This One's
On Me ne
This is the second in a series of
weekly columns which will appear
in the Electrical Union News serv-
ing as a clearing house of ideas,
thoughts and knowledge of union
_ problems that ig stored up in the;
minds of many union people. It
will be written by a different pers |
son each week and the topics will |
be varied, Opinions expressed’ will |
be those of the writer and not
necessarily that of the editorial
committee or the leadership of
this anion, : |
Facts and Ratleiad
By SIDNEY FRIEDLANDER
Time was “when people said, |
“Don’t . believe everything you
read in the papers.” Now they
say,- “Don’t believe anything you !
vead in the papers.” -So much '
prestige has the American “Free _
Press” lost in recent. years that |
even “news” items are read with
" suspicion,
It is not easy to reconcile the |
idea of an uncontrolled press with
the consistent anti-labor bias of |
almost every American commet-
cial paper, It
is unfortunate
that the demo
“eratic “press of
America should
be so tholr-
oughly con-
trolled by “Biz
Money” that it
ds impossible to
get a fair statement of the work :
ers’ position into a standard dai-
ly newspaper.
In a democracy, opinion and
consequently the votes of the.
people can only be based on cor-
rect. and accurate information.: If.
the information is ufreliable,
opinion is misled and the ‘ ‘peopis!
base their thinking on errors:
lies. If America is to survive as
a democracy rather than a “Big
Money” dictatorship, it is neces-
sary for the people to have some
medium through which they can’
get-at the facts which the com-
meroial papers either distort ot
suppress, ‘
The labor press is the only
press that can meet that qualifi
cation,
For example, it is not common-
Jy known that Mikhailovich and
his Chetnik bands had been ex-
posed’ as. traitors two years be-
fore the regular press would ad-
mit it. That was because certain
financial interests in England
were more interested in working
withthe Nazis than in a demo
oratic. government for Jugo-Sla-
via, (see Louis Adamic’s book
“My, Native Land”),
For over a year the facls con-
eerning the London Polish gov-
ernment in exile were known to
the commercial press but it was
only when’ the leaders of that
“Big Money” supported phony
government were exposed as trai-
tors to Poland before’ the whole
world that the commercial press
was forced to admit its “mistake,”
The present situation in China
where the laigest part of Chiang
i Flanigan,
j ber
CHAIRMAN TAYLOR
who must revise the Board’s
se bade
—wage--policy—te—meet--needa_of_.
workers facing a cut in pay but
no cut in living costs.
rite to W ashingtor
Edward, | Wallingford, acting business agent during the absence of Leo Jandreau,
vision of the
Agent;
.of building 285, will take
over. the duties of Mrs, Sadie
Tovinelli as Assistant to the Bu-
siness Agent, ‘Flanigan received
the appointment from the execu-
tive board when! it became ‘certain
linquish her union’ post in order
to return to her job in the GE
plant.
Flanigan was elected to the ex-
ecutive board from his section
about two years ago and has since
been one of the most active mem-
Coop Surveys’
Appliance Needs
The Schenectady - Consumers
Coop has started some sound post-
war planning according to Tel
Morelli, Local 801 member of the
Coop board by conducting a city:
wide survey on hotisehold appli-
ance needs after the war, The
survey is being conducted among
‘non-niembers a3 well as non-mem-
bers of the Coop group.
Especially timely is a- warning
in the text which appears on the
heading of the survey sheet. It
states: “We would like to add a
word of caution regarding the
purchase of postwar household ap-
pliances, Very likely the market
will be flooded for some time after
reconversion with inferior goods,
hastily designed and poorly con-
(Continued on page 4)
structed.”
TanaganNew:
‘Ss. ovenel
Effective July 29th, Raymond
executive board mem- '
Mrs, : Tovinelli hwould have to re- |
LOVENELLI WLANAGAN
bers in the organization, In addi
tion to his participation on the
board, he has ‘served on “many
committees and delegations zrep-
resenting. the union, He has also
been co-editor
Union News since the editorial
committee was reorganized in
March, 1944,
In commenting on his new post,
Flanigan said that although he
did not solicit the appointment, | *
he would accept it and would de-
vote his full ‘and best efforts
towards processing grievances in
conjunction with the business
agent and his co-assistant, Ernest
Bezio, for the memberhip of the
union. *
Mrs. Iovinelli, who’ was’ forced
to relinquish the post due to the
fact that her leave of absence
expired from the Gerieral Electric
Company, has, served as, assistant
to Business Agent Jandvean singe
March, 1944, The role which she
has played in the operation of
the union’s grievance machinery
has been a eredit to her-and prov-
en that women are capable of
handling the many -intrieate prob-
lems of collective bargaining, Her
of the Electrical |
Ness
energetic interest In the prob-
lems of the workers in the shop
and her natural ability to under-
stand them and choose. the proper
solution has won her a host of
friends,
A dinner party was given by
the officers, executive bourd and
committee chairmen in her honor
Thursday evening at the Towa
Tavern at which time she was
presented with an appropriate
gift by her union co-workers.
