ae AILSA TE
We never can tell around here when the boss is going
to make one of his surprise inspections ...
- Many Workers Sign Approval
‘Of 50c Dues Boost Proposal
Close to 2,000 GE Schenectady works employees, an over-
whelming majority of those approached, have already signed
the petition approving a proposed 50c monthly dues increase.
The petition is currently being
circulated throughout the works.
It has the approval of the UE Lo-
cal 801 officers and executive
board. The 50¢ boost. would be
utilized to provide money to eon~
struct a badly-needed new union
hall and to establish an adequate
defense fund for the local.
~ Tf the dues raise is approved by
the membership, those persons
who have already contributed $5
to the UE defense fund would have
the money refunded to them.
The dues raise can only be adopt-
ed if it, is approved by the major-
ity of UE members in Schenee-
tady. Even with the increase, Lo-
ceil 301. would: have among the low-
est dues of any union in the coun-
try. The new rate would be $2.50
a month. This compares with the-
$3 rate now prevailing for mem-
bers of the CIO steelworkers at the
ALCO plant.
Under the increase proposal, the
additional 50¢ would be set aside
in a special fund to be used only
for the building and the defense
‘funds, ahd for other projects spec-
““ifieally approved “by the “union
membership. :
Such - projects are impossible
4 ® Friday, September 5, 1952
with the current dues. A recent
financial audit of ‘the union's, ex-
penditures revealed that only Tc
per month is left as a surplus for
each member after current expen-
ditures are talen care of.
‘Charge Managment Farms
Out Work During Layoffs
GE supervision’s practice of laying off workers for lack
of work while at the same time farming out jobs to outside
shops was protested by UE Local 301 in a meeting with super-
vision Wednesday afternoons
The meeting grew out of a sit-
uation in the sheet metal depart-
ment, Building’ 78A. Similar sit-
uations have been reported. from
elsewhere in the works.
When the 73A workers returned
from vacation three weeks ago,
they were told that there would be
a lack of work situation for “two
or three days until the machine
shop could supply materials.”
Not only does the lack of work
situation still exist, but supervis-
ion has introduced several method
changes resulting in loss. of earn-
ings for many workers. The un-
ion learned that much of the work
normally done in the department
was being farmed out to low pay-
ing non-union shops in- New Jer-
sey. This was, in effect, admitted
Locked Out Wausau
Workers Seek Help
The 750 Ule members who. have
been locked out for six months at
Marathon Electric.in Wausau, Wis.
appealed this week for financial aid
from other UE members.
The appeal was sent to UE lo;
euls ncross the country by Presi-
dent Emil Muelver of Local 1113,
which vepresents the Marathon
workers.
The Marathon lockout came aft-
er the workers had demonstrated
against management contract vio-
lations and wage cutting. Since the
beginning of the stoppage, all un-
ions in the Wausau area, regurd-
less of affiliation, have rallied to
the support of “the Marathon
workers. .
problems.
frankly, with few if any of the
smear UR. 1
scribed as being used in unions.” __ cesuess oa Becassanasasees
—S The “Cornell report represented a refreshing contrast to the ~
phony congressional “investigations” which lave been used’ to
Cornell University Report Hails UE Democracy
UE democracy has been. hailed as a model for the entire labor
movement ir a report just issued as a result of a research study
conducted under the auspices of Cornell University’s New York
State Sehool of Industrial and Labor Relations. .
The research report told of investigations into the operation
of UE Local 310, which represents the workers at the General
Electric Elmira plant. It praised the participation of UE mem-
bers in the affairs of the local, ‘the operation of the shop steward
system and the concern of the leadership with everyday shop
The two researchers who conducted the study had delved into
a number of other unions, and they made several interesting com-
parisons. Here are some examples: . ;
“In most unions we havé studied, the stewards’ function is
becoming less and less important, whereas in Local 310, the stew-
ards’ group appeared to be the primary channel of communication«
of the leaders‘to the members in the shop.” :
“The membership meeting was unusual... in. that members
are encouraged to present grievances... The willingness of all
officers and stewards to consider problems and grievances at any
time was noticeable. The mectings were conducted openly and
parliamentary tricks. so often de-
by Superintendant Neil Owen whe
he was asked about it by several
workers. ‘
The union took the position that
there is no legitimate lack of work
when the company finds it neces-
sary to get jobs done in outside
shops. It also protested the speed-
up method changes which have
_been instituted. “
Two in Turbine Win 29c
increases and Back Pay
Two night workers in Turbine
have ‘teceived 29¢ hourly wage
boosts, plus big chunks of, retro-
active pay, as a result of a griev-
ance recently processed by UL Lo-
val 801.
The case itself only involved one
of the workers, Conrad Sobrato, a
second shift turbine erector. So-
brato was hired back in January
at $1.47 an hour, way below the
job rate of $1.76, and considerably
below the normal hiring in-rate of
$1.65. The union took up the griev-
ance this.summer, and as a result
Sobrato was awarded the $1.4 ;
rate as of the beginning of Janw
ary, and the $1.76 rate as of July.
His retroactive pay award amount-
ed to $148.11. .
As uw result of this grievance,
management made a similar set-
tlement in regard to another work-
er, Paul Ricken, who is on the third
shift. Ricken’s situation was an
almost exact duplicate of Sobrato’s,
and he was awarded a back pay
settlement amounting to $169.57.
Don Gauvreau was the steward
who handled the Sobrato case.
Union Appeals Vote
Bar in Pittsfield
UE is appealing to Washington
a regional National Labor Rela-
tions Board decision to bar an
election at the GE Pittsfield works.
The union had petitioned for the
_ vote in the main plant of the Pitts-
field works, The’ petition, was filed
because a large majority of the
workers had indicated disgust with
the IU-CIO sell-out policies, par- .
ticularly in regard to seniority in
the current mass layoffs.
As a result of this failure
fight for seniority rights, sever'ts
thousand Pittsfield GI workers
“have been laid off without regard
to length of service. The company
has been able to do this because -
of the refusal of the IUE to chal-
lenge management's designation of
long term, layoffs us “temporary.”
ELECTRICAL UNION NEWS
RASA MLSS TATA TM
ILECTRICAL
_ lS
Cleveland—UE Local 135 has
‘Won a new contract for employees
the American Monorail Co., which |
includes an 8¢ hourly package ret-—
réactive to April-1. In addition
to a wage increase, the package
. includes an additional paid holiday,
an improved night , shift bonus,
more extensive insurance coverage
and rate increases for new jobs,
kok ok
Sain Francisco — The Distribu-
tors’ Association of Northern Cal- 7
iforaia has ratified a 6e hourly
wage boost recently negotiated
with the International Longshore-
men’s and Warehousemen’s union.
