ELECTRICAL UNION NEWS
GE Workers Won 6 Day Strike Here in 1913;
Mayor Lunn Aided Strikers, Protected Pickets
The strike of 15,000 workers representing 14 unions at the Schenectady GE
plant was the leading story in a copy of the Nov. 29, 1913 Knickerbocker Press
which Michael Tedisco, 301 Board member, recently turned over to the EU News.
Settlement of the six-day strike was
expected by nightfall, the Albany paper
stated. The workers walked out because
the company laid-off two union organ-
izers, Fyvank Dujay and Mabel Leslie, and
because GE officials failed to show up
at a meeting with the workers’ com-
mittee to discuss the grievance. ;
Further research among old files of
the paper showed that the strike was
settled as predicted, Saturday night, with
a real victory for the unions. Bujay and
Miss Leslie were reinstated at their same
rate of pay and the workers marched
triumphantly back to their jobs Monday.
Mayor Protected Strikers. :
George R. Lunn, then mayor of Sche-
nectady, played an important part in
settling.the strike. He had been elected
to office on the Socialist ticket ‘against
Democratic and Republican candidates,
with active labor support.
The day the strike started, Mayor
Lunn issued a statement that the pickets
would be given every legal protection.
“There is too common an impression -
abroad,” he said, “that when employees
go out on strike they lose all their rights
as citizens. In this struggle we shall pre-
serve for them, so far as we are able,’
every legal right.” .
He pointed out that pickets had a-right
“peacefully to persuade any employees
desiring to return not to do so,” and
“peacefully to persuade any men who
have gone to work to leave the shop and
join the strikers.” —~ o
(Thirty union men and one woman
were sworn in as special police officers
to protect the strikers).
‘Epoch-Making’ Statement
Mayor Lunn-also stated:
"It is a duty which we shall cheerfully
fulfill to see that provision is made for
all cases of need. Not a.single person of
whom I shall have knowledge shall suffer
for lack of food or clothing while I am
mayor. ‘
“The city funds will not be spared in
alleviating suffering through lack of food
ov clothing.”
The Knickerbocker Press news story
suid, “The mayor's statement is con-
sidered ¢poch-making as coming from a
chief executive in time of strike. It is a
guarantee to the workers that .the city
will spend. any amount of its funds to
prevent want among the workers, and
is the first divect result of the mayor’s
conviction that a city is responsible first
and last to its residents.” ~ oo
i
_ Newsreel
SM ENE 9
Said Congressman Kearney, ‘By Heck
This PAC is a pain in the neck!
tlow on earth can | win
“When those dollars roll in . .
Something tells me my future's a wreck!"
Women Active in Strike
After the strike was won, Mayor Lunn
and Mrs. Ella Reeves Bloor, then an or-
ganizer for the American Federation of
Labor, were speakers at a meeting of
women workers. (Mrs. Bloor is now a
Communist leader), Mayor Lunn told
them the fact the women stood solidly
together was largely responsible for
winning the fight. Mrs. Bloor said. “In
no other city that I know would an ad-
ministration stand behind the strikers
as this administration has done.”
The Knickerbocker Press said she took
the lead in getting 500 girls, including
non-union workers, to walk out when the
strike signal was given Nov. 25. She had
entered the plant early in the morning |
with a package that looked. like a lunch .
hag, so that management mistook her
for an employee. :
Old-timers at GE remember that the
1918 strike was one of the rare occasions~
when. the workers won a fight against
the company, before 1986 when UE be-
came established. All earlier organizing
efforts failed or were crushed by the
company.
EU News will welcome any factual
material, old clippings or records, on
early organizing efforts at the plant.
Whoops! . '
The price of a pint of milk at the
Schenectady GE cafeterias was raised
again this week. Now it’s 18 cents in-
stead of 12 cents. :
Peterson..Warns Stewards
Against Union Disrupters
A‘ter reporting on the Un-American
Committee hearings and the attempts of
Saivatore Vottis to smear the union by
his testimony, President Andrew: Peter-
son warned the shop stewards’ ‘meeting
Tuesday night against “a group of peo-
ple in this union. who are trying to create
disunity and. bad public relations.”