Ceniral Park Program
Milo Lathrop, director of edu-
cation programs, has announced
that a summer series of enter
tainment and, educational pro-
grams will be ‘presented by the
Local 801 Wducation’ Committee
= canton Park’ Sunday, July 22,
2:80 p.m,
ding to eters
today called on the members of. Local 801 to write persona].letters to War Labor Board
Chairman, Dr. George Taylor, Washington, D.C. and to the Congressmen from their
‘district, requesting action on the UE-CIO .program outlined in last weeks’ Electrical
‘Union Néws, be put into immediate: effect. -
Wallingford, who attended a meeting of CIO leaders of New York State in Syracuse
recently’ as . teptesentative of Local. 801, ‘states the following important points of the
clo program should be put into effect . immediately if economic upheaval and unem-
ployment is to be.averted during reconversion and in the post-war era: ~
1—Congress should immediately enact the necessary emergency legislation, request-
! ed-by President Truman, to provide for federal supplementary unemployment relief com-
pensation payments to war workers rendered unemployed during ‘the reconversion period
so that a minimum of $25 per week for 26 weeks be provided. In addition, unemploy-
ment, benefits should be made available: to. all.federal employees, merchant marine and
all other groups not now covered by: law. —
2—The President should revise the. national wage ‘policy aad confer. the necessary
authority upon the National War’ Labor Board to.make such wage adjustments as may
; be necessary and which will not substantially: affect the cost of living. ;
| ° 8—Consistent with maximum war production, the War Labor Board should take all
necessary steps to assure resumption of civilian goods in’ those plants where cancella-
tions and cut-backs of war contracts have occurred.
One of the urgent needs: ‘at the the . present. _time,.. accor
is the re
duction;
overtime worl is rapidly declining and In the not too distant future it is “neaeonabile to”
ssistant: Bus
i Leaves Post
®expect that work in excess of the
40-hour work. week will be “an ex-
Seption, not, the. rule, as-is still”
-the.Gase at the locil plant.
Because high prices and cost of
living have been based not on in«
creased hourly earings but ra-
ther on overtime hours worked,
the wage policy must be changed
to permit hourly wage increases
which will compensate for the de-
crease in the number of hours
worked. - .
Also of extreme importance and
timely would be the rescinding of
the 9240° Order which was isstied
by . the late President Roosevelt
which restricted conditions under
which workers would receive time
and a half or double time for
hours worked outside of the regu-
lar work schedule. Since that ore
der was made when overtime was
the universal practice and to pre-
vent certain abuses, it should now
be rescinded so as to compensate -
as much as possible for the loss
of overtime, .
Individual members are diwed
to take the time necessary to
write personal letters ‘and,'in their
own ,words, tell the government
leaders whose actiois determine
(Continued on page 4)
Committeemen.
to change recommendation of
will be held.
day of exch month, Second shi
nccordange with a companion.
This alters the plan which
“af the Electrical Union News
action that provided for 2nd
On Meetings of 2nd Shift ©
Committéemen of Local 301, using a perogative granted
them by the Local’s constitution, voted at their July 8rd meeting
bership in respect to the manner and. lime their meetings
It was their ‘decision to hold commilteemen's
in the past, the first Tuesday evening following the first Mon
ever, be yqid for lost time while attending the meeting in
Monday afternoons, and the day shift committeemen to meet-
ing on the regular Tuesday date,
Amend Rules ~
the Executive: Board and mem-
meelings as
ft representatives will not, ‘iow:
membership recommendation,
wag annoiineed in a recent issue
which. reported the ‘membership
shift committeemen to mect on
recommen
Published woekly, the first three weeks’ of tach mon
Union Service, Inc.,.17 Murray Strect, New York 7, N. .
tion $1.00 a year, Entered as second class matter August 8, 1944," Ere 5
the Post Office of New York, N. Y.; under the act of March 3, 4879. :
» AUSTIN J. CASE, Editor :
RAYMOND D. FLANIGAN, Co-editor . .
