James Discusses Organizing Unions

Edgar James, a former organizer of the United Mine Workers (UMW) discussed difficulties in union organizing with about 35 students at Phillips Brooks House last night.

James, a third-year law student who worked with the Harlan County UMW in its 1973 strike, cited time-consuming work and sophisticated union-busting tactics as the two major problems of union organizing.

"Companies can break unions in a number of ways, such as firing people," he said, adding, "The National Labor Relations Act is very weak when it comes to these problems."

James outlined the steps for organizing union campaigns in factories. He said community organizers who return to the unions do the best job of organizing.

He also emphasized the importance of the new National Labor Relations bill. "If it is passed, it will make things a lot easier, but if the unions lose this one in a Democratic Congress, they're up the creek."