Peterson said, “Vottis was put out by
the membership and that’s what happens
to people who work for outside. inter-
> ests.”
Referring to the. group trying to dis-
runt the local today he said:
“This group calls itself the Committee
for Democratic Action. It will not sue-
ceed any more, than Vottis succeeded. A
man who does an honest job of standing
up to the employer will be called a Com-
munist or an anarchist.
“If you want to hold méetings, hold
them in this hall, not in cellars’ with
people who have been thrown out of this
union,
not doing his job, we have democratic
elections and you can vote someone else
in. But when officers ‘are elected, sup-
port them.”
Peterson said all the people,.attacked
by Vottis had done fine work for the
union and that to charge any of them
with serving the interests of a foreign
power “is a damnable lie.”
45 Women Get
Raises in AER
The anticipated earning rate, and
therefore the timing rates on which
prices are based, were raised this week
for about 45 women workers in Bldgs.
69, 81, and 285, as the indirect result of
the grievance filed by Local 301 late last
year over discrimination against women
on piece work jobs.
The main dispute over the women’s
AER remains unsettled at the national
level, with the company still refusing to
arbitrate, But in the meantime specific
jobs were examined and the company
_ “say to this little group of people,
don’t disrupt this local. If Peterson is
\
agreed that the 45 women in question
were rated too low. The jobs involved
were under Foreman Diaz and Kahler
in Bldg. 81, Foreman Locke in 69, and
Foreman Becker in 865. The AER’s and
timing rates were raised by six cents,
eight cents, and in one case, covering a
small group, by 17 cents.
The increases will mean many present
piece work prices being raised, as well
as future prices,
THE VOICE OF LOCAL 301 = - - UE Re&MW.A = - CLO.
Vol. 5— No. 30
SCHENECTADY, NEW YORK
Aug. 15,1947
GE Turbine
len Refuse Overtime
Considering the Turbine Speed-Up
Meet After Male ~
Insists on Short Shift
The, Turbine Division membership of
Local 301 this week countered the com-
pany’s plan for a shift of 74% hours
aaily, with a decision to refuse all over-
time work until the company works out
a satisfactory schedule with the union.
* ‘Lhe proposal had been foreshadowed in
rank-and-tile expressions in.the poll tak-
en by the Turbine stewards. The mo-:
tion to refuse overtime came from the
floor ~-of-the “membership meetings. If
Close-up of one row in the big Turbine Day Shift members’ mecting-Monday which
voted to refuse overtime over the current shift dispute.
Battle of Mirrors \\
Won in Building 12
The battle of the mirrors in Building
12 ended happily, just as this paper was
going to press, when A. C. Stevens, as-
sistant to the genetal superintendent,
agreed to install mirrors for the groups
of women involved. Before-that a fore«
man’s severe taste had the women won-
dering what would come next,
The group was engaged in taping and
had been in Building 14, There they had
kept a few looking-glasses posted on
lockers, because theix work is dirty and
they wanted to wipe an _ occasional
smudge off their faces. Everybody seem-
ed to agree it was good for the morale
of the men as well as the women.
But the group were moved-to Building
12, Along came Foreman Owens, and
ordered the mirrors taken down the other
day. G. A. Weightman, the shop stew-
‘ard, argued against the order as silly,
but got nowhere. The foreman thought
the mirrors detracted from the color
scheme of his department.
At first the company labor relations
office backed up the foreman, but Stev-
ens decided otherwise,
Ss
Company Refuses Week's Pay’
Due on Lay-Off Notice
Louis Male, general superintendent,
on Tuesday refused to pay five men who
were laid-off in Building 69 in May, and
given other jobs, the week’s pay at their
old rate to which they were entitled un-
der the contract provision for one week’s
notice.
“* Male contended the provision did not
apply because the men were transferred.
