FORREST S. MORTIMER, President Association of Industrial

Scientists, Emeryvil le, Calif .

GUST WARMER, President Research and Engineering

Professional Employees Association, Whit ing, Ind.

Collective Bargaining for Professional Scientists And Engineers

Although unions - for - professionals have been a subject of controversy for 10 years or more, the actual performance of such groups demonstrates that their operation can be consistent with professional ideals and objectives

COLLECTIVE BARGAINING b y profeS-^-* sionals has been a subject of con­troversy for more than a decade. Dur­ing this period the technical profes­sional employee in industry has found himself between the spheres of influence of the labor movement on the one hand and of management on the other. Al­though the advance of technology has increasingly amplified his vital contri­bution to productivity, the professional employee has encountered greater and greater difficulty in maintaining his relative economic position. Despite this fact, utilization of collective bar­gaining by the professional employee as a means of improving his status has been castigated fervently on the grounds that the philosophy and tactics of the general labor movement would inevitably permeate any group of tech­nical professionals conducting collec­tive bargaining.

While it is not the purpose of this article either to defend or to condemn the "conventional" trade union ap­proach to collective bargaining, this is the only approach considered by most critics of collective bargaining by pro­fessionals. Rather, the actual perform­ance of such groups demonstrates

that the operation of these organiza­tions can be consistent with profes­sional ideals. Those who have partici­pated in this type of organization feel that its merits are sufficiently estab­lished to justify the presentation of its philosophy and methods of operation to the chemical and engineering pro­fession.

More than 30 organizations are now representing more than 30,000 engi­neers and scientists in collective bar­gaining throughout the country. Of these there are four associations which represent professional technologists in the chemical (petroleum) industry. Two of these are certified by the Na­tional Labor Relations Board. They are the Association of Industrial Sci­entists (AIS) at Shell Development Co., Emeryville, Calif», and the Re­search and Engineering Professional Employees Association (REPEA) at Standard Oil ( I n d . ) , Whiting, Ind. These organizations have been in exist­ence since 1943, and their members believe it is now appropriate to make available to their colleagues in the scientific and engineering professions their history, methods, accomplish­ments, and collective bargaining aims.

The two other organizations that rep­resent professional chemists and engi­neers in dealings with management, but which are not at the present time certified by the NLRB as bargaining agents, are the Society of Professional Chemists and Engineers at Humble Oil and Refining Co., Β ay town, Tex., and the Association of Profes­sional Engineers, Chemists, and Scien­tists at Texas Co., Port Arthur, Tex.

Origin, Objectives/ and Methods of Professional Bargaining Groups

The organizations concerned were formed under similar circumstances. With the growth of large research and engineering organizations, and with the stimulation of t he labor movement by the depression arid the Wagner Act, attempts were made to organize pro­fessional scientists and engineers along with nonprofessionals in some of the conventional unions. These actions ex­cited serious and detailed discussions, among the professionals concerned, on the merits of collective bargaining and on the advisability of their inclusion in "heterogeneous" bargaining units. In

( Continued on page 4458 )

4 4 5 6 C H E M I C A L A N D E N G I N E E R I N G N E W S

Should Professional

^ e < * . . . tο promote harmonious and mutually beneficial rela­tions between industrial scientists and the management of companies by which they are employed

these cases, typical of several others in the engineering profession, the decision of the professional employees was to form homogeneous independent units of professionals, in order to obtain the type of representation required by the specialized problems of the professional employees. The Association of Indus­trial Scientists and the Research and Engineering Professional Employees Association were both founded in 1943, and became certified by the NLRB in 1947 and 1944, respectively. Each unit represents only nonsupervisory, technical, professional employees.

The fundamental objectives of AIS and REPEA can best be illustrated by excerpts from the constitutions of these groups. The preamble of the constitu­tion of the AIS is as follows:

This organization is formed to promote and maintain harmonious and mutually beneficial relations between industrial sci­entists and the management of companies by which they are employed. The organi­zation will initiate and foster measures to improve the economic status of its members and to enhance the dignity of their professions. It is the belief of the members of this organization that these objectives can best be achieved by collec­tive action within an association consisting of and controlled by scientists and engi­neers, and retaining for the individual the freedom of action necessary for the suc­cess of scientific and engineering endeavor.

The objectives of REPEA are stated as follows:

( 1 ) To raise the standard of the serv­ice rendered by its members to the em­ployer by securing the conditions essential to the best professional work.