Editorial Committee: Frank Emspak, Sidney Friedlander, Chet Cook,
“|\Learning To
Float
By LEO SANDREAD
=Delorectearning=te- sivim clear:
to float. It's just as important
as; lswimming,and, if properly
donp, it-has the advantage of re-
qpiring: no. effort, There is more
a han one way of floating, of
edursé, but the ‘most common way
is on the back.
thay
Editorlal Office, ‘Electrical Union: News
Jayne Starko, ” “Troy ‘Snipes, “Bianchard” Mowers;
301 Liberty St. - Schenectady, N. Y.
MERE Wg
WW" reer ord )'
BIG BUSINESS SERVICEMEN ure - SAM WORKERS “t=
Let's. Argue With A Liberal
By TRAVIS K. HEDRICK’
WASHINGTON, D.C..(FP)—I have a bone ‘to pick with Thomas.
L. Stokes, the able columnist of’ the Seripps-Howard Alliance, whose
eclumn. appears in’ scores of newspapers, and who is by most
definitions: of the term, a liberal.
— Tom-wrote-a~columii June” 26 that said “Amerlean labor is a
hig, strapping fellow now and should put on long pants and take
the chip off his shoulder.”
What Stokes meant was the shouts of anger that came from
labor’s ranks when Sens. Ball, Burton and Hatch introduced their new.
labor relations ‘bill—-the_“straightjacket_bil
" " Undoubtedly Stokes has a right to say > whatever the chooses
about the bill and about labor. But the fault I find with. Nberals
such as ‘Tom Stokes is that they all-have a blind spot, You can’t be
for the Ball-Burton-Hatch bill and be a friend’ of labor. (I don't
hetieve you'can’ do so and'be a liberal, either.)
Stokes say he is alarmed that labor's “carping standolfishnesy”
may hurt labor's best interests. He also champions tho‘“sincerity of
purpose of the three senators” ‘and calls: them “estimable and re-
‘@pected gentlemen... sympathetic to labor and progressive in
inclination. o
’ Now Sen, Joseph Ball, the “Minnesota Republican, is no friend
of labor. You can prove that by asking’ the AIL Congressman from
Minnesota, Rep. William J. Gallagher, and also the members of the
Minneapolis-St. Paul Newspaper Guild (CIO). Ball is regarded as a
phoney by the AFL in. Minnesota, and as a renegade unionist by the
Newspaper Guild. He was a member of the staff of the St, Paul
Dispateh and left the union when he disagreed with the outcome
of a national referendum election,
Stokes doesn’t like the “shrieks let out by ‘professional Jabor
leaders,” and he opines that “labor -hyper-suspicioug attitude seems
unjustified.” He honestly believes that labor should agree “to certain
Mmediations to protect employers.” .
’ My gawd, Tom! The employer has all of the protectiow necessary.