Yhe ILWU membership had previ-
ously approved the hike which now
must go to the Wage Stabilization
Board-for a final OK. .
wk ok Ok
C) warren, Pa.—The members of
JIf Local 683 have completely de-
feated’ the union-busting plans of
the DeLuxe Metal Furniture Co.,
and-won-a 10¢ hourly wage in-
crease for the furniture workers.
It took a two-day strike to force
miunagement to back down on its
demands for removal of the inter-
national union as a party to the
contract, elimination of the union
shop and the checkoff, and other
cuts in: conditions.
xk k *
San Dicgo—Faced with a strike
threat by the APL bus drivers’ un-.
ion, the San Diego transit system |
has granted a 17¢ hourly wage’
boost to the drivers, The boost
was the maximum allowed ‘under
WSB rules, but another 8¢ retro-
active to Sept, 1 will be added to
-the settlement subject to WSB ap-
proval.
ek UF
Chicago—Unity between work-
ers_at the Baumbach plant and
those in sister UI shops has re-
sulted in a 14¢ houny wage in-
exease for Baumbach workers. UE
foul 1114 had been offered a 10¢
joost back in June, but the work-
ers voted not to accept the ‘hike
because it would undereut the de-
‘mands being made by the then
striking: employees: of -Michle Press,
In addition ‘to the 14e, the Baum-
bach unionists gained 8¢ inequity -
adjustments on two job classifica-
tions,
FIELD DAY BOOTY. Members
,of UE Local 301 look over the
"display of prizes to be awarded
on. Bield Day, Sept. 28. ‘The
prizes, valued at close to: $2,000,
will be given away~(o holders of
tickets to thé big event. These
tickets are now on sale through-
out the>shop. (Full. Field Day
story on page: 3.) .
Company Offers Some Fringe
Improvements
in Pact Talks
Almost continuous negotiations between representatives
cf UE and the General Electric company this week marked
an attempt by the union to- win
Vote to Divide Meetings
Of Members and Stewards
A return to the practice of holding separate membership
and stewards meetings was approved Monday night at one of
the best attended general membership gatherings in recent
months,
The move had been recommended
by the executive board on the
ground that the present system of
combining the two meetings did
not. provide adequate opportunity
for educating. new stewards on
their dutiés,* It was also felt that
giving stewards the opportunity to
attend two meetings a month would.
strengthen the links between the
union membefship and leadership.
The vote to go back to the set-
up, Which had been in force until
two years ugo, was unanimous.
Win Nuttall Strike
After 145 days of strike marked
by company and _ police-inspired
violence, Nuttall Westinghouse
, Workers returned to work this
week with an agreement providing
a complete victory for UE Local
601.
The settlement; was reached
when- the company agreed: ‘to: re-
spect plantwide seniority and end
speedup: practices. These are the
two issues over which the 600 Nut-
tall workers walked out.
Members Vote More
Aid to Cable Strikers
An additional $100 contribution
and a campaign to clean up in the
plant-wide collection to aid the
General Cable strikers was -voted
at Monday’s membership meeting,
The contribution brought the to-
tal of UE Local 3801's ‘contribu-
tions to the Rome strikers to close
to the $1,500 mark, including $300
in contributions voted from the un-
ion -treasury. However, it was
pointed out that several board
members have not yet made col-.
lections in their ‘sections.
The meeting went on record to
press for contributions from those
areas in which the donations had
not been solicited. It was felt
that this would net several hun-
dred dollars in additional aid for
the hard-pressed strikers. «
In the meantime, ‘the unity’ of “—
the strikers remained solid in the
face of a company-directed split-
ting effort by the AFL Brother-
hood of Electrical Workers,
d up contract talks before the
Sept. 15 anniversary date of the
pact.
As this edition went to press, the
talks were still in progress, and
there. was some hope that they
might be concluded by today.
* Originally, the Sept. 15 date
was a deadline, and failure to
reach an agreement would
have meant either an auloma-
tie renewal of the old accord
or a strike. However, both
sides have agreed to extend
negotiations if it is necessary.
Should the talks not be con-
eluded by today, they will be
resumed the week after next,
following the UE national con-
vention in Cleveland.
As for the negotiations them-
selves, some progress has been
made on fringe issues, although in
no case has final agreement been
(Continued on Page t)
Oppose Sales Levy
Monday night’s ~~ membership
meeting unanimously went on ree-
ord in opposition to a proposed
“ity sales tax, as well as to new
real estate taxes which would hit
small home owners,
The approved resolution asserted
that the $600,000 additional rev-
enue which the city says it needs
could be easily obtained by raising
property assessments on GE and
ALCO, which make huge profits in
Schenectady,
~— Approve Program
For Candidates —
The UE Local 301 drive to ac-
quaint its membership with the is-
sues and the candidates in this
year’s elections gathered new mo-
mentum, Monday night when the
membership voted unanimously to
approve a 20-point state and na-
tional legislative program. * This
program will be presented to all
candidates in the area who will be*'
asked for their stands on the is-
sues set forth in it.
Membership adoption of the pro-
posals came after UE Legislative
Representative Clifford T. McAvoy
read a report containing the 20
points. The report was made. on
behalf of the officers and executive
board.
McAvoy divided the proposals
into two sections, an §-point state
political action program and. a 12-
point national program. Leading
the program for action, in Albany
was a demand for the repeal of
the Huihes-Brees law, which de-
prives workers of millions of dol-
Jars in unemployment insurance
benefits. The UE 801 proposal
was for a riew law increasing max-
imum benefits to $40 a week, ex-
tending the duration of payments
. to 62 weeks a year, eliminating the
f-week' penalty for strikers and
ending the one week waiting per-
jod for all workers.
Improvements in the workmen’s
compensation law were next on the
list of state proposals, This list
also included a demand for amend-
{|
And by eliminating food from our
budget we can-afford a-high stand-
ard af living.
law to eliminate the loopholes
which allow employers to continue
to get away with wage discrimin- »
ation against women, opposition
to all measures restricting labor’s
political rights and passage of leg- -
islation to increase state aid to
municipalities. ,
Adoption of a $1.25 hourly min-
jmum wage was on both the state
and national lists. he Washing-
ton program also featured de-
mands for ending the wage freeze,
and repealing Taft-Hartley.
IVE Raid Fails
* Cleveland—The JUE-CIO has
flopped miserably in its attempt to -
win over the workers at Picker X+
Ray, one of the largest shops in
UE Local 735. An intensive IUE
raiding campaign was abandoned,
and an NLRB election petition was
withdrawn because the disrupters
found it impossible to obtain any
ment of the New York equal pay support.