The contract clearly makes such a trans-
fer a lay-off requiring the week’s notice.
Business Agent Leo Jandreau will rec-
ommend to the Executive Board that the
case be taken to the national level.
Members' Meeting Will
Elect CIO Delegates
Delegates to the New York State
Convention of the CIO will be
elected at the regular’ monthly
membership of Local 801, to be held:
at the union hall at 7:80 P.M. Tues-
day (August 19).
The State CIO Convention is
scheduled for September 4, 5, and ‘6.
at Savatoga Springs.
oe
was carried unaniiaeusly at the Day
Shift meeting Monday. There was one
dissenting vote at the Second Shift meet-
ing Tuesday.
The meetings came soon after Louis
Male, general superintendent, told the
Turbine committee of stewards that the |
company would insist on its 71-hour
shift, .
For Protection of All
Discussion in the meetings emphasized
that the action was by all division mem-
bers for the protection of all. Members
still on eight-hour shifts stressed that:
they felt involved "just as much as those
now cut to 7% hours.
The action was conimunicated to Louis
Male, general superintendent, by Local
301 President Andrew Peterson. His
letter concluded: ; ,
‘Tf you wish at any time to meet to
attempt to work out a new solution to
this problem, we shall always. be ready
for such-a discussion.” ;
The members’ complaint against the
Turbine program of speed-up was plac-
ed before the community by Board Mem-
ber William A. Stewart over the radio
on the Local 301 program Monday on
WSNY, and in advertisements by the
Turbine stewards in newspapers here and
in surrounding communities last Friday.
Stewart on Radio
Questioned on the radio by Milo Lath-
rop, Brother Stewart said, in part:
“We feel that the management is try-
ing to turn out eight hours of work in
7% hours — in other words, they want
to pay for only 744 hours, but’ they will
expect the same or more production than
(Continued on Page 4)
Aug. 15, 1947
Union Presses Point
On Upgrading Set-up
Local 301 is continuing its discussions
with the local GE management over the
question of upgrading employees with
seniority before hiring new people for
the higher-rated jobs.
While the company has repeatedly ac-
cepted the principle, it has not been ap-.
plied. The personnel department claims
to be under no obligation to look for
qualified people in the plant, even where
such people already did the better work
and were demoted for lack of work. The
personnel men take the position that it
is up’ to the individual worker to show:
‘Gnitiative’ in approaching his foreman:
as to better work for which he would
. qualify. :
But men who have shown such initia-
tive have met with considerable difficulty
getting transferred.
Members who feel qualified for better”
jobs_should. get_in_touch with their fore-_.|...
men, If they have reason to believe such
jobs are being filled with people with
less seniority, they should ask - their
steward to file a grievance, ‘
Win Raise for Three \
Reclassification and five-cent raises
were won for three out of a group of five
machinists ‘in Building 68, when Presi-
dent Andrew Peterson met with General
Superintendent Louis Male Tuesday. The
grievance had been raised in connection
with the Machinists’ case but was separ-
ated from it when the company claimed
that the men were largely on production.
The machinists’ case did not cover pro-
duction machinists.
Still the ''Free"' Press
.. The. Toledo Blade, one of. the. oldest
papers in Ohio, removed Eleanor Coak-
ley, president of the Toledo Newspaper
Guild, from her reporter’s job after her
election as an officer of the Toledo CIO
Council, She was given a job in the
paper’s library. The Newspaper Guild
and other CIO unions are fighting the
demotion.
ELECTRICAL UNION NEWS
Unrrep Exzcrtrican, Rapio & MACHINE
Workers or America, CIO
Sanzneorapy GE Looau 301
aeRB>
Published by the Editorial Committee
‘ William Templeton, Chairman
Mary McCartin, Seerstary
Willard Kuschel Victor Pasche
7 Leland Sisto
Editorial Office, - Electrical Union News
301 Liberty St. - Schenectady, N. Y..
Telephone. 3-1386 |
Leeman I CHENECTADY PRINTING CO. ING,
ELECTRICAL UNION NEWS
nen
i A
Ci,
wt NEWS SeAVICd
).PULUG
MPG. CO.