Nobody is taking over his business... the barricades aren't up
and nobody's armed. The Wagner act is not an act to protect em-
ployees. It is simply a law to define the RIGHTS of labor and to
insure the protection of those elementary principles against in-
fringement by employers: To sny that we have to let that law be
amended to “protect employers” simply meals a watering down of
the RIGHTS ah labor. i:
= Aby, + employe’, , anywhere, ean’ igo: “tte pout | bil challenge
agement ofl this rights under long-established jlaw. There is. no
agubt of . that.’ (The employer's have: ibeen well :rgprasettied in ‘the
tio na and state: legislatures for ggnerdtiotis, Any court fromr a
ai nl squire “on: ‘justice of the -pe jcc to @ clteuit a bpp yeme ‘court
wou ld: he ready and eager td adb ‘an eopnlay peta: defending
one lof his, Tegal rights., oh ogiphs
: The tiroitble | _ with Btakes and, biel liberals awha, ‘think ‘along:
omployers a free rein wiih their workers, a‘law was necessary to
cheelé their unfhir practices. It does’ not’ follow, however, that the
law defending , labor's’ rights must be amended to give employees
the right, .to WEAKEN those nies in’ ates. toy: he: TR. That
juat doesn’t make’ sense.” :
* Comprilsory, arbitration and ‘te virtual | abolishment of the
; ded, in ‘the sthnitineket; bn j i never be aceepted
byi Iqhor{ [in America, . ait lose Gels fe adi
i. hab rin America is wearhig its: long ‘pants, It nha: no chip on
ita. ahoulder ees butcit has both’ hands rhe and. has aqrned to use
thom! ‘either to grasp: n outstretched mitt cass. ai frien tly. conference
table or to double them. into ‘fighting fists, haa post as
‘At this tim it seems that American , labor, with thei i Arn, CIO,"
Ralir a Labor:and ‘United Ming Worker amited on: the lissue, must
form a ifghting jteam to turn back this: nei ‘antitjabor “Bil, Tt can't
be dong iby :prhising Joe Ball’ and this, assodintes, ds “bstimable and
reapectdd | gentlemen. Pa aymipathetle: to Rabor'! and progressive in
Inclination, Certainly they are not ayinpathette to Iabor,
“First of all, the learner should
‘get rid of the notion that float-
ing. is a matter of maintaining
his body in a horizontal position
‘parallel to the surface, In persons
of average .buoyancy, the body,
from chest ‘to knee, will be sus-
pended “at‘ an angle of about 45
degrees, and the legs below the
relaxed knees will hang nearly
| perpendicular. The floating posture
can be “asstinied “by placing ‘the
hands on-the bottom of the pool,
behind one, until by leaning back-
ward the back of the head (to
‘about the level of the ears)
submerged.
If the head is allowed to rest |
in the water with’ only the face
above the surface, and if the arms
are extended gradually to.the side
and ,thén somewhat. beyond the
head, the chest and torso will be
‘buoyed’ up, the back will be natu.
rally and comfortably arched,
and the legs, if relaxed and al-
lowed to flex at the knee, will
take care of themselves,
Once the technique of floatiny
has been mastered, other learning
activities will follow logically.
These include practice in breath-
: body’ 's
holding, with the face bur.ed:in'
the water; rhythmic breathing,
which is the. evenly repeated
process of inhaling through the
mouth above the surface and ex:
haling through the nose in the
water; and practice in keeping
the eyes open under water, This,
the learner will soon discover, is
not unpleasant, and is essential
Loth for convenience and safety,
When the beginner has satisiied
himself by experiment that tha
. natural; buoyancy — will
serve to keep Hin at the surface,
he will not, later, divide his
stroking movements and waste
energy.
Call your Red Cross chapter
for ‘information about courses in|
water safety and swimming and
enroll,
Jest Jokes .
Dolly: How about going over
to w cortier booth and singing me
a quick opera, cutilins *
Windheim: I don't know about
a quick opera, but I guarantea
you some fast overtures,
—From “Dulfy’s Tavern”
£
Judy i ak My new synthe-
tic atockings are, made out:of.a
amixture Jf coal, wood and rub-
ber, When I get. run in my stock:
ing, I foes know, whether I've
got an dlaksr, a ‘splinter: or a
blow-out,
‘he roiiowing Hot™ of” can ora MaAdagement a!
resent time. Asa service to tha inemberent u4 the Electrical Union
R co-operation with the Susiness Agont’s.Ofic
may, bo assumed that settlement has been’ made,
Bide, Caso
4964 13
Committeemnn Date —
6-27-45
6. 6-5 |
” 6-26-45
Enclosing Case Group Horodes
6266 13 J. Kabar. . - Boyle
85289 Group Complaint Richtmyor
6290 Group Station 441 Richtmyer, B- 6-45
6886 Group Complaint Waasell 6-20-45
--§403__. 13.8. F.-- -Groerback___.__Groawhacte Be BT-48-
Bill 77 Group Complaint Wassell 68-29-45
5191 It. Rd. Toolmakers (General) O- 7945
5280-Ft, Ed. Electricians 5-28-45
231 \ 68 RB. lL. Costanzo 5-11-45
$5019 Paul Groskkl: - < Te 404d
$5208 Group Complaint
5272 Ellen Marx:
5349 J, Hidegh «-
5372 Ralph Matrazzo .
8401 M. Riggi
Cc. Smith
§4102 R. Matrazzo
$1290 5 Maude Buell
Mary Jaciron
H5158 J, Francis
$5217 Balley
Group Complaint
Group Complaint
Rose * Vitale
Willam Buach
General Complaint |
Petrosky a
T. G. Assembly
R. W.. Melsner
“Welders
(Turbine Dept.)
