during the transition to the new administration and to hire him as a pension consultant. (Mr. Sayen has also retained the presidency of the International Federation of Air Line Pilots Associations, to which he was recently reelected.)

Union Structure and Administration

As in past meetings, the Board of Directors of the Pilot Division spent much of its time considering changes in the structure of the association, which sees itself primarily as a federation of pilot groups of the various airlines. The only major modification this year was a constitutional amendment permitting a copilot to be the chairman of a local executive council, a position formerly restricted to captains. The local council, of which there are about 150, is composed of members of an airline based at one location. Each executive council is composed of a captain, a copilot, and a flight officer (if the council has members holding the last named position). In turn, ALPA's Board of Directors is composed of these officers from each executive council.

According to the report of the committee on organizational structure, "the captain-copilot structure division has been historical in ALPA and runs through a great deal of our organization. We believe, however, that many of the original reasons for this parallel organizational requirement are no longer valid. During the past 20 years, the nature of the copilots' position has changed from that of short-time apprentice to a long-time career. . . . 15- and 20-year copilots are not uncommon." In addition, a growing number of pilots qualified for captaincy actually serve as copilots. The problem was to reconcile the

"The association is essentially a collection of semiautonomous groups, each having [its] own government for the processing of most of [its] problems. The association provides certain guidance and assistance in the processing of those problems through the maintenance of an association staff and the election of national officers. Guidance to the individual groups within the association is also provided through the adoption of association policy by the Board of Directors. The association is dependent, however, upon the will and ability of each individual group to implement such policy when adopted." The State of the Association, President's Report Prepared for the Seventeenth Biennial Board of Directors Meeting of the Air Line Pilots Association beginning May 29, 1962, p. 41.

The policy manual, which contains many of the resolutions adopted at past Board of Directors meetings, is a more specific guide for members than the ALPA constitution and bylaws. It covers everything from detailed specific landing procedures to methods for handling seniority problems resulting from a merger of two airlines.

principle that every member in good standing should be eligible to hold any office in the association, including council chairman, with "the principle that the present balance of representation between first pilots and copilots should be maintained." As finally resolved, the captains, the copilots, and the flight officers will continue to be specifically represented by one of their members on the executive council, but any of them may be elected chairman.

Finances. The treasurer reported that the expenses of the Southern Airways strike and the cost of negotiations and arbitration of issues relating to the United-Capital merger in 1961 had put the ALPA in a precarious financial position. It was reported that the current working capital available was $400,000-an average month's expenses for the association. (Dues are 1.5 percent of annual salary for pilots and 1 percent for stewardesses.) Forty-five percent of the dues dollar goes for flight pay reimbursement of members engaged in authorized ALPA business, a situation not helped, as one member ruefully remarked, by the jet pay scales being negotiated.

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Methods which the organizational structure committee recommended for improving ALPA's financial status included a per capita assessment equal to 1 percent of annual dues and negotiation of some type of union security clause and company payment for time spent on union business. The assessment, after considerable discussion was approved, but the proposal for pay for time spent on union business was voted down. There was some apprehension that such a clause would lead management to attempt to restrict the number of grievances handled. A provision of the policy manual which states that decisions on a union shop are to be left to members on individual airlines and that they must approve a union shop by a 4-majority vote was supplemented by a new policy that "association financial security clauses be negotiated on those airlines where a demonstrated need exists, and that the form of those clauses may embody compulsory dues checkoffs, agency shops, or any other type of plan that is necessary to provide nonmember support for the association activities undertaken in their behalf as pilot employees." The secretary's

report revealed that Pilot Division membership has fluctuated between 13,500 and 14,000 since 1958, after climbing steadily from 8,500 in 1953. However, membership averages 90 percent of those represented.

Adjustment to a Changing Industry

Both in collective bargaining and in its relations with Government agencies that regulate the industry, the ALPA has attempted to deal with the rapid technological changes and concomitant economic developments in the air transport industry. At the Miami meeting, both pilots and stewardesses were gravely concerned about future employment in the industry, studies on the effect of high speed and high altitude flights upon their health, and safety measures.