PERSONNEL
DEPARTMENT
Its our new ‘fime-ctady experh..
NY
ot Oe ben
oo is
union office.
Gift to Rem-Rand Workers
The Executive Board voted last week to
give another $1,000 to the Remington
Rand strike fund from the amount ap-
propriated by the last membership meet-
ing. The UE strikers won their six-week
fight and have returned to work with a
pay raise and six paid holidays, but still
~have..heavy...strike...expenses..and.. relief
costs to pay off. .
Day for Appeals
The 801 Grievance Committee meets
at 4 p.m. every Friday at the union hall
to hear the complaint of any member
dissatisfied with the way a grievance has
been handled. Appeals of second shift
workers are heard at 1 p.m.
Glasses Found
A pair of glasses was found on the
sirewalk outside 801 hall after last week’s
Stewards Council meeting. The case had
the label Dx. A. Milstein, New York City.
The owner can claim the glasses at the
PROTECT THE UNION CONTRACT
Amended Constitution
Printed; Copies at Hall
The constitution of Local 301, which
was: amended in many parts at the May
membership meeting, has . been ..printed
and will be available to the members be-
ginning next week. You can get a copy
at the union office or you can ask your
steward'to get one for you.
The Constitution committee, whose
recommendations were adopted in amend-
ing the. constitution, included Edward
Wallingford, Bldg. 60, chairman; Blanch-
ard Mowers, 77, secretary; Frank Ems-
pak, 46, Roy Lash, 60, and George Walk-
er, 77.
See a CIO Insurance Man
A plan to encourage union members
to buy insurance only. through CIO mem-
bers has been announced by the Capital
District Industrial Union Council. The
plan calls for supplying all unions. with
a list of insurance agents who are mem-
bers of the UOPWA-CIO. At present -
there are CIO agents working for the
John: Hancock and Prudential companies: ~~
in this area.
August 15, 1947
ELECTRICAL UNION NEWS
3
Nixon Makes Check
On Voting Records
“A Congress that overwhelmingly
votes for the Taft-Hartley bill can’t be
expected to develop a foreign policy for
America whichis in the best interests
of the people of the world.”
This recent statement by UE Secre-
tary-Treasurer Julius Emspak set Russ
Nixon, UE Washing-
ton representative,
to counting votes.
“I made a check’
of the voting record
of the Senate and
House Foreign Af-
fairs Committees”,
Nixon reported.
“These committees
do the real job on
our foreign policy.
We received one vote (Senator Barkley,
Ky.) against the Taft-Hartley Bill from
Russ Nixon
_.the 13 Republican and Democratic mem-_
bers of the Senate. Committee. Out of
the 23 members of the House Foreign
Affairs Committee only 7 voted to up-
hold the Taft-Hartley Bill veto.
“These are the committees deciding
whether to maintain friendly relations *
with the Soviet Union and the post-war
pro-labor, anti-fascist regimes in Europe.
They decide whether to listen to the
people or to big business seeking to pro-
tect and expand its international invest-
ments. Just as they heed the NAM lobby”
on the labor bill, these committees and
the majority of Congress listen to the
Big Business lobby in foreign affairs.”
Southern Wage Differential
Reversed for GE Carpenters
Reversing the usual Southern wage
differential, GM héve has one set of car-
penter rates in Grounds and Buildings
(Building 107) in the Southern part of
the works, and another set ten cents an
hour lower in Office Service (Building
23) at the Northern end.
Louis Male, general superintendent,
defended the differential when the case
of four carpenters in Building 23 came
before him as grievance Tuesday. He
claimed there was a difference in the
worl,
President Andrew Peterson argued
that an “A” carpenter is an “A” car
penter, and will ask the Executive Board
to send the case to New York for dis-
eussion.
National CIO Broadcast
. The national. CIO. radio program is at
6:45 p.m. every Saturday over WOKO.