Group Complaint
D. A. Burger
Wrap & Prepare for
Shipment
Cc. 'T Wager Lake
Group Complaint Pulido
A. Maneini Knotek
©, DeFrancisco,
JT, Pozlewler
6397. Royal Hildreth
6104 J. W.. Shubert
6407 i Helen Dempsky
408 John Bennett —
71906 Group «Complaint “ of:
Winders & Connectors
i169 John W,, Farhart
5388 Derwle
6953 4 J, Rachel
Ha779 Group Complaint,
504d John Fsposito
Sh084 HA. M. Harvey
M5260 Francis Bourdeau
baS4 Sante Fazio
food 8 Miss. Vimpano
GA12 5 G, Whomson
5418 Group Complaint
6184 ot Group CPS-1
F261 y Steve Kretiv
4909 : Group Complaint
4973 Ralph D'Agostino
6257 » Peterson
Haars Adam Pietras
ba23 K, Duell
P, Tate
Cc. Dykeman
8025” - Millington’
fisgs WwW. Rowe -
THis09 Robert O'Hare
h406 . Robert Dieterich
Gaga Mans Schott
Hagst © 17: -Grinders
Sinto Grace Edenburg
stunt i Frank Sittner
: fod 14 Mhaddeus Taborowsk!
A220, 17, Willlam 1 Kruger Pelehat
i319 7 hi’ Blakey Tedisco
4 APBRRS zi) ver Ble, Baltes, , \ Felphat
sag 97" Mark Suflivan |! : || fhediseo
Ms ‘4 va tt ins ic ‘ ' ‘| TTT Siezynskl
0 18 neh Press’ tp tids Manging
Nt Ss Gotllewsie! ts ' Skraynsiel
Adarald Wiltste Tedisco
General “Complaint Woutlla
Tnstrument Wiring Worstman
VW. Vonikurowski Roberts
Rart Price Price
Group Complaint DeGuerre
Machine Room Group Sheehy
D, 1 Butters Butters
Patsy Cafferrillo
Talph Pannone
209 Horman Polachek
at Helen Warner
i Gronp Comptaint
(Wamen on Men's Jobs)
Bath) Stasia Jenkzelajle
209-97 Group.) Complaint
a? Anna Lanny
Aneta. Aqulantt
Martha Willsey
Madalene Amhrasta
Mathug deb Rate
Anna NetRoceo
Fred Sehoettler
Edwin Sneliman
Hareld Wammint
Edgar Wisted
Maurlee Leware
AL TR dreger
Raymond Poutre
Leg Bonnerq
A, Hansett
Ss. Smith
T85 J, ‘arvasaviteh
Sa8Mt dg Bali Bellinger
Q G, Ruehahan O'Hara
+ KRdward Burdlok Tash
has “Group Complaint White
Whaag Croup Complaint Martin
‘ aad H Prenare for, Shipment Roblnaan -
Tait 9.° TT Rishop * Sorenson
HaIe Anthony CHhollt Walthigtord +
Ba77 charles Schell Wallingford |
Gdis (i ‘Orden Wallingford
G70 1.0 Group Complitnt Jovinella "+
Baad: 5: Croup Complalut Rarher
T6083" 3. Group Complaint Ryan 3-15-14
So10s 61-13 GM Salt! Rawards 6- G45
Robert Dunlon
Edward K, Madlin
Dunton
Costanzo :
SantaBarbara, .
Funk
Pagel
Matrazzo
Matrazzo
Matrazzo
Finnigan
Palazeke
Flanigan
Flanigan
Lewls
DeMarco
Flanigan
Manigan
Bethancourt
Candere
Callaghan
Martin, Trimble
Canders
MeGillivary
Kelly
Lamoureaux,
Shannon
Areand
O'Brien
O’Brien
Tanskl
Lansing
Repice
Mastriant
Klein
Mastriant
Repice
Hein —
Kein
Holmes
Barringer
Getler
Tovinella
Campbell
*Knolten
Eastman
Tovinella
_ b-21-45
2 Bald
Milllagton
Teterson
Bastman
Nickel
Schott
Glover
Glover
» Glover
Pelehat
Polachele
Teetor
Severa
Keenan
Keenan
Villano
Villano
Willan
Schoeftler
Schoelfler
Brankln
Welngard
Villano
Villano
Brankin
. Villano
Villano ;
Franklin | G28. 45
(be Tl
fe dedi
Oe Red
hYONS
Ts 4-48
MERA
G.18-45
~ Qa s4f
8-10-46
@. will publish in each. tse °
the list of cares panding ‘When a case nw longer appears fo thio Itat, ue
_ A-review of one of the Union-Company disputes on the. 1945 Contract Pro.”
