Stevens Opposition to the Campaign
Scope and Content Note: Whiteford Blakeney, a Charlotte attorney, was the number one anti-union labor relations counsel in the South. Stevens retained him. Blakeney's policy was that he would not keep as a client any textile company that was organized and decided to deal with the union. The “Blakeney formula” in bargaining included the following: 1) never agree to arbitration; 2) never agree to a checkoff; 3) meet with the union as long as the union wants to meet, but never agree to arbitration or the checkoff. Stevens' first action was to discharge many union sympathizers. The union had difficulty proving to the NLRB that these people were known union sympathizers; so the union started sending the company lists of members. In Great Falls, the company posted the union's letter on the bulletin board and crossed off the names as each one was fired.