Registration Next Month
’ An all-out drive to get every eligible member of UE Local
301 to register for the November elections was approved by
the Monday membership meeting. The drive will be aimed at
making sure that labor’s voice will
be heard full volume in voting for
national, state and local officials.
Regist
Schenectady on three different
dates early next month, so that
ample opportunity will be afforded
to all those who want to go to the
polls.: Persons who do not register
will not be able to cast ballots on
election day. ;
The registration. headquarters
will be open on Friday and Satur-
day, Oct. 8 and 4, from 10 a.m. to
10 pam., and on Saturday, Oct. 11,
from 7 a.m, to 10 p.m. Thus, first
shift workers: will be able to sign
up in precinct polling places in
the evening, second shift workers
will be able to register before go-
ing in to work, and third shift peo-
ple will have a chance to attend to
registration as they come off from
“work,
‘In preparation for the campaign
for ‘greater registration, the union,
has: already appointed Recording
Secretary Rudy Rissland to a Sche-
nectady County community com-
mittee to increase voting eligibil-
ity. Rissland has attended several
meetings of the non-partisan group
which includes representatives of
many community organizations,
Thousands of grievances are handled by UE Locai 301
each year at all levels from the steward up to final appeal
in New York City. To keep members posted, we shail
each week list some of the grievances that have not been
Bldg. 40: The 6H576 winding
‘job previously had a 97%c timing
‘ate; it has now been moved to a
new location and given an 87c rate,
The union demands that the 9%c
rate be restored during the time
study now in progress. ;
Bidg. 49: J. Weekes was classi-
fiel as a Class © machinist T.G.
development, and after being’ on
the job seven months asked his
foreman for an inerease. The fore-
‘man immediately transferred him
to a lathe job with -a lower top
‘nte, ‘The union tegards this as
discrimination and’ demands that
Weekes be given a Class B ma-
chinist classification:
Bldg. 50: Louis M. Durrer and
James White, classified as battery
truck operators, ave performing
lifts. in excess of six feet. The un-
ion therefore demands they be giv-
en the high tiering classification
- provided in the contract, with a
proper rate adjustment. ~
Bldg. G0: The group working on
~ §/8 inch hand machines- objects-to-
the inclusion of feeds in. the pric-
ing of jobs in which they are ap-
plying carbaloy tools. There are
© Friday, September 12, 1952
settled at the steward-foreman level and-have been re-
ferred to the executive board-management level.
no turret feeds on these machines.
The union demands correction of
this unfair pricing.
Bldg. 66: Group of piece work-
ers under Foreman .Cook protest
the excessive waiting time for
cranes. Because they have to wait
while trailers are loaded for an-
neal and shipping, they are suffer-
ing a serious loss of earnings. Cor-
rection of this situation is de-
manded.
On jobs 9367018-9867028 A-WP-
46, 16 and 8 block assembly oper-
ation formerly paid $18.50 but 1e-
cently was cut to $6.75, Supcrvis-
ion claimed the $18.50 price was a
ELECTRICAL UNION NEWS
UNITED ELECTRICAL, RADIO & MACHINE
WORKERS OF AMERICA (UE)
Locat 301
Published by the Editorial Committeo
Prosidoat.—.-._-----.—--Jamos J. Cognetta
Vice-President —~—-neneeua-Roy Schaffer
Troasuror...—.. weeneeHolen Quirini
Racording Soc maomeneRudy RUssland
- Ass't Racording ‘Socretary..-~Frank D'Amico...
Chief Shop: Stoward......Witliam. Mastriant
Buslnoss Agont——.wou...teo Jandreau
901 LIBERTY ST. = SCHENECTADY 5, N. Y.
planning error. However, the group
has all the triplicates of jobs done
jn the past which had a $13.50
price. Therefore the union demands
restoration of the $18.50 price.
Bldg. 76: A cooperative group
under Foreman A. Lyons is pro-
testing the improper assignment
of foremen’s responsibilities’ to
their leaders, The leaders are not
doing their share of proper wor'
'She union demands a management
investigation and correction of this
situation,
Bldg. 89: Elmer Stalker recent-
ly requested an inerease in rate
to pay him for duties performed,
Subsequently, .supervision exclud-
ed certain duties from his job and
now claims he’ is properly paid.
However, he performed the higher
nited duties for two years, and the
union demands they be restored to
him and his rate adjusted.
Bldg. 109: Hrnest Kepner, a con-
tinuous. operations worker, was
. not paid for 30 minutes on Aug.
98, during: which management -did-
not provide him with a truck to
Jond, as he had requested. Pay-
ment for this time is demanded. —
tion will take place in.
House Nominees (J
Voted Invitations
The two candidates for Congress
from this area will have the op-
portunity to present their cases
for election to the UE Local 301
membership at the October mem-
bership meeting,
This was made possible Mon-
day, when the membership
méeting voted unanimously to
invite Republican Representa-
tive Bernard Kearney and his °
‘Democratic opponent, David
Prince, to speak before the
next meeting, which is sched-
uled for Monday, Oct. 6. The
invitation will be extended for
the 7:30 p.m. meeting of the
‘first and third shifts. ©,
The move was made in order to
afford Local 301 membership the
fullest possible’ opportunity to
-evaluate the two contenders. —-It.
was felt that both men would be
anxious to get the chance to. pre-
sent their views before the mem-
bership of the union, :
Un-Americans Too Much
Even in Windy Chicago
Completely routed by the unity
of Chicago’s trade unionists, the
House. un-American committee
abandoned its latest: strike-break-
ing expedition and beat a hasty re-
treat back to Washington.
The cominittee’s “hearitigs” last-
ed only 8% days although it had
been announced that they would
last two weeks. However, on the
first day, a UE picket line, made
up mostly of striking Harvester
workers, ringed the building in
which the smear show was being
staged. ‘.
The Harvester workers charged
that the un-Americans were seek-
ing to spread disunity among the
30,000 workers who were fighting
the farm equipment corporation’s
attempts to cut their wages and
cripple their union protections.
Two days later, a huge rally
brought together members of AFL,
CIO and independent’ unions, all of
whom pledged support for
Harvester workers and condem
the committee. ‘
This unfriendly atmosphere prov-
ed too much for the witch-hunters,
and they called off the hearings,
“with” “Dixieerat “chairman” John”
Wood of Georgia. complaining of
“acute indigestion.”