posala which the Union has carried to the War Labor Board.’ The establish-
ment of 4 minimum wage of 72c an hour for the lowest' rated jobs is es-
sential if the standard of living is to be maintained, in, pita of THREE
costs of living.
A guaranteed living wage—that’a
the goal all workers have been seek-
ing. It was about. one year and a
half ago that the late Franklin D.
Roosevelt told the Congress of the
Unitéd States that our. country has
“accepted a second Bill of Rights
under which a new basis of secur-
ity and prosperity can be estab-
lished for all—regardless of sta-
tion, race or creed 7’.
"uo Reosevelt’sPlans-....
Among the rights which our late
President said “spell security” are:
“The right to a useful and re-
munerative job in the industries or
shops of farms of the Nation;
“The' right to earn enough to
provide adequate food and clothing;
‘and recreation;
“The right of every family to a
decent home;
-“The right to adequate medical
care and the opportunity to achieve
and enjoy good health.”
Employees of the Schenectady
and Fort Edward plants of the
General Electric Company, repre-
sented by Local 301, recall these
words of ‘Mr, Roosevelt, We feel
that these words indicate the path
our nation must take to achieve
final victory in war and security
in peace,
Important To All
@ Our Union’s proposals to the
General Electric for a 72 cent-an-
hour minimum wage, for wage in-
creases, for’ equal pay for women
who perform. duties equal to those
of men, for special provisions to
aid returving servicemen, are of
profound importance not only to
ourselves but to all people of
Schenectady. ;
See
a VIRGINA, 1607
‘LET THE COMMON FOLK
BIG AND SWEAT. THAT'S
WHAT GOD MADE THEM
SEVENTEENTH + 4 f
aevminy ol YES,
ROPE, OE WORKER
THOUSANDS —_—_a—e—r ii
* SOUGHT A NEW WORLD IN
| AMERICA .MOST WERE EVERY+
” DAY FOLK...CARPENTERS, MA*
" SONS, LABORERS ; BUT SOME
| WERE "GENTLEMEN" WHO
THOUGHT IT GENBATH THEM
TO WORK,
“IN MIRGINIA THE "GENTLE +
MEN“ WERE IN CONTROL. HAO
S¢T NOT BEEN FOR CAPTAIN
YOUN SMITH AND THE FEW
“LABORERS, ALL WOULD HAVE
STARVEO TO DEATH.
“WN RHODE ISLAND IT WAS
‘QIFFERENT, ROGER WILLIAMS
“GELIEVED IN A REAL OEMO™
-CRACY-WHERE. ONLY THE WOR: . 1h
KER COUNTED, AND ONE'S :
RELIGION, RACE OR GIRTH.
dID NOT. MATTER. ASA RE *
SULT RHODE ISLAND PROSPER:
EO BEYOND ALL THE OTHER
COLONIES 1640
: 157 CORE
“When the late President Roose-
velt said in his new Bill of Economic’
Rights that all people have the
right’ to. “earn enough to provide
adequate foud and clothing and re- -
creation,” he. expressed a very im-
portant thought.
Local 301 realizes that one way
tc help workerg obtain the neoessi-
ties of life is to sign contracts with
industry guaranteeing a minimum
wage,-which-will provide a. decent
standard of living for the lowest-
paid worker,
$28.80 Per Week
@ On the basis of a 40-hour
.week, the minimum wage of 72
cents-an-hour would mean a weekly
“wage of $28.80. This is not a very
high figure, but since the Genera!
Electric Company has no minimum
wage standard other than what the
law demands, we. considered the
$28.80 a week figure -as a fair
standard from which: to start.
Despite the logie of the Union’s
request, the Company would not
agree to raise the very low mini-
mum rates now in- etteet in its
_ plants.