Collective Bargaining. The collective bargaining committee's report recommended a streamlining of negotiating procedure by eliminating "shotgun" bargaining proposals, improving the procedures for selection of negotiators, and giving negotiators adequate authority. The committee also urged that Air Line Pilots establish closer alliances with other labor groups. Resolutions on specific bargaining proposals were introduced during discussions of finances, air safety, physical standards, training, and other matters.

Based on the principle that crew size should be determined by workload and not by the size of the plane and in recognition of the increasing number of smaller jet planes, which the association anticipates will soon supersede most piston aircraft, delegates voted to establish an ALPA policy requiring all jets to carry three pilots. According to the resolution,

The speed, duration of flights, limited fuel range, communications load, traffic control problems, collision avoidance watch, and optimum aircraft and engine operations require utilization of a three-pilot crew on all jetpowered turbine aircraft even though they may be below the 80,000 pound level on which the Federal Aviation Agency bases the need for a third crew member.

The ALPA policy on maximum flight time duty of 8 hours was amended to include international flights, on which there had been no policy.

Watchful of a situation that they felt might be extended to pilots, delegates adopted a resolu

tion recommending that maintenance of aircraft be done by U.S. citizens, except those who were employed before January 1, 1962, or who hold U.S. mechanics licenses. The convention also approved resolutions directing that clauses be negotiated for the protection of pilots who may be engaged in military transport service for their airlines. The military affairs committee cited the United Air Lines contract clause as a good example. It provides for compensation to pilots interned or taken prisoner of war and for the continuance of seniority during such periods.

Relationship With the FAA and the CAB. Delegates voted to attempt to negotiate contract clauses with the airlines permitting only pilots to fill operating seats on the flight deck, in order to reduce the extent of participation by the Federal Aviation Agency during training, proficiency checks, and recurrent training flights. The motion asserted that certain FAA activities duplicate the responsibilities of the carriers and place a burden on the taxpayer, but those opposing it said that it was probably necessary for some of the smaller carriers to rely on training conducted by the FAA.

The Board of Directors also approved a resolution, directed toward revision of regulations of the Civil Aeronautics Board, stating that

whereas present Civil Air Regulation confers on the pilot in command full responsibility for the safety of the operation of the aircraft and places on him full control and authority without limitation over all crew members and their duties during flight time, . . .

therefore be it resolved that the association seek such necessary revision of the Civil Air Regulation to provide automatically to the holder of an air transport pilot license the privilege of all subordinate licenses required on the flight deck.

Physical Standards and Safety. Increasing pilot concern with company and Federal standards of physical fitness stems, at least partially, from the increasing age of the pilots as a group and from the development of more sensitive methods of detecting disqualifying conditions. Whether pilots

Two years ago, after pilots had refused to fly with FAA inspectors conducting routine inspections from one of the operating seats, the FAA threatened to suspend any pilot continuing to take such action. The union said at that time that pilots welcomed inspection, but they objected to having crew members displaced.

called by the FAA to the Georgetown University Hospital in Washington, D.C., for investigation of a specific condition should freely participate in the FAA's Georgetown research program on the physiology of aging was much discussed. The purpose of the study is to develop criteria that can be used to determine the individual physiological age at which performance falls off. Finally, the Board moved against participation in such research programs unless they are strictly voluntary and have prior association approval. Delegates again voted to work toward amendment of the social security law to permit payment of full benefits to pilots required by FAA regulations to retire at age 60 or before. They also resolved to work toward improvements in their negotiated pension plans to mitigate the effect of such retirements. They recommended negotiation of contract clauses that would credit pilots with extra flight time for jet flights, calculated according to the presence of certain fatigue-producing factors.

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after their airlines had merged. Arbitration of an integrated pilot seniority list had been completed just before the convention, and arbitration of the flight engineer roster is under way. Predicting that such problems would increase during the next decade and facing the fact that "no pilot group has ever been willing to accept pilots from another carrier in order of, or with, seniority preference," the pilot protection committee recommended appointment of a permanent arbitrator to process disputes between pilot groups. A resolution proposing an associationwide seniority list was defeated.

