Electric Lynn, Midvale. One year in aggregate in the preceding eighteen months. Youngstoton One continuous year immediately preceding. Harvester, Inland, Procter. Two continuous years immediately preceding. Philadelphia. Minimum Age Required: None. Bethlehem Ship, Bridgeport Brass, Bridgeport Mfgrs., Browning, Colorado Fuel, Colorado Steel, General Electric Pittsfield, Irving-Pitt, Midvale, Philadelphia, Procter, Sprague, Standard Oil, War Labor Board. Eighteen years of age.- General Electric Lynn. Twenty-one years of age. Bethlehem, Harvester, Inland, Youngsiown. Citizenship Requirements : None. Bethlehem Ship, Bridgeport Brass, Bridgeport Mfgrs., Browning, Colorado Fuel, Colorado Steel, General Electric Pittsfield, Irving-Pitt, Midvale, Philadelphia, Standard Oil. Must be an American citizen or have taken out first papers. Bethlehem Steel, General Electric Lynn, Inland, Procter, War Labor Board, Youngstown. Must be an American citizen. Harvester, Sprague. Literacy Qualifications : None. Bethlehem Ship, Bethlehem Steel, Bridgeport Brass, Bridgeport Mfgrs., Brown- ing, Colorado Fuel, Colorado Steel, General Electric Pittsfield, Harvester, Inland, Irving-Pitt, Midvale, Philadelphia, Procter, Sprague, Standard Oil, War Labor Board, Youngstown. Must be able to read and write English. General Electric Lynn. Requirements after Election: None. Bethlehem Ship, Bethlehem Steel, Bridgeport Brass, Bridgeport Mfgrs., Brown- ing, Colorado Fuel, Colorado Steel, General Electric Lynn and Pittsfield, Harvester, Irving-Pitt, Midvale, Philadelphia, Procter, Standard Oil, War Labor Board. Must swear to serve and support laws of U. S., Indiana, and the company and em- ployee interests. Inland. Must swear to support the constitution and laws of the United States and Ohio, and the Plan of Representation, and perform its duties. Youngstown. Must wear at all times in plant a prominent badge or button showing name of repre- sentative and committee num|jer. Sprague. [3] Digitized by Microsoft® VOTING GROUPS The nature of the voting group or unit is important as determin- ing the constituency of individual representatives. Obviously small groups tend to give more direct responsibility to individual interests, and groups along clear occupational lines tend better to protect occupational interests. Large groups based upon products would appear to make the representation more remote. In some plans, modifications due to special industrial conditions are evident. In most cases the lines of demarcation between voting groups appear to have been chosen for apparent practical voting convenience rather than for class representation. Definition of the Voting Unit: Any section or department under a foreman or forelady. Bridgeport Mfgrt. Any depot, station, or "class or contact-group" division, inside of fire large depart- ments. Philadelphia. A ''section" of about 200 men, inside a "shop" of similar products. General Electric Lynn. Crafts or trades in the large departments only. Bethlehem Skip. A "division" to be adjusted by the representatives later, inside a large departmental or product group. Midvale. The shifts (night and day) of departmental groups. Broiuning. A small department or division, based upon departmental and product lines. General Electric Pittsfield, Irving-Pitt, Procter, Smith & Wesson, War Labor Board. A large department or division, based upon departmental and product lines. Bethle- hem Ship, Bethlehem Steel, Colorado Steel, Harvester, Inland, Youngstovm. A "section" largely based upon departmental lines. Sprague. A group composed of several small departments. Bridgeport Brass. An "occupational group" composed of one or more large "departments." Standard Oil. A "camp" consisting of an entire plant. Colorado Fuel. Proportion of Representation: Regardless of size, three representatives per voting unit. Bridgeport Mfgrs., War Labor Board. Regardless of size, two per voting unit. Philadelphia. Regardless of size, one per voting unit. Brovming, Irving-Pitt. Two per voting unit (except for certain sections) of about 200 employees. General Electric Lynn. One per 50 employees or major