ELECTRICAL UNION NEWS
UE 301 Gains $5,120 Award
» For Blinded Furnace Worker
von : ¢
* -& $5,120 compensation award for a-worker who lost the
sight of one eye after feeding a furnace in Building 93 for 30
years has been won. through the UE Local 301 compensation
CwNew Vacation System
Requires WSB Approval
The new: system of giving GE
workers in Schenectady a choice of
periods on which to base their va-
cations is now being processed
through the Wage Stabilization
Board in Washington. 7
Under the new setup, which was
obtained through the militant ac-
tions of UE Local 301 members,
employees have the choice of bas-
ing their vacation credits either
on the average time worked dur-—
ing the eight weeks immediately
' preceding their vacation, or on the
whole year worked before their va-
cation. /
GE proposed this after turbine
workers refused all overtime work
for a number of wecks to protest
what they felt to be a bad deal on
vacation credits. The 273 workers
staged this effective protest be-
cause many of them “had been
working fewer hours in the eight
weeks before they were scheduled
to go out, than they had averaged
during the year.
‘ The eight week base period
“is provided for in the contract
and therefore did not require
any approval by the WSB.
However, the one year base
period. was a new departure
and needed a government OK
under the wage freeze setup.
When the WSB ruling is finally
processed, those persons who have
received shorter vacations than
they are .entitled to under the 12
months base period system will be
paid for the difference.
%
STAKING. OATH.. The. two: group:
in at Monday’s membership meetin
On the left are the five second: sh
work in the interests of ‘the union
ELECTRICAL UNION NEWS
service,
The award was handed down
last week to union attorney Leon
Novak, who represented the vic-
‘tim, Anthony Falusczak.
Falusezak lost the sight of his
eye completely as a result of a heat
cataract resulting from his years
of feeding a hot furnace. He also
lost his vision in the other eye on
account of a cataract caused by
age. Because of this tragic coin-
cidence, the General Electrie com-|
pany claimed that both cataracts
came from age, and. therefore it
had no responsibility in the case.
However, the union obtained
medical .evidence proving beyond
reasonable doubt that the irtense
heat on the side of the body which
the worker. habitually. turned to-
ward the furnace was responsible
for the blindness in one eye.
Woman Wins Equal Pay
A grievance victory establishing
the principle of equal pay for equal
work, and resulting in an i1%4&e
hourly wage increase for a woman
working on wire and bench assem-
bly in Building 69, has been won
by UE Local 301.
The case involves Ann Douglass,
who was working on a piece work
basis with a timing rate of 60¢.
The union contended that men do-
ing similar work had much, higher
rates. According to the adjust-
ment made, Miss Douglass was re-
classified to assembly, wire and
magnetic, switch and given a 70c
timing rate. This moves her AE.
R. from $1.40 to $1.5144.
ar
ift: workers who took the pledge to
and of the men and women in their
n
JULIUS WEISSMAN of Building
273 is one of the many rank and -
filers who took the floor to ex-
press their views in the demo-
_ cratic UE way at the Monday
membership meeting.
Oath Taken by 15
New Stewards
' Fifteen persons were sworn in
Monday as UE Local 301 shop
stewards in ceremonies conducted
at the afternoon and evening ses-
sions of the general membership
meeting.
In the afternoon second shift
gathering five persons received the
oatif of office from Chief Shop
Steward William Mastriani. They
were. Frank Ferro, Building 11;
Joseph Rocca, 28; Julia Mitchell,
40; Stanley Podajecki, 60; and Pat-
rick ‘Hession, 273.
Ten first and third shift com-
-mitteemen took office'in the eve-
ning session. They were R. Mar-
nell, 5; Sheldon Hopes, 10; Douglas
Kramer, 14; Stanley Herd, 17; A.
Simone, 60; Dillon Dennis, 64;
Douglas Gray, 269; R. Squillace,
273; D. Tomasone, 273; and C. B,
Gordon, Campbell Avenue.
All 15 of the new stewards were
, elected in ballots conducted in their
departments by members of the
executive board.
On.the right are the 10 first_and third shift stewards
0 op Steward William” Mastriani admin- =~
in. Chief S
Beat High Living Costs.
By Attending Field Day
Union members will finally be
able to beat’ the high cost of living
for one day at least—at the UE
Local 301 Field Day, Sunday, Sept.
28. Not only will they be admitted
by. buying tickets costing only
50c for three, ‘but once in, they will
be able to get such refreshments
as hamburgers and hot dogs for
only 10¢ each. 3
And these pre-inflation prices
will be for top quality meat in
_ample portions. The union is sell-
ing these items, as well. as soda,
cotton candy, pop corn, pizzas and
ice cream at cost in order to enable
the whole family to enjoy them-
selves without tearing up the
budget. ;
Attending the field day,
which is to. be held at Colum-
bian Park on Dunnsville Road,
will also have a permanent af-
fect in reducing living costs
for many families. Twenty-
five ticket holders will. win
valuable prizes, “ineluding a
$400 refrigerator-deep freeze
combination, a TV set, a wash-
ing machine and a yaeuum
cleaner in a drawing to be held -
on the big day.
One of -these prizes, a $100 bi-
cycle, can be won only by those
who turn out to the park. The
other awards will be given: to
lucky ticket holders regardless of
whether they ‘attend.
“A number of top entertainment
features, including athletic events
and professional show acts, are
also on the schedule, and addition-
al opportunities to add to the day’s
loot will be given by the prizes at
the 12° carnival concessions to be
set up. : ‘
In addition, the union is plan-
ning a special souvenir book to
be distributed at the park free.
istered the oath for both groups.
Friday, September 12, 1952 °
1 namrereem armen Eee ernest oman AY
‘
301 Members to Act on Contract Oct. 6
UE Local 301’s membership will have an opportunity to
‘act upon the contract concluded last week between the union’s
negotiating committee and General Electric management at
a meeting on Monday, Oct. 6.
The “pact, which provides an 8¢ to 13e wage increase for
( ‘nployees at the Schenectady works and a number of fringe
\ ( “Tov vements; was concluded subject to ratification by the
Partial Report Indicates
70% Favor Dues Increase
More than 7,000 Local 301 members have signed petitions
to authorize a 50c monthly dues increase, with over T0¢r of
ti.em indicating tiey favored the boost, according toa report P
made to the Monday membership
fheeting.
Paving the way for a final agreement was the company’s
decision ta, withdraw its “management right” demands from
the barge aining table. Earlier in the talks, GE had sought to
get the union to accept several limitations on the right to
strike, including a provision giving supervision the right to
take disciplinary action against persons taking part in so-
called unauthorized stoppages.
the 4b meetings if the union is t =
present the employees’ side fullyS-*
In the picture above, UE Local 301 office manager Marshall
White is presenting a leather traveling case to William Templeton
atoa testimonial dinner given to Bempichan by friends and as-
sociales,
The dinner was held Sunday night at Ferro’s restaurant; where
close to 50 persons gathered. to honor ‘Templeton for his, long SCIV=
ice Co the union, and particularly for the work he put in during
three years as an assistant business agent. g
Templeton recently left the union business office to return to
the shop and to his old-job as an electrician, . He remains an active
member of the executive” board of Local 301, as well as chairman
of (he Upstate New York skilled workers’ continuations committee.