President Sayen commented at a press interview during the convention that he did not believe the proposed merger between American and Eastern Air Lines would be approved by the Civil Aeronautics Board, since it would not be in the public interest to combine "two of the world's biggest airlines." On the other hand, Robert F. Six, president of Continental Airlines and the only outside speaker at the convention, told the pilots that in the next 5 years or so, the number of trunklines may well be reduced to 5 or 6 from the present 11. He said this could come about through "mergers between equals, outright absorptions, or poor management and unrealistic employee demands which may send some carriers into bankruptcy with no one to pick up the pieces."

Other Board Actions

At least two resolutions approved by the Board directed that a committee be set up to study whether closer relationships should be developed with the AFL-CIO and other labor organizations in order to strengthen the association's political and legislative policies. A resolution that would have discontinued the ALPA's $1,000 annual expenditure for political purposes was defeated.

The Board approved several resolutions which had the intent of continuing full support to the strike against Southern Airways. One committed the ALPA to pay strike benefits, which average about one half of regular pay, for 2 months after Southern pilots return to their former jobs.

-PHYLLIS GROOM Office of Publications Bureau of Labor Statistics

647845-62

The Communications Workers' 24th Annual Convention

DELEGATES to the 24th annual convention of the Communications Workers of America held in Milwaukee, Wis., June 11-14, 1962, were able to finish all convention business a day earlier than originally scheduled. Although the 1,200 delegates had few policymaking issues to decide, they were unwilling to consider holding future meetings biennially. A resolution on the subject failed to win enough votes to bring it out from committee.

In his opening address, CWA President Joseph A. Beirne set the tone for the convention. He talked at length on the union's district and local programs for developing trade unions in Latin America and CWA's part in developing the American Institute for Free Labor Development.1 Declaring that "we have got to get into the political fight of the 1962 elections," he also told delegates that "we have got to redouble our efforts to make sure that Congress passes the legislation our Nation needs." The third major job he outlined was organizing the unorganized, telling the delegates that there are 500,000 fewer union members in the country than there were 5 years ago.

Finally, Mr. Beirne spoke proudly of CWA's negotiations under its 1962 wage reopeners. He announced that in the first settlement, with the Ohio Bell Telephone Co., the union had won a wage increase of 92 cents an hour, or slightly more than 3%1⁄2 percent. Adding that the settlement was within the guidelines set by the Council of Economic Advisers in January 1962,2 Mr. Beirne asserted that no telephone rate increases need result from the settlement.

Organization and Administration

Organizing. Secretary-Treasurer William A. Smallwood reported that the number of CWA locals had grown to 800, 39 more than reported at the 1961 convention, and that membership had reached 278,439, about 18,000 more than a year ago. Vice President James M. Massey told delegates that the union had participated in 32 representation elections, of which it had won 15, and had achieved 5 recognition agreements

without election since the last convention. The campaign on organization brought 364 locals to the 3d-year membership goal of at least 88 percent of those whom they represent; in 1961, 386 locals had reached the 2d-year objective of 85 percent.

Finances. On March 31, 1962, the Communications Workers had total assets of slightly over $12 million, of which $7.5 million was in the defense fund and $2.3 million in the pension fund in trust for employees and officers of the union. From a $24,727 deficit on April 1, 1961, the general operating fund rose to $109,604 on March 31, 1962. The union's income during the year was $8 million. Delegates adopted the finance committee's recommendations to raise officers' salaries $2,000 a year (to $24,500 for the president, $20,000 for secretary-treasurer, $18,500 each for the three vice presidents, and $15,000 for the district directors) and to use the defense fund to the extent necessary to assume the outstanding mortgage on the CWA headquarters building at the time the union exercises its option to buy the building.

A recommendation which would have limited public information on strike fund expenditures to the total amount spent was defeated. The committee felt that making public amounts spent in each bargaining unit "gives unnecessary aid to adversaries of the union. Its value as information to CWA members is far outweighed by the serious damage it does to us when we are in a sensitive bargaining position. The defense of union members preceding and during a strike requires certain forms of strategy which could be rendered useless by this detailed reporting." Aside from "giving aid and comfort to the enemy," there seemed to be some difference of opinion on what the defense fund expenditures should coverwhether it should be strictly a strike benefit fund or something broader. However, the primary reason for defeat appeared to be that members are entitled to "have a look at where the money is spent.