fraction. Procter. One per 100 employees or major fraction. War Labor Board. One per 100 employees, with at least one from each "department" of more than 25 employees. JBridgeport Brass. One per ISO employees or major fraction, with at least two per voting unit. Colorado Fuel, Colorado Steel, Standard Oil. One per 100 employees in voting units of less than 500 employees and one per ISO with at least five, in voting units of more than 500 employees. Inland. One per 100, 200, or 300 employees, according as the entire plant has less than 1,500, from 1,500 to 10,000, or more than 10,000 employees. Bethlehem Steel. [4] Digitized by Microsoft® One per 200-300 employees, with at least fire per entire plant. Harvester. One per 300 employees or major fraction. Midvale, Youngstown. One per 500 employees with at least two in voting units over 300 employees. Bethle- hem Ship. No provision. General Electric Pittsfield, Smith & Wesson, Sprague. Proportional Representation of Women Working with Men: Approximately the same proportion of women representatives as women employees in each voting unit. Bridgeport Mfgrs., War Labor Board. No provision. Other plans. Provisions for Minority Representation: Each voter shall vote for less than the full number of representatives to be elected from his voting unit. General Electric Pittsfield, Smith & Wesson, War Labor Board. No provision. Other plans. IS] Digitized by Microsoft® II. ELECTION OF REPRESENTATIVES This section includes all provisions for election of those repre- sentatives elected directly by the employees, themselves, but does not deal with the appointment or election of various committees, by the representatives. NOMINATIONS Some plans do not provide for nominations. These are listed below in the first tabulation only, and in brackets []. Others provide for nomination and elections at the same meeting. The usual pro- cedure is to nominate candidates at least a day before elections, so that the candidates for office can be considered and discussed by the voters before election. Three methods of nominations have been used. One is to require candidates to submit applications signed by a certain number of eligible voters. Another is to have all nomina- tions made by a special nominating committee. The third practice is a primary or preferential ballot. Method of Nominating: Preferential ballot. Bethlehem Ship, Bethlehem Steel, Bridgeport Brass, Colorado Fuel, Colorado Steel, Harvester, Inland, Midvale, Youngstoiim. Preferential convention attended by 10% of qualified voters. War Labor Board. Petition of candidate, signed by seven qualified voters. Philadelphia. Petition signed by 10% of qualified voters. War Labor Board. Nominating committee in each voting unit, appointed by employees in voting unit. Procter. r"No nominations. Bridgeport Mfgrs., Sprague, Standard Oil. ~1 I No constitutional provision, method to be determined by a joint special com- I I mittee. General Electric Lynn and Pittsfield. _j Time of Nominations before Elections: Two weeks before elections. Philadelphia. Five to fifteen days. War Labor Board. Four days. Bethlehem Ship, Bethlehem Steel, Harvester, Inland. Three days. Youngstonan. Two days. Colorado Steel, Midvale. Same day, same meeting, immediately preceding election. Bridgeport Brass, Colorado Fuel. Number of Candidates for Nomination Proposed by Individual Voter: Twice as many a^ may be elected representatives. Bethlehem Shipy Bethlehem Steel, Inland, Youngstoiun. As many as may be elected representatives. Bridgeport Brass, Colorado Fuel, Colorado Steel, Harvester, Midvale. One only. Philadelphia. No restriction. War Labor Board. Number of Candidates Declared Nominated: Three times as many as may be elected. Bethlehem Ship, Bethlehem Steel, Inland^ Youngstoiun. Twice as many as may be elected. Bridgeport Brass, Colorado Fuel, Colorado Steel, Harvester, Midvale. Unlimited number. Philadelphia, Procter, War Labor Board. [6] Digitized by Microsoft® ELECTIONS Periodicity of Elections: Semi-annually, with terms synchronous. Bridgeport Brass. Semi-annually, with terms overlapping. Bethlehem Ship, Bethlehem