(2) To improve the professional status of its members.

(3) To encourage each member to maintain an active interest in his profes­sion and its field of knowledge for the benefit of the member, the science, and the employer.

(4) To deal with the employer on questions involving salaries, hours of work, or working conditions in an ethical and professional manner.

Each association is governed by a constitution which provides for the election of an executive committee or board of directors to conduct business. The board, or appropriate appointed committee, studies problems consistent with the aims of the association, pre­sents the results to the membership, and takes action in accord with the wishes of the membership through negotiation with management. Bulle­tins summarizing the activities of the board of directors, work of committees, negotiations with management, and items of general interest to the techni­cal professional employee are published regularly. Democratic operation of the

organizations is implemented by quar­terly or semiannual membership meet­ings and by special meetings as the occasion may warrant. Safeguards in­clude limitation of the terms of officers, and rights of recall, initiative, and referendum. Negotiations between the associations and the managements relate to matters concerning general salary levels, normal work schedule, and other conditions of employment. Relatively brief contracts set forth the formal agreements between the parties. Agreements affecting all the members must be ratified, through referendum, by a two-thirds majority of the mem­bership in the case of AIS or by a simple majority of the membership in the case of REPEA. Fundamenta l Principles I m p o r t a n t to Professional Organ iza t ions

There are certain fundamental prin­ciples, frequently ignored in conven­tional unionism, which are regarded as important to the success of organiza­tions representing professionals in col­lective bargaining. These include:

Voluntary Membership. Member­ship is wholly voluntary from among the group represented by the organiza­tion, and the organizations abstain from any intimidation or coercion. Mem­bers may resign at any time.

Individual Freedom of Action. A member is always free to deal individ­ually with his supervisors on any matter affecting his welfare if he so wishes. This right is guaranteed by constitu­tional directive.

Merit Differentiation. The associa­tions support strongly the principle of recognition of merit as the primary basis for salary adjustment, and keep a continuing check by means of salary data to ensure sufficient spread in merit raises distributed.

Anonymity of Salary Information. All salary information obtained by the associations is on an anonymous basis. The associations do not bargain on raises for individuals.

Membersh ip Interest is Power fu l A rgumen t in Union's Favor

The extent of membership interest and participation in these organizations at this time, 10 years after their found­ing, constitutes a powerful argument in favor of collective bargaining when performed by organizations dedicated to the interests and ideals of the pro­fessional. The voluntary membership in REPEA exceeds 9 0 % of the group. AIS membership has been about 80% of the eligible group; the recent trans­

fer of a large number of employees to the plant has reduced the membership to about 70%. Custom, interest by the members, and constitutional limitations in terms of office have combined to promote participation as officers and committeemen of approximately one third of the memberships in the past several years. This continuing support by the members shows conclusively that the associations have continued to meet an important need above and be­yond the simple prevention of represen­tation by heterogeneous unions.

Wha t is this particular need? While the organizations have achieved sub­stantial progress in working conditions and salaries, there are less tangible but nonetheless important functions that they perform. In a small organization with good contact between employer and employee, the employee can sub­stantially influence his working status. In large organizations this relationship is difficult t o maintain in matters of general policy; as a result, the large organizations tend to b e autocratic. The individual approach by the em­ployee is relatively ineffective in in­fluencing the standardized group per­sonnel policies evolved in these organi­zations.

On the other hand a group approach, one provided by a professional union completely free of domination by man­agement, serves to focus opinion and to provide a n impersonal and fairly di­rect avenue of communication between the employee and the upper policy­making echelons of management. Thus, through the pressure created by the focusing of opinion and by its unin­hibited expression, the customary man­agement practices of unilateral action on questions concerning the working conditions of large numbers of profes­sional employees are modified and limited. In effect, a partially demo­cratic process is substituted for an auto­cratic one. This avenue of communi­cation is, i n addition, potentially of value to management, since ail too fre­quently the upper echelons of manage­ment have no continuing contact with the viewpoints of the professional em­ployees, and knowledge of these view­points is essential as a basis for making intelligent decisions in personnel mat­ters. The members of both the AIS and REPEA feel that their organiza­tions are filling a real need in employee-management relations.

Achievements of AIS and REPEA The major achievements of AIS and

REPEA in addition to these inherent benefits, are the following:

(1) The groups of employees have circumvented representation by heter-

(Continued on page 4460)

4 4 5 8 C H E M I C A L A N D E N G I N E E R I N G N E W S

^r*» One common concern—compensation

ogeneous unions composed largely of nonprofessionals.