This group owas set uj in Syracuse in May to éarry forth the fight
fo end-pay inequities by which craftsmen, suffer large losses in
carnings. Sinee then, it has met several times ‘with officials of the
Wage Stabilization Board.
Templeton served in the union hall on a leave of absence from
the Gi Sceheneetady works, He has also served for many years
on the union's executive board.
Short speeches of tribute were made al the dinner by UE Local
301 President James Cognetta and Business Agent Leo Jandreau. ,
Marshall White served as master of ceremonies.
Fitzgerald Emphasizes Unity
At Mine-Mill Union Conclave
The 48th Convention of the International Union of Mine,
Mill and Smelter Workers opened in New York Monday on a
keynote of unity sounded by both the union’s own president,
John Clark, und President Albert
iE. Fitzgerald of the UE.
Filazverald, who as a guest
speaker was given the honor
of making one of the first
and told his union that the leader-
ship would propose a new organi-
zation drive und moves to estub-
lish the closest possible ties of un-
specehes to the union, told the ity with all sections of the labor
delegates (hat he had met last Movement. He said that the work-
week with Mine-Mill leaders 8 were paying the price for a
and, “We came to an under. “seriously split and disunited” la-
standing that we are going to bor movement. Clark added:
have much closer cooperation ~ “We will seek out and win
between our unions than we've new allies—and renew old al-
had in the past.” liances wherever it) can’ be
The Ue lender made it clear that done, The key fact to bear in
“closer cooperation” did) not mean mind here is that we must
any form of merger, but did mean learn to work with the mem-
that the two, unions were “deter- bers of other unions on ‘the
mined ta work cldscly to put up a things we have in common.”
united front against those forces The Mine-Mill president ‘assert-
“within and outside the labor move-
ment that are trying to destroy ful signs of -pressure from down
us.” below, from. the rank and file, for
Later Clark took the rostrum, genuine labor unity,”
4 0
Friday, September 12, 1952
re that there were “new and hope- |.
There are still more than 9,000
members. to be canvassed before
the deeision on whether or not to
raise monthly dues to $2.40 will
be made. Thus, everyone will have
un opportunity to register his or
her sentiment on the question he:
fore any action is taken,
The officers and executive bo: ued
of the union have recommended :
the inerease in order to establish
a special fund te be used far de-
fense of the union and for the con-
struction of a badly-needed new,
hall, Present dues do not leave
nearly enough money to take care
of these two important items.
A enreful audit of income and
expenditures for the first six
months of this year revealed that
only about Te per member per
month was left over afterall costs
had been met. Of the $2.00 dues,
$1.25 remains in the Jocal, By far
the largest part of this, 47¢ per
member, is spent to cover the lost
time: of workers involved in griev-
nnces.
Of this, 42c is spent inside’ the
shop to cover the time lost by exec-
utive board members and stew-;
ards working on. the grievances.
The company doesn’t pay for any
of the time spent in this manner
hy board members, and it pays
only 144 hours a week lost by
stewards in meeting with foremen,
Another de goes to, payment for
workers processing grievances with
‘works supervision in Building 41.
At this level, the company pays up
to cight hours a week to. board
members, but the union must foot
the entire bill for shop stewards or
workers involved in the case. Itis
extremely important for these last
two groups to be represented at
und effectively,
‘The remaining lle in lost time .
covers the expénse of special com-
mittecs which are often necessary
in timing and safety cases, and the
‘ gost of distributing the SU News.
Negotiations
iGorvntnued from Pade Ll:
reached, The company has offered
some improvements in the cliuses
in the contract dealing with work-
ing conditions, vacations senfor-
lisability insuranee,. tempor
automati¢ progression,
leaves of ubsencée for unioh repre-
sentuiives, lost time payments by
the vompany, and. grievance pro- :.
cedure. In most cuses the conces-
sions are minor,
Except for the 8¢ to 13¢ wage
increase it proposed at the begin-
ning’ of
made no other proposals to im-
‘prove the economic conditions of
its employees. “When this paper”
“went to press, no-offer at all had.
come from the company on eith
“eliminating pay — discriminatioh-“
against women or ending wage in-
equities with regard to skilled
workers.
Nor had there been any definite
proposals on the union demands to
take the strings off the holiday
provisions of the pact. This is
particularly important because two
‘holidays in the next year fall on
Saturdays, and under the present
contract many GE workers would
lose their holiday benefits for these
two days. °
The UIE negotiating cominittee
is made up of representatives of
locals with bargaining rights for
GE shops throughout the country.
land,
local in UE,
convention.
convention.
National Convention Opens in Cleveland
UE T Leal 301’s delegation leaves this w eekend for the union's
17th annual national convention, which opens Monday in Cleve-
‘Ten persons will represent the Schenectady union, the largest
They will go to Cleveland with a number of resolu. .
“tions, including proposals to push the fight for equal pay for
women and to obtain special wage inereases for skilled workers,
A demand for ending the wage freeze and several resolutions
wali for repeal of laws aimed at depriving labor of the right to
free collective bargaining and the American people of their civil”
liberties will also be presented by Local 801.
Local President. James Cognetia, who heads the delegation,
will be a'member of the important resolutions committee of the
This group is responsible for: sifting the proposals
from all locals and making recommendations on them to the entire
Also in the delegation will be Frank D’Amico, Julius Emspak,
Dow Gauvreau, Lawrence Gebo, Leo Jandreau,’ William Mastriani,
Arthur Owens, Helen Quirini and William Stewart.
| BLECTRICAL “UNION “NEWS
Ser
talks, GM has thus far
ST ASE TES LET EIFS e
more than 50,000 UE members working for GE across the
country, and to approval of the UE-GE conference board.
«The board will meet to discuss the new contract in Cleveland
Monday.
The achievement of an agreement after more than one
“month of bargaining was made possible by intensive negotia-
tions far into last F Friday night. The union negotiators stepped
up the pace of the talks in order to avoid a break in their con-
tinuity. Such a break would have been necessary because of
this weelt's s 3 UE National Convention in Cleveland.
Greatly improved in the new contract are the provisions
covering the company-financed hospital and medical care in-
surance,
Weekly sickness and accident benefits are increased
by $2.50 a week; an allowance-of $3 per day is made for phy-
sician’s hospital visits providing the total cost of these visits
does not-exceed $175; the special hospital services allowance,
‘which is now a flat $100, is increased so that the company
insurance covers 75% of the next $2,000 in fees; and finally
maternity allowances are boosted by 50%.