GE’s Shreve Threatens Worse Than Taft-Hartley; -
C. of C: Head Directs Red-Baiting Drive on Labor
__ Earl O. Shreve, new U. S. Chamber of Commerce president, threatened labor
with legislation even worse than the Taft-Hartley law during his triumphal return
to Schenectady last week. Shreve, a GI vice-president, is on leave of absence to
handle the Chamber of Commerce job.
The Union-Star Aug, 6, reporting an
interview with him, stated that accord-
ing to Shreve “If some labor leaders con-
‘tinue their present efforts to discredit
and circumvent the Taft-Hartley. act,
they may force even more drastic legis-
lation.” :
Shreve also complained to the Union-
Star about “unscrupulous labor leaders”
exploiting the workers. He blamed labor
for the housing shortage and urged “in-
creased productivity” to maintain a high
standard of living in the United Stated.
What “Increased Productivity” Means
(In GE language “increased productiv-
ity” ‘usually means speed-up. . Take the
carboloy tool dispute, for instance. GH
won't admit that a worker whose pro-
_.duetion...inereases—should.. make higher...
earnings.) =
At the big banquet given for him,
Shreve was introduced as “the man who
sets the policy of American business at
home and abroad.” Shreve spoke against
. taxes which “hobble American enterprise
when the incentive to increase produc-
tion and improve management should be
strongest.”
Before he arrived here, the Gazette
ran a drooling editorial, “Welcome Visi-
tor”, praising Shreve. |
“He will be welcomed enthusiastical-
ly,” the Gazette gushed. (Editor John E.
N. Hume, Jr. of the Gazette is the son
of GE Vice-president Hume.)
Chamber’s “Red” Pamphlet
One of Shreve’s jobs as Chamber of
Commerce head is to see that the coun-
try is deluged with the C. of C. pamph-
let, “Communists within the Labor Move-*
ment.” This red-baiting booklet, printed
this year, instructs employers in stalling
collective. bargaining, preventing union
organization, disrupting and smashing
unions. «At the time-it.was written, there
had to be at least a pretense of acting
within the structure of the Wagner Act.
Therefore. the emphasis was ‘on how t
attack unions and-union leaders and still
be legal—or not get caught.
But now that the Taft-Hartley law is
in effect; employers can move right out
-in the open in achieving the aims of the
book.
GE has supplied its foremen with
pocket-size editions of the book. .The
Schenectady foremen have had theirs for
some weeks now.
-Male Pays Memorial Day “.
Claims 'Without Precedent"
Louis Male, general superintendent,
agreed on Tuesday to pay the remaining
pending cases of disputed holiday pay
for Memorial Day, with the exception of
one man who did not work during the
week.
Male told President Andrew, Peterson
that he would order payment because he
felt that supervision had not given the
workers adequate notice of holiday re-
quirements before Memorial Day. He.
said he wanted it “distinctly understood”
that he was not setting a precedent.
Leaving early the day before a holi-
day, without specifie permission, or re-
turning late after a holiday without good
reason, may result in losing holiday pay.
More Contracts Ordered
The demand for copies of the 1947 GE-
UE contract has been so heavy that
Local 801 has ordered a third lot of
5,000: Every. member is entitled to get
one. Ask your shop steward today, if
you haven’t obtained yours yet.
MAKE YOUR SHOP 100% UB
Jandreau Back at Hall
Business Agent
Leo Jandreau has":
virtually recovered
from the serious ill-
ness which developed
_late in June. He
‘came to work at the
801 hall Monday, but
is still under doc-
tor’s orders.
He will be at the
membership meeting
Tuesday night.
Leo Jandreau
Meetings for Absent Stewards
The series of section meetings of stew-
ards to discuss their work under the new
contract and their problems under the
Taft-Hartley Jaw was concluded last
Friday, but additional meetings will be
called shortly for stewards who missed
the meetings because of vacations. The
meetings were ordered by the. executive
Boned, pees ee ee