(2) Contracts have been negoti­ated, providing for the working condi­tions that apply to all employees, plus:

( a ) Anonymous information to the bargaining unit on salaries and merit raises (AIS only).

( b ) Procedures for adjustment of grievances relating to contract in­terpretation or application with pro­vision for arbitration if needed.

( c ) Assurance that an employee may be fired only for cause.

( d ) Assurance that an employee will be adequately warned if his work is substandard, so tha t he has opportunity to improve (AIS only) . (3) Data collected from many

sources during and after World War II substantiated the claim that profes­sional people had suffered a loss of purchasing power, whereas organized nonprofessionals as a group had im­proved their position. Since the end of World War I I , professional collective bargaining units not only have been able to keep pace economically with the nonprofessional unions, b u t in some cases have improved the relative posi­tion of the professional.

(4) Both organizations urged that maintenance of relative purchasing power in time of inflation requires percentage raises rather than fixed dollar raises. At the close of World War II , general salary increases cus­tomarily were in terms of fixed dollar amounts, or, if percentagewise, were awarded with such a low ceiling that a large proportion of the professionals re­ceived a flat raise dollarwise. This "leveling" action caused serious dis­satisfaction. As a result of an arbitra­tion decision (to REPEA) and the compelling arguments presented by both organizations, the recognition of the concept of percentage raises with no ceiling was promoted, and is becom­ing more widespread.

(5 ) Progress has been made toward a general recognition of the funda­mental difference between regular out­side s tudy or occasional extra work on the one hand , and regularly scheduled overtime work for professionals on the other. Regularly scheduled overtime merits extra pay in a manner similar to that given nonprofessional workers.

(6 ) Vigorous support for measures to enable the professional employee to develop professional stature has been followed by action by the companies along a number of lines such as :

(a) Increased attendance at pro­fessional meetings.

^b) Programs of lectures by out­standing scientists.

(c) Publicity for the accomplish­ments of professional employees.

(d) Pertinent g r a d u a t e - l e v e l courses on company premises. (7 ) Professionals in industry have

much less flexible and liberal vacation and leave policies than have their col­leagues in academic a n d government work. Progress has been made by AIS in alleviating this situation. vtSpi" ex­ample, one week of a three week'vaca-tion (given to employees with more than 15 years of service) may now be postponed to the following year, mak­ing a four week vacation possible. Other changes in the direction of more liberal and flexible policy have also been obtained. Benefits gained by non-management professionals are also re­ceived by professionals in the ranks of management.

Each organization of professionals, confronted as it is with its own situa­tion, has its own problems and con­sequently its own program. There is one major problem, however, that is the common concern of all. Tha t problem is compensation. An increased general salary level for professional technologists is necessary, not only to provide an adequate standard of liv­ing for the individuals concerned, but also to assure the adequa te supply of competent scientists and engineers that is indispensable for the progress and even the continued existence of our American society. Lack of salary incentive to enter these professions and to remain in them is an important factor in the present shortage of tech­nologists.

The record of AIS and REPEA demonstrates that collective bargaining for technical professionals is of benefit to the professional employees and en­tirely consistent with the maintenance of professional standards and the pro­fessional viewpoint. T h e merit system is not impaired; in fact in these in­stances it has been strengthened, and the "leveling" tendency in previous eco­nomic policies has been combated. The avenue created for forwarding to management suggestions for improve­ment in efficiency and morale is mutu­ally beneficial for management and the employee. The democratic operation of these organizations in fostering and promoting an equitable relationship be­tween the professional employee and the industrial environment has fully justified the application of collective bargaining by professionals.

C H E M I C A L A N D E N G I N E E R I N G N E W S

METHYL GLUCQUDÈ

to keep performance up! to keep cost down!

plastïcizing alkyds

in situ varnishes

reconstituted drying oils

tall oil esters

plasticizers

emufsifîers

adhesives

non-phthalic alkyds

rapid bodying rate

faster dry to harder films

better thru dry

superior adhesion

good water resistance

excellent flexibility

low price

commercially available

Write now for samp!es end technical literature

"Fine ttiémicals from Corn "

Chemical Division

CORN PROOUCTS ':;RËÉiÎSfïl̂ MeblM .̂AM.Y

•TinTaflffiflffiMTiiifflmniTiiiiiriTim