Steel, General Electric Lynn, Harvester, Sprague. Irregularly, with terms overlapping. Philadelphia. Annually, with terms synchronous. Bridgeport Mfgrs., Colorado Fuel, Colorado Steel, General Electric Pittsfield, Inland, Midvale, Youngstoivn. Annually, with terms overlapping. Procter. No provision. Standard Oil, War Labor Board. Place of Elections: On company premises. Bridgeport Brass, Colorado Fuel, General Electric Lynn, Standard Oil. Where best fitted for freedom from undue influence. Bridgeport Mfgrs. In shop or convenient public building, wherever the largest number of voters can be secured, consistent with fairness of count and full and free expression of choice. War Labor Board. In some convenient public building. General Electric Pittsfield. No provision. Bethlehem Ship, Bethlehem Steel, Colorado Steel, Harvester, Inland, Midvale, Philadelphia, Procter, Sprague, Youngstovm. Hour of Elections: Between 9 A. M. and 2 P. M. Sprague. During work hours, in day and night shifts. Bridgeport Brass, Colorado Fuel, Har- vester, Standard Oil. Determined by employees' special committee. Bethlehem Steel, Inland, Youngstovm. No provision. Bethlehem Ship, Bridgeport Mfgrs., Colorado Steel, General Electric Lynn and Pittsfield, Midvale, Philadelphia, Procter, War Labor Board. Notice of Elections: Three weeks before election, one week before nominations close. Philadetihia. Fifteen days before election. War Labor Board. One week. Bridgeport Mfgrs., Colorado Fuel, Colorado Steel, Midvale. Four work days. Sprague. Three days. Bridgeport Brass. Two days. Harvester. Determined by employees' special committee. Bethlehem Steel, General Electric Lynn, Inland, Youngstown. No provision. Bethlehem Ship, General Electric Pittsfield, Procter, Standard Oil. Election Officials: Employees only. Bethlehem Steel, Bridgeport Mfgrs., Colorado Fuel, Inland, Midvale, Philadelphia, Procter, War Labor Board, Youngstovm. Joint Bethlehem Ship, Bridgeport Brass, Colorado Steel, General Electric Lynn, Harvester, Sprague, Standard Oil. Neutral ; some impartial person in Pittsfield. General Electric Pittsfield. Nature of Ballot: Secret. All plans. [7] Digitized by Microsoft® TENURE OF OFFICE Term: Six months. Bridgeport Brass. One year, or until successors are elected. All plans except Bridgeport Brats and Procter. Two years. Procter. Recall: By two-thirds vote at special election held upon petition of twenty per cent of the voters in the voting unit. Bridgeport Mfgrs. By majority vote at special election held upon petition of one-third of the voters in the voting unit. Harvester. By majority vote at special election held upon petition/ of two-thirds of the voters in the voting unit. Midvale. By two-thirds vote of the voters in the voting unit; no provision for this election. Sprague. By petition of majority of voters in the voting unit. Bethlehem Ship. By petition of two-thirds of the voters in the voting unit. General Electric Lynn. By petition of two-thirds of the voters in the voting unit, if approved by the em- ployees' representatives in a sub-committee. Bethlehem Steel, Inland, Youngstoivn. No provision. Bridgeport Brass, Colorado Fuel, Colorado Steel, General Electrid Pittsfield, Philadelphia. Procter, Standard Oil. Provision for Special Elections to Fill Permanent Vacancies: Must be held immediately. Bridgeport, Mfgrs., General Electric Lynn, Sprague. Must be held. Bethlehem Ship, Bridgeport Brass, Colorado Fuel, Colorado Steel, Harvester, Midvale, Philadelphia, Procter. May be held at discretion of employee representative members of special committee. Bethlehem Steel, Inland, Youngstoivn. No provision. General Electric Pittsfield, Standard^ Oil. Provision for Special Elections to Fill Temporary Vacancies: Held upon petition of two-thirds of the voters in the voting unit. General Electric Lynn. "Alternate representative" being candidate with next highest vote, acts for repre- sentative. Bethlehem Ship. No provision. Others. Provision for Automatically Vacating OiEce Upon Ceasing Employment: Express provisions. Bethlehem Steel, General Electric Lynn, Inland, Midvale, Sprague, Youngstovm. No