PAGE 18 | August 21, 2020 | NORTHWEST LABOR PRESS
World War II was a watershed for the labor movement. To prevent the war
effort from being disrupted by strikes, the government supported arbitration
and union maintenance of membership. After the attack on Pearl Harbor, the
AFL adopted a “No-Strike Code” and made a peace offering to the CIO for na-
tional unity. In this 1942 photo, AFL President Will Green (left) and Secre-
tary-Treasurer George Meany (right) present President Roosevelt a poster
symbolizing labor’s drive to sell war bonds. Union membership rose dramat-
ically by the end of the war.
dustry. 1946: Largest strike wave in U.S. his-
tory. President Truman addresses the 65th
AFL convention. 1947: President Truman ve-
toes the Taft-Hartley Act which restricts union
members’ activities, but is overridden by Con-
gress. A bill banning “closed shops” is intro-
duced in Oregon Legislature. Labor opposes
a sales tax proposal that proponents spend
$60,000 trying to pass. AFL endorses the
“Marshall Plan” to deal with war-torn Europe.
1948: National CIO convention held in Port-
land in November. Circuit Court declares Ore-
gon’s “Secondary Boycott Law” unconstitu-
tional. 14,800 Mechanic Union workers strike
Boeing. Labor Press editorials crusade for
civil rights. Breaking levees during a major
flood destroys Vanport. 1949: U.S. Supreme
Court rules that states can outlaw closed
shops. The Oregonian and Journal are de-
clared unfair during a Pressmen’s Union
strike in February that is settled in March.
NLRB rules in favor of Office and Profes-
sional Employees Union Local 11 as an ap-
propriate bargaining unit at Meier and Frank.
Truman signs a 75-cent-an-hour minimum
wage law. First two of 11 unions with Com-
munist leaders are purged from CIO. 1950:
The NLRB rules that Meier and Frank has
been engaging in unfair labor practices by in-
terrogating employees about union activities
Union Jobs Mean A Better Community
Happy Labor Day
from
Roofers Local 49
Russ Garnett
Business Agent
Financial Secretary
•
5032 SE 26th Ave.
Portland, OR 97202
503-232-4807