Any such increase - would be
subject to the National War Labor
Board's approval but there. are
-grounds to fully justify such an
increase within the present wage
stabilization policy of our Govern-
ment,
In refusing to come to an agree- -
ment with the Union, the General.
Tlectrie Company is, taking <4
short-sighted attitude and is count-
ing on a low-wage’ policy giving ©
them the inside track. in the mar-
ket for " Eedogptitne products, Such _
epee th
8. low wage policy led ‘by ‘the ‘large
‘manufacturers would be disastrous’
and would lead our country to an-
other tragic depression, ~
Because of that and the increase
in the. cost of living which faces
us all, our Union is: carrying its
fight for an ‘adequate: minimum
wage to the National i Labor
Board.. .
Improve’ Health Standards
@ When the UE- -CIO proposed a
72 cent-an-hour minim wage for
GE. employees,’ it wad also pro-'
posing—at the..same} time—that
the health standards: ofthe com-
munity be maintained-and im-
proved. It was proposing that the
“white-collar or salaried employees -
receive a measure of the security
to which they are’ entitled,
@ It was proposing that wage
standards, far higher than $28.80
a week be maintained: and. increas-
-ed, Because, unless.a floor on wages
is set at a subsistence level, then
no wage rates—no THALIER how wan
-—are secure,
By its proposal for. 72 ‘cent mini-
mum wage rates, our. Union was
proposing that our people be guar-
anteed at least MINIMUM funds to
vay their bills. By making this pos-
sible the Union thus promotes the
security of the Storekeeper, the
Grocer, the Small Businessman, as
well as doctors and dentists of the
Community who must be paid if
they are to carry on their busi-
nesses and their professions. The
success of the Union’s fight is the
concern of the entire city,
Local 301 -believes that a living
wage is the one way of guarantes-
__ ing that our people have the funds .
‘War Labor Board
to make the purchases ‘whieh can
keep the wheels of industry turn-
ing.
Take the case, of the General
Electric Company itself. If such &
leading company in the industry
“insists” “on ~ “paying sub-standard. -
rates, it merely helps limit the
market for refrigerators, radios
and the many other, electrical ap.
pliances such a company makes.
Need $1752 a Year
® In order to provide merely a
BARE LIVING — according to a
survey conducted in cooperation
with the United States. Bureau of
Labor ‘Statisties recent] y—the
average family must haye- an -In-
come of $1,752 a year. This means
that the wage earner ‘must receive
a wage rate of about 84 cents an
tl to live with any decency at
a
Such surveys as these show, the
reasonableness of the proposal’ of
our Union for ‘a 72 CENT-AN=
HOUR MINIMUM WAGE whic
has been FLATLY REJECTED
by the Company,
GE Can Pay
@ Proof of the General Electric
Company’s financial ability to pay
a living wage is to be found in the
fact that the.operating profit made
Ly the Company per worker in 1939
was $670. ‘In 1944 the operating
profit rose to $1,067, per worker.
The increased productivity of labor
is- shown. by. the fact that labor
cost per dollar sales has fallew 15
per cent as compared to 1989, «
BUT THE UE IS NOT ACCEPT.
ING THE COMPANY’S ANSWER,
We continue the fight in the
and in our com
munities. Local 301 is. confident
that the people of Schenectady,
given the full information, will
understand the correctness of our
Union’s position and give it their
support.
k Bur CAPT. JOHN SMITH KNOWS IT's A
t GOLD BRICK... e
P| THAT'S WORTHLESS
SR ROCK! THE ONLY .
HH GOLD IN VIRGINIA WILL
f COME FROM THE SWEAT Na
OF YOUR BROW AND
LY aur we a10... FOR CAPTAIN smimH HELD A Gun |
BON HIN). ‘
@ENEATH A GENTLE:
MAN... 1 WON'T!
Le al OF YOUR:
ALL MEN OF WHATEVER 4
| NATION ARE WELCOME HERE, 1
I BE. THEY. BAPT! iere: OR PROTESTANTS.) WeERDS
f JEWS OR TURKS!
Ow! My HAND'S BLISTERED!
I'LL» REPORT YOU TO ENGLAND
FOR THIS, CAPTAIN SMITH !
REPORT
Away! :
THOSE WHO
BON'T WORKS
Don'T car! F
AND HIS SOUL;
Too! THE VERY
IR SMELLS OF
ae
VHear vel HEAR yer
N | iF THERE BE ANY
POOR AMONG YE,
