Joint committees, composed of equal numbers of employees or their representatives and of officers of the company, are found in each plant or district.
These committees deal with all matters pertaining to employment and working and living conditions, including questions of coöperation and conciliation, safety and accident, sanitation, health and housing, recreation and education. Joint conferences of representatives of employees and officers of the company are held in the various districts several times each year.
There is also an annual joint conference, at which reports from all districts are received and considered.
Another important feature of the plan is an officer known as the President’s Industrial Representative, whose duty it is to visit the plants currently and confer with the employees’ representatives, as well as to be available always for conference at the request of the representatives.
Thus the employees, through their representatives chosen from among themselves, are in constant touch and conference with management and representatives of the stockholders in regard to matters pertaining to their common interest.
The employees’ right of appeal is the third outstanding feature of the plan.
Any employee with a grievance, real or imaginary, may go with it at once to his representative. The representatives not infrequently find there is no ground for the grievance and are able so to convince the employee.
But if a grievance does exist, or dissatisfaction on the part of the employee continues, the matter is carried to the local boss, foreman, or superintendent, with whom in the majority of cases it is amicably and satisfactorily settled. Further appeal is open to the aggrieved employee, either in person or through his representative, to the higher officers and to the president.
If satisfaction is not to be had from the company, the court of last appeal may be the Industrial Commission of the State, the State Labor Board, or a committee of arbitration.