(Continued on Page 3)
Vol, 10 — No. 37
SCHENECTADY, NEW YORK
Friday, September 19, 1952
GE to Give Bosses Quiet Atmosphere
. General Eleetrie. apparently is preparing to give its top brass
the right atmosphere. in whieh to enjoy existence in accordance
with the advice of company president Ralph Cordiner to “slow
down and live longer.’ 4
The company “announced this week that it had purchased a
sprawling, estate in the beautiful Northern Westchester hills and
would locate ils executive offices there, away from the hustle and
bustle of New York’s Lexington Ave, where the offices are now
situated.
The new home of the GE bosses will be in Mt. Pleasant, N. Y.,
overlooking the Kensico Reservoir, where the fishing and swim-
ming are first rate.
Of course, one possible reason for the shift was that it could
provide GE with an opportunity to save the money it now spends
on. its high-powered, high-paid publicity department. The GE
estate has as a next-door neighbor the Readers’ Digest, a maga-
zine which has: always shown its willingness to turn out a first-
elass: anti-union piece.
Perhaps the company will now send one of its slowed down .
executives to the back fence to borrow a cup of sugary propaganda.
~°BIELD “DAY MENACE, »Steve-Budynas, -
hoof, is one of the entertainers who will be on tap at the UE Local 301 .
Field. Day, a week from Sunday at ‘Columbian Park (story on page 4).
His opponent. in a feature mateh will be Tommy Giorgio, Both wrestlers
hail from: Schenectady but-have performed throughout the country.
218-pounds--of-wrestler-on--the: -
Urge Lewis to Seek Unity
As UE Begins Convention _
we
Unity in the ranks of our union and an appeal for unity
among all unions marked the first days of the 17th annual
UE National Convention, which is being held in Cleveland
this week.
The keynote of labor unity was
sounded in a speech by President
Albert I. Fitegerald, in which he
called on John L. Lewis to take
leadership. in. uniting the , labor
movement, itagerald asserted the
United Mine Workers’ and former
CIO head was a man of sufficient
stature to rally all of organized
_ labor around him.
“There is a great future
ahead for the Amorican work-
ing people,” Fitewerald told
the delegates, adding, “Labor
unity, which | betieve could be
achieved ‘under leadership of
John L. Lewis, would set the
working people well on the
way to that future.”
In his address, the UE leader
made it clear that any successful
bid to unite labor would not be
vonfined to mere words thrown
on the often deaf ears of top na-
tional officials of unions. He eall-
ed on Lewis to appeal to district
and loeal leadership, and to the
rank and file, wherever the nation-
al leaders ignored his bid to unite
in the interests of all working men
and women. 4
As for the unity of UE, this was
~ symbolized —by- -the.-harmony- pre--
vailing: among the more than 500
convention delegates who hailed
from every corner. of our country
and from Canada. This unity em-
braced all delegates, men and wo-
men, Negro and white, and per-
sons from just about every na-
tional group to be found in our
country.
Among the resolutions which
had received unanimous approval
ef the convention up to the time
this paper went to press were ao
demand for an all-out fight against
Talt-Hartley, a call for labor un-
ity, a resolution urging passage of
a fair employment practices law
and one condemning all restric-
tions on the political rights of the
American people.
The convention also approy-
ed a resolution of support for
the more than $0,000 UE mem.
hers whocare striking to pro-
tvet union conditions in (he
International Flarvester chain,
This resolution pledged the
delegates to seek contribu-
(ions of $1) per) member in
their home. locals. °
An Associated Press report
carried ino many newspapers
this week errancously termed
this pledge of support as a $l
per month assessment. Sueh
an assessment. is) impossible
under the UE constitution and
the financial contributions for
the Harvester workers will be
on a strictly voluntary basis,
UE Ranks Firm
In I-H Strike
Fresh from their victory against
a smear expedition of the House
un-Americans, the 30,000 striking
‘International Harvester workers
turned their attention to the big
job of winning their battle against
the farm equipment monopoly’s at-
tempt to destroy their union.
With the strike entering its sec-
ond month, the workers remained
100% united. They were bolstered
in their militant struggle by sup-
port from many AFL, CIO and
independent unions ‘in the Midwest,
as well as by solid backing from
.the UE National Convention in
Cleveland.
_ So bald was the House un-Am-
ericans’ use of “hearings” in Chi-
cago for strike-breaking purposes
that even sections of the usually
anti-labor press condemned them.
Typical was the comment: of the
Moline Daily Dispatch, which de-
clared that the un-Americans were
“setting an “unpleasant precedent,
for harassment of unions during
‘negotiations, wherein management
or the government can answer the
_economie pressure of a strike with
the social pressure of an investi-_
gation.”
Ford Local Membership
Casts Off Reuther Rule
The attempt of President Walter .
Reuther of the CIO autoworkers
to establish dictatorial control over
Ford Local 600, America’s largest
union local, ended this week in to-
tal defeat.
The defeat was administered by
the Ford workers in an election for
union officers, which they had fore-
ed Reuther to hold after he had
seized the union under a “trustee-
ship.” The scizure took place last
spring, with MReuther working
hand-in-glove with the House un-
American committee. The UAW
leader’s pretext was eliminating
“communist control.” "
However, in this week’s voting
the membership showed just what
they thought of the red-baiting
and dictatorship tactics of . the
UAW head when :they crushed his
entire slate by votes averaging —
about 3 to 1.
The Reutherites didn’t even dare
oppose President Carl Stellato,
who was returned to office with
19,678 votes. Vice President Pat
Rice, one of the main targets of’
the un-Americans, overwhelmed
his’ pro-Reuther ‘opponent 14,509
to 4,648. Recording Secretary
William Hood and Financial Sec-
retary William Grant, who were ,
also smeared by the House group,
were put back into office by sim-
ilar margins.
’
Friday, September 19,1952
2 e
_ the job.
Thousands of grievances are handled by. UE Local 30}
each year at all levels from the steward up to final appeal
in New York City. To keep members posted, we shall
“each week list some of the grievances that have not been
Bldg..11: Warren Thomas had
no work to do between 7:30 and
10:00 on the morning of Sept. 4
because of a grievance discussion
on work assigned between his fore-
man and shop steward. Although
there was work other than that
‘under discussion available, he was
not allowed to do it. The union
demands that payment be made
for these hours since Thomas. was
in no way responsible for time lost
from work.
_A group working on stator stack-
ing, a three-operation job which
has three different timing rates,
demands. that the past practice of ©
issuing three different vouchers be
resumed. Management has intro-
duced a single voucher setup which
results in unfair Joss in earnings.
