1943 - National Labor Relations Board

IxNEW STATUTORY FUNCTIONS VESTED IN THE BOARD: WARLABOR DISPUTES ACT AND TELEGRAPH MERGER ACTWAR LABOR DISPUTES ACTNear the close of the fiscal year, on June 25, 1943, Congress passedthe War Labor Disputes Act, generally referred to as the Smith-Connally Act.' Section 8 of this Act gave to the National LaborRelations Board a new function which entails performance of additionaland substantial duties by the Board and its staff both inWashington and in the field. Section 8 requires the representative ofthe employees of a war contractor to give notice of a labor disputethat threatens seriously to interrupt production. It also providesthat once such notice has been given, the contractor and employeesshall continue production for not less than 30 days under the conditionswhich prevailed when the dispute arose, except as they maybe modified by mutual agreement or by the National War LaborBoard. On the thirtieth day after notice is given, unless the disputehas been settled, the National Labor Relations Board is requiredforthwith to conduct a secret ballot among the employees to whomthe dispute is applicable, on the queStion of whether they will permitany such interruption of war production. Upon the conclusion ofthe balloting, the Board is required to certify the results and makethem public. The purposes of the ballot, as stated in Section 8,are (1) to afford the employees an opportunity to express themselves,free from restraint or coercion, with respect to the threatened interruption,and (2) to apprise the President of disputes which threatenseriously to interrupt production.In order to coordinate the activities of the three governmentalagencies concerned with the administration of the War Labor DisputesAct, an interdepartmental committee has been established, consistingof representatives of the National Labor Relations Board, the Departmentof Labor, and the National War Labor Board. This committeeaffords an effective medium for the interchange of information andfor the discussion of policy questions and other problems relating tothe administration of the War Labor Disputes Act.3,57 Stat. 163 (1843).74