express provision. Bethlehem Ship, Bridgeport Brass, Bridgeport Mfgrs., Colorado Fuel, Colorado Steel, General Electric Pittsfield, Harvester. Philadelphia, Procter, Standard Oil. [8] Digitized by Microsoft® IIL REPRESENTATIVE BODIES SUMMARY For the purposes of this analysis, the various committees, con- ferences, convocations, assemblies, councils, and meetings found in different plans have been grouped together irrespective of titles and nomenclature, into three main classes — intra-plant, plant, and inter- plant — according to their constituencies and jurisdiction, with a fourth class for committees on special subjects, such as education, health, and accidents. Continuing this process, the intra-plant committees, or committees representing groups of workers within a plant, but not the entire plant, have been classified as department committees and local com- mittees, the latter being sub-divisions of the former. The plant committees have been grouped into plant conferences, which include representatives from all departments, and executive committees, which do not include direct representatives from all departments. The inter-plant committees have been grouped into district com- mittees, representing several plants but not an entire company, and company committees, representing all the plants of a company. The committees for special purposes appear in different plans in each of the three main classes, and could be grouped also into intra-plant, plant, and inter-plant special committees, but for con- venience and because their procedure is similar, they have been treated in a single group. No separation in analysis is made of joint and separate commit- tees, this distinction being tabulated in each group under the heading "Joint or Separate." "Joint" in this analysis refers to sessions at which the management and the employees are equally represented. "Separate" refers to sessions of the employee representatives alone. Sessions at which the management is not represented by an equal number of delegates, but only by one or two higher officials, are called "Quasi-joint." The following table will serve as a reference summary of the forms of representative bodies found in the different plans. It does not include the de facto or unofficial representation which is noted in the detailed treatment of committees. [9] Digitized by Microsoft® Chart OF THE Organization OF Company Shop Committees (Detail only) ISSHRtXlOB omsean C0D5CXI. /Engloyees \^ EnyloyaeB Y^ BqiloyeeB y^ Employees Y^ Ergloycee ^f B^ileyeBS >f Bigleyeea ■ Rhfm ' Slum 1 ShAn I Shnn ' Shnn ■ STinn I Slum L.....Deporbaeqt«l or Product Croup ' Sbop ■X- Shop v,^ Brenob StaUon I I I Shop Branch or Station I I •X- I Brench or St«Uon I I •X- I I Shop Branch I Shop J- Brenob Station I ■jl, _Braneh__ "^^ or Station I Station pepertaental or " Product Oroas" J^ WOEKE, lUUIT or CAMP (coi^rising 2 or more deperljnent«y' I Deperteentel or "Product Qrm^ ' Depart Produ I VfCEE, EIiUST or CAMP (cos^rlslng 2 or nore departm DI5ISICT> DZ7:iSI , . RepSrintsiftf ^he R,eports oif the Whitl^jf^ t^omraittee s^d Related Pocu- , ments,"' together Vith Report pa OperatJot| ' o| -Work* *,Qiinmittees Pric'«f2^c. ' '' ' .' 'r^ ■''" ■ ,' ''' HOW THE GOVERNMEI^T HAN^I^EDl^S I.ABOR P^OBLiBilS DURIN^' THENAR ' ■,_-,'..,: '-■'.:' /, ^'J^^dbook of Fpdefal War L^bpr Agaucies. Pri0 25c. ^ - AMERICAN COMPAI^JY SfitOP OQiMMITTB^E PLANS Jjfigest of Plans for Empibyees* ]fee^fesentation. Price $.1,00. An.anhouncemen^of Coulses Si Employjjient Adn)i«istratfen offered by the Bureau in cobpemtipp with the' Neve School lot Social JS^e^^ch and the Training'^ehool jpf^ Public Service"; of the Btureau. bf i^un^gipal .Reisearch is available upoH^r^^uest, i^l^ i ' -'^ '' '. r , , 465 West-23rd|^^et New York, City Digitized by Microsoft® Date Due IIBSIBiSO JUN7 "SO m^ '«■ i -' '■' -^fSfSi "^W^^ yvV * • ,/ ' ^ Cornell University Library HD 5650.B8 American company shop committee plans; a 3 1924 002 719 817 Digitized by Microsoft® Manufatluni hy 6AYLORD BROS. Inc. Syracui*f N. Y. Steiktoii, CaKf. Digitized by Microsoft® Digitized by Microsoft