The union further demands that
special work such as draw file or
middle press be stated and priced
on the vouchers. :
This same stator stacking group’
charges that changes have been
made in their pricing tables which
violate the contract, Article VI-5-
d, e. Correction of this situation
is demanded. . i
Bldg: 16: Due to a misunder-
standing between shifts, jobs 436-
3028 A and B machines were dis-
assembled before completion, This
is strictly supervision’s \responsi-
bility and the union demands that
the ‘groups involved be paid 16
hours on each machine for ‘extra
work in assembling and disassem-
bling the jobs.
Bldg. 28: A new internal grind-
er has been installed and an inade-
quate 92c timing rate given to
The type of work per-
formed along with the very close
tolerances justifies a much higher
rate and union demands a
three-step increase to $1.06.
Bldg. 46: A reeent agreement
resulting froma grievance docket
established the rule that no time
should be lost in finding. tools. |
However, Elmer Collins recently -
set up au job, and then was unable
to find a needed cutting tool. He
asked his foreman to issue another
job, but the legitimate request was
refused and Collins was instructed
to continue looking for the cutter.
In, the process, three hours were
lost and the foreman, J. Laskow-
ski, who incidentally was involved
in the previous case, was willing
to pay him only P.W.D.W,, a clear
violation of the agreement with
works management, The union de-
mands payment ‘of average earn-
ings for the three hours.
Jn the milling machine, profiler
and duplicating group, supervision
has ‘increased both the number. of
A operations and A operators. As
a result, the inspection job now
requires much greater skill and .
responsibility than is required of
a C inspector. The union there-
fore demands upgrading of the
inspector involved to B with an ap-
propriate rate increase.
‘Bldg. 60: The contractor assem-
bly job Dg. 1450523, Group 1, was
previously done in Bldg. 46 by B
assemblers. The job was trans-
ferred without tangible change to
60 where one B and: one’ Cassem-~~
bler were assigned to it. The un-
fon demands restoration of - this
job to B assemblers,
. tion,
settled at the steward-foreman level and have been re~
ferred to the executive board-management level. '.
The final assembly of the pro-
pulsion and control job has ‘al-
ways been classified in A, with
sone B assemblers doing sub-as-
sembly work. Recently two C as-
semblers were assigned to help
two A assemblers with safety wir-
ing and some minor detail work
because of a lack of work situa-
Right now, supervision is
using two C workers on work for-
merly done by A and B assemblers.
The union believes this is a delib-
erute attempt to downgrade this
and other jobs in the division and
demands that either these men be
upgraded to B ‘classification or be
replaced by the B men who for-
merly worked on the job. ;
Bldg. 52: A request has been
submitted for 9% hours extra work
for straightening and replacing
angle spacers on SO 101-8738. The
condition results ‘from .-the fact
that the spacers are not being
sheared square. Supervision has
made no effort to correct the jig .
causing this. The assemblers have
complained of this condition for
some time and, in fact, have been
. paid for it.on a number of jobs.
The situation is further compli-
cated by the fact that’ supervis-
ion has found fit to give a poor
work warning notice to a first shift
operator involved, while taking. no
action against a second shift. op-
erator. The union therefore de-
mands a clarification of the whole
situation, and extra work payment
us asked for. ;
Although past practice in Weld-
ed Products has been to take in-
ventory on Saturday, this year it
was taken on a Friday, causing
considerable lost time in an area
where there has been a great deal
of lost time due to other causes,
In addition, only the first shift was
penalized, since the second and
third shifts worked normally. The
union demands a correction of this
unfair treatment.
Bldg. 64: Louis P. Parent is
classified, us a common laborer,
but his duties clearly give him the
vight to a special labor. classifica-
tion. . The union demands proper
upgrading and adjustment of rate,
Bldg. 69: A new job has been
‘introduced and given a price of
$1.85 per hundred, although it is
identical to other jobs with<rates
of $2.20 per hundred. Proper ad-
justment is demanded. :
Bldg. 81: The group of operat-
ors on lacing cables protest the in-
udequate break-in period on this
job and demand payment of A.E.R.
for all who have completed the
break-in time.
The women operators in the
rheostat section are forced to do
their own material handling and
sweeping because of lack of serv-
ELECTRICAL UNION NEWS
UNITED ELECTRICAL, RADIO & MACHINE
WORKERS OF AMERICA (UE)
wos Local 301
ee ce
Published by the Editorial Cammittoo
President —--~—-Jamas J. Cognetta -
Vico-Presidont —----...----.Roy Schaffer
ThOSUlO nam mmnnnnnnrennenaatiolon Quirin!
Racording Socrotary..s.ennRudy Rissland
Chief Shop Steward.
Business Agent...
201 LIBERTY ST.
Wiliam: Mastrlant
--Leo Jandreau
SCHENECTADY 5, N. Y.
Ass't Recording: Socretary-—=—Frank: D'Amico: |
ice help. The foreman refuses to
take any responsibility for the’ sit-
uation, apparently depending . on
the fact that the women have to do
this extra work in order to mat
tain earnings. The union demand!
correction of this situation through
assignment of necessary , service
help.
Bldg. 95: C. Coomes and A. Mel-
anson are protesting the method
used in computing their vacation
payment. They believe that they
should have received much higher
payment, They encounter this sit-
uation every year. The union de-
mands a definite three month per-
iod prior to vacation upon which to -
compute their credits.
Bldg. 105: George Schoeneich
believes that service credit from
Sept. 1912 until April 1918, to
which he is entitled, should be re-
stored. ‘
Due to faulty materials, the tube
winders are encountering difficulty .
in their winding operations, result-
ing in bent tubes which create a
hazardous condition and which
force the operators to slow down
their winding machines. The fore- -
man proposes to time study the
difference between the time the
job normally took and the time it
requires with the faulty material.
However, the union feels that the
operators involved should be paid
extra work for the bent tubes in
accordance with: past practice.
Bldg. 227: Truck drivers’ group
protests the assignment of some
one from outside their group ( )
truck working out of Buldg. 76.
The union demands that this job be
filled from the group.
Bldg. 273: Anthony J, Gatta op-
erates a crane in. J Bay, which is
classified asa C job. This classi-
fication is no longer correct be-
cause the bulk of the work done
by the operator now falls under B
classification. Proper adjustment
is demanded.
R. Soules, H. Roice and L. Lehr
believe that they were not given’
the proper starting rate based on
. their previous experience... The un-
ion demands retroactive payment
of the correct starting rate and ad-
justment of their present rate,
Campbell Ave: Richard Gon-
yeau believes that his service, per-
formance and ability entitle him to
upgrading. The union demands
such upgrading.
installment Debt Soars
American consumers have added
another billion dollars in the past
six months to their staggering
debt to sellers of goods on the in-
stallment plan.
Government figures released this
week showed that the credit buy-
ing debt had mounted: to $14%
lion, about $100 for every m
woman and child in the U. 8.