1 The institute opened in Washington, D.C., on June 18, 1962, with about 40 students from several Central and South American countries. Its program will consist of a 3-month course of study at the school and a 9-month internship on a project in the student's native country. The institute's top officers include J. Peter Grace, president of W. R. Grace & Co., as president and chairman of the board of directors; AFL-CIO President George Meany as vice chairman; and Mr. Beirne as secretary-treasurer.

See Monthly Labor Review, March 1962, pp. 286–287.

Latin American Projects. Delegates heard a report on the progress of the CWA's "union-tounion" projects in Central and South America, which have been developed in cooperation with the Inter-American Office of the Postal, Telegraph and Telephone International (PTTI). The first project of this kind was undertaken by CWA District 9 in Ecuador. The project enables José Larco, general secretary of the Federation of Telecommunications Workers of Ecuador, to work full time in organizing a democratic federation of telecommunications workers in an area where the major trade union movement is affiliated with the Communist-oriented World Federation of Trade Unions. District 7 locals brought Humberto Londono, president of the Federation of Telecommunications Workers of Colombia, to the United States for training in labor union affairs. Since his return to Colombia, Mr. Londono has worked, with District 7's continued support, to improve the wages and working conditions of telecommunications workers in his country. Districts 2 and 6 are paying the salary and expenses of Eduardo Caceres of Peru, a graduate of the PTTI-CWA Trade Union Institute at Front Royal, Va., who is organizing Peruvian postal, telegraph, and telephone workers into a self-sustaining union. Locals in District 3 have established and are financing an office for exiled Cuban telephone workers in Miami, Fla.

District 4 has indicated a desire to support the postal and telecommunications workers' union in British Guiana in their efforts to remain a free and democratic union. The four remaining districts have committed themselves to submit projects to their locals as they are worked out in cooperation with the PTTI. The convention adopted a resolution urging that nonparticipating locals become active in these projects, and that as projects become self-sustaining, locals and districts take on other projects.

Resolutions

Delegates discussed at considerable length a resolution to affirm as union policy Mr. Beirne's testimony to congressional committees on the communications satellite program. Although expressed rather ambiguously, the intent of the resolution was to support private rather than Government ownership of the system. The resolution read in

part that "there is absolutely no doubt about the capability and competence of private enterprise in the field of space communications. Members of the Communications Workers of America comprise an integral part of the private communications industry, and by their dedicated service in the public interest they have contributed a great deal to its success." Although several delegates protested that "if this thing is adopted, we are just as much as saying, 'let's make them bigger so they will be tougher to fight,"" the resolution carried overwhelmingly.

No resolution before the convention received more vocal support than that calling for enactment of the Anderson-King bill to provide health benefits for retired persons under the social security system. Delegates also adopted resolutions calling for Federal legislation on prohibition of wiretapping, aid to education aimed at dealing with classroom and teacher shortages and scholarships for higher education, a consumer protection law, improved unemployment compensation, and tax reform. Other resolutions approved without debate included statements on economic policy, foreign policy, the AFL-CIO Committee on Political Education, registration and voting, and participation in politics.

A motion from the floor to use $2 million of defense fund money prior to bargaining in 1963 for a public relations campaign "to educate the public on all phases of the Bell System pension" was defeated. Expressing dissatisfaction with recent wage and fringe gains won by the Communications Workers in comparison with those in other industries and with the level of Bell pensions, the delegate submitting the motion said that since the union had decided not to work for higher pensions through legislation, and since "it is apparent in the last few years the strike or threat of strike is not what it used to be, a public relations approach is the only avenue remaining." After some discussion, most of which pointed out that negotiating on pensions was in the province of the bargaining committee, the motion was defeated.

A floor motion to put CWA on record against management's policy of requiring employees to work excessive overtime was referred to the collective bargaining committee, as was a motion to oppose contracting out work over which the Communications Workers asserted jurisdiction.