Virtually all of the eredit buy-
ing is accounted for by workers
and their families whose wages
remain ‘frozen in the'face of the ~~
‘highest living costs in this coun-
try'’s history.
ELECTRICAL UNION NEWS
Jim Carey’s phony militancy toward the GE company
has been exposed by one of his own newspapers, the organ of
TUE-CIO Local 201, which has bargaining rights for the Lynn
and Hverett GE. works.
Amid Carey’s almost hourly re-
leases to the newspapers boasting
of his intentions to call a strike to
: back “his demands, the Sept. 6
issue of the IUE paper carried a
front-page headline, declaring,
“Union Denies Rejection of Com-
pany Offer.”
The story under the headline
was even more revealing. It. read
in part:
“Business Agent (of IUE-CIO
Local 201) Earl J. Riley in a re-
port to the local this week denied
that the union had rejected, the
company’s ‘offer of a 5.76% wage .
increase. , ‘
“Riley pointed out that certain
newspapers had deliberately twist-
ed the JUE’s statement.”
The article in the IUE paper is
not the only evidence of the double
game being played by Carey. Dur--
ing the midst of negotiations in-
volving the company and both UE
-and the IUE, an ad by the CIO
union appeared in many daily
newspapers. This ad offered to
sell out all union demands in ex- =
—change for a profit-sharing Scheme,
_ drien UE members threw out in
"Schenectady long ago, and an
escalator clause tied to a long con-
tract. This would put GE em-
ployees represented by the IUE in
the same kind of trap as that in
which the CIO autoworkers are
caught. The latter have their wag-
es virtually tied down until 1955,
‘while the cost of, living is contin-
uously mounting. _
The IUE-CIO ad considerably
undercut. the negotiations with GE.
It was another denionstration that
Jim. Carey is willing to risk any
suffering on the part of the IUE-
CIO membership if he thinks that
that. suffering will serve his main
‘purpose, trying to split UE.
Incidentally, the press dispatch-
_es.on the current negotiations were
‘revealing in still another
way.
They showed how Carey arrives at
his fantastic claim that he repre-
sents 71,000 GE workers. A story
carried over the United Press
wires, which generally. transmit
Carey press releases almost.word
“for” word, spoke of the ‘25,000
workers represented by IUE-CIO
in Lynn.” Actually, there are only
about 10,000 production and main-
tenance employees in the entire
Lynn-Everett bargaining unit.
BS
And what makes you want to transfer from the bulb department?
ELECTRICAL UNION. NEWS
Carey's Militant Double Talk Contract ~
Exposed by His Own Paper
(Continued from Page 1) sf
Considerable progress is also
made in the extension of the sys-
tem of automatic progression to
the full job rate, as well as in pro-
visions covering vacation benefits
to workers who lose time due to
illness, and in tightening the
grievance machinery,
Seniority is guaranteed as the
governing factor in shift transfers
for the first time, and the right of
a person to return to his old job if
he is out sick for up to one- year
is also set down.
On the other hand, the union
was. unable to get the management
to make any definite commitments
on such important issues as ending
pay discrimination against women,
eliminating inequities in skilled
workers’ rates and removing the’
strings which threaten to deprive
GE workers of the benefits for two
paid holidays next year because
these holidays fall on Saturdays.
However, the UE representatives
did obtain agreement from the cor--
poration that all of these questions
could be subject to local bargain-
ing. Since the contract provides
a wage reopener on February 15,
it is likely that’ Local 301 will take -
them up at that time, This would
“work out well since: both of the
Saturday holidays fall well after,
u
the reopening date,
The term of the contract is for
one year, with the expiration date’
set as Sept. 15, 1953. If neither
side terminates the pact then, it
renews itself and runs ‘until April
1, 1955. However, modification
talks, similar to those which pro-
duced the present ‘accord, would
precede such renewal. The short-
term contract was regarded as an
important achievement by the ne-
gotiators, since GE. was known to.
want a long pact, one which would,
in effect, freeze wages and condi-
tions for many years during which
living costs could be expected to
vise steadily. The CIO autowork-
ers and a number of other unions
are already suffering under such
long-term contracts. “A
In the long run, the final de-
cision as to whether the new
UE-GE, contract is good or
-bad, acceptable or unaccept-
able, rests with the member-
ship of the: union, Under UE
democracy, the last word on
any contract must be had by
the rank and file through a
ratification vote.
During the next few weeks, the,
EU News will contain detailed fac-
tual analyses of all provisions of
the new agreement, so that every-
~one-will- be able. to-go into-the Oct.. -,
6 ratification. meeting completely
armed with the facts.
‘Philadelphia—Westinghouse sal- °
aried employees have crushed a
company union attempt to split
them away from their 6,000 fel-
low workers in the production and
maintenance divisions of the
sprawling Essington works. The
1,700 salaried people voted for UE
in an NLRB election by a ratio of
nearly 2 to 1. The vote was UE
857 and the Association of West-
inghouse Salaried Employees 587.
The IUE-CIO was also on the bal-
lot, but.could only fiusted 66 votes
less than 416% of the total cast.
xk k *
New York—Most New York City -
employees now working 44 or 48-
hour weeks will get 42-hour sched-
ules beginnitig Jan. 1, Mayor Vin-
cent Impellitteri announced. this
week, ;
k kk *
Cincinnati—The first UE con-
tract has brought B, A. Wesche
Co. employees a 28¢ hourly :pack-
age increase. The workers won
UE Local 766 representation early
this summer, ; ~
» Burbank, Calif—A. strike of
30,000 AFL machinists has shut
down six west coast plants of the
Lockheed Aircraft Co. for the past
two weeks. -
“* *k *
Philadelphia — The JIUE-CIO
scheme to use a. smokescreen of
red-baiting to break up UE Local
155, which has bargaining rights
for dozens .of shops in the area, _
ran into its second straight -beat-
ing at the hands of the workers
last week. The TUE was soundly
trounced in an NLRB election at
the Wiedemann Machine Co. The
vote for UE was'86 to 52. Karlier
the raiders had. been soundly
trounced at the H. H., Eby Co.
plant, one of the largest units in
the local. In the midst of ‘the
raids, Local 155 has been success-
fully organizing new shops.
ko wk Ok
San Diego—A one-week strike
by AFL electricians employed by
the city’s four major neon sign
companies brought a wage in-
erease of 22%c an hour retroactive
to June 20. :
k owe oO
Evansville, Ind.—This city’s bus
viders were saved tens of thous-
ands of dollars a, year when the
Indiana Public Service Commission
upheld a UE Local 813-Evansville
CIO. Council. joint. petition. against
a fare increase from 12%c to 1lbc a
‘vide, "
°
Friday, September 19, 1952 8 3
