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ELECTRICAL UNION NEWS
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“May 23, 1946
GE Asks $10,000,000
From U. $. Government
The General Flectrie Co. has put in
its bill for $10,000,000 to the U. S. gov-
ernment for business losses suffered
this year. :
Under the “earry-back” provision of
the federal tax law, GE and other cor-.
porations which cleaned up huge profit
on war contracts are guaranteea profits
in the post-war period too.
Unele Sam guarantees them at least
the same amount of profit they made in
1939-1941, That makes it perfectly safe
for the corporations to keep guods off
the markets to wait for highes prices, to
foree strikes, or to do whatever else
they please.
ClO Council
Meets Tonight
Officers will be nominated and eleet-
ed by the Capitol District Industrial
Union- Council, CIO, at a meeling at 8
pm. tonight (Thursday, May 28) at
ClO Hall, Frank T. Murphy president
of the Council -and president of the
UAW loeal utethe Fora plant at Green
Island, will preside.
The election was postponed from
April to give Local 801, the Steel Work-
ers and other unions a chance to elect
their new delegates.
The delegates will vote tonight on a
proposal to raise the per capita to per-
mit the Council to inerease its activi-
ties, At present there is no full-time
officer or employe of the Council.
White Collar Workers
Vote for UE, 20 to 6
Office workers of the General Elee-
trie founary at Elmira voted for the UE
as their bargaining agent at a labor
board eleetion this month,
Out of 80 employes eligible to vote,
20 vated for Ul, six voted “no union”
and one vote was challenged.
That's another victory for the or-
ganiazing drive of District 8, UE.
STARTING RIGHT
The CIO headquarters in the 18th
Ward was used recently on two occas-
.ions for showers for newlyweds. The
Tndependent Citizens Committee, of the
ward deciaed the parties were fine ideas
—reminders there should be a little po-
litical action in every home.
City Council Might As Well Give In Now
These baseball players
of the 10th Ward have
joined the campaig1 of
the Independent Citi-
,zen's Committee to get
a ball. diamon. ° and
‘play space in Hilihurst
Park. Above are Fred
Saccocio, left, captain
of the Euclid Tigers,
and Jack Hamilton,
right, captain of the
Hillhurst Red Sox. Be-
low, Eddie De Lorenzo,
captain of the Bellevue
Mohawks,
Favor Dues Increase
The District 8 conference of UE re-
cently recommended that all © locals
raise their dues to $1.50 a month, The
conference also voted in favor of an
increase of five cents in the national UE
per capita and in the district per capita,
Union Tackles GE
On Discrimination
The Local 301 office has gone to bat
with the GE management-over a case
which the union charges: is a clearcut
example of racial discrimination,
Three workers were sent recently to-
wether to Bldg. 1. They had approxi-
mately the same service (six years) and
approximately the same qualifications,
The first person interviewed -at Blcg.
1, a Negro, was told by the GE repre-
sentative there was no. work available,
—not even a laborer’s job,
The second person, a white man, was
given his choice of two jobs by the in-
terviewer and was put to work.
The third person, a Negro, was told
there wasn’t any kind of job open.
Head Ward Clubs
Two UE members have been elected
temporary officers of the joint 7th and
13th Wards clubs of the Independent
Citizens Committee. Rudie Ellis, re-
cently returned veteran, is temporary
chairman and Mrs. Antoinette Daley,
temporary secretary.
Continue GE Talks |
_ Nothing new yet from the GE con-
tract negotiating sessions. The meet-
ings were resumed Tuesday after a 10
day recess. °
(te
+ By ege eee Tt
er: co pe ge &
en oe ae tt? OLEH ony nie Rt ame mcemels o
Vol. III—No. 19
SCHENECTADY, NEW YORK
May 30, 1946
Leads Fight on Anti-Strike Bill
Local Unions Answer Call For Action,
Map Radio, Telegram, Post Card Drive
CIO unions in Schenectady res ied j i
| : , : } ponced swiftly to the danger signal of
President. Truman's proposal for “emergency” anti-strike legislation by taking
the leadership in rallying wide community and labor support in a fight: against
Vote on Dues
Ends May 31.
The process of canvassing the mem-
bership of Local 801-on the proposed in-
crease of dues to $1.50 a month will end
tomorrow night (Friday, May 31).
Although many petitions are still cut,
reports of committeemen indicate that
a majority of the union members will
be on record in favor of the $1.50 dues
by closing time.
Uncer the motion passed at the spec-
ial membership meeting May 21,” the
$1.50 rate will be automatically adopted:
if a majority of the union members sign
the petitions authorizing proxy votes
in favor of the dues increase by the end
of May. .
(Continued on Page 2)
Union Officials
Wire Truman
Albert J, Fitzgerald, president,
and Julius Emspak, general secre-
tury-treasurer, UERMWA, tele-
graphed the following message to
President Truman in protest
against his anti-labor bill.
“Our Union wishes to state its
strongest opposition to emergency
legislation proposed to the Con-
gress by you which would destroy
the freedom of the American peo-
ple.
“We fought and won the war
without such legislation. The
peace will be lost if such legisla-
tion is passed, Instead of repres-
sive laws against the people, we
eall upon you to carry forward the
program for peace and security of
Franklin D. Roosevelt.”
The telegram also urged Presi-
dent Truman to oppose the Case
bill and to veto it if it passes Con-
gress.
the measure,
Observe Contract
Seniority Rules
Union Tells GE
Now that the United States Supreme
Court has ruled veterans do not have
super-geniority, Local 301 has informed
the Schenectady GE management by
letter that the union expects the com-
pany. to comply at once with the senior-
ity clauses of the contract.
The GE has “bumped” long-term em-
ployes on the grounds that any veturn-—
“ing veteran, no matter how short his
employment time, has greater seniority
than any non-veteran employe.
Local 301 and its Veterans’ Commit-
tee held that the veteran is entitled to
seniority on the basis of his time with
the company plus his time in military
rervice,
The clearcut Supreme Court decision
stated: ,
“We would distort the language of
these provisions (selective service) if
we read it as granting the veteran an
increase in seniority over what he would
have had if he had never entered the
armed service,” .
In order to comply with the contract,
Leo Jandreau, business agent, pointed
‘out, the company musé reinstate all
employes dismissed or demoted in vio-
lation of their seniority rights.
District 3 Delegates
The May @1 membership meeting of
Local 801 elected the following dele-
gates to the District 8 Council: Leo
Jandreau, William Mastriani, Andrew
Peterson, William Kelly and Roy Lash.
All except Kelly served during the past
year,
Meeting in special session at CIO Hall
“Monday,” leaders a teemen of
Local 301 and representatives of the
Steel Workers, the Transport Workers
and the Laundry Workers mapped a
Vigorous campaign to combat the anti-
labor hysteria.
They passed a resolution condemn-
ing the Truman bill and the Case bill
and calling on union members and the
public to write and wire the President,
Senators and Congressmen against the
“legislation.
The resolution called attention to the
magnificent, war production record of
the Schenectady unions and of labor in
general.
Tt. called on -President Truman to
abandon his present dangerous course
and return to the program and policies”
of Franklin D. Roosevelt.
Plans were made at the meeting for
(Continued on Page 2)
Jandreau Reports
Progress with GE
The negotiating committee of
UE is “making progress with the
company” in the GI contract ses-
sions, Leo Jandreau, business
agent of Local 301, has reported.
Negotiations were adjourned
last Friday until after Memorial
Day. They will be resumed Tues-.
day, June 4,
“As a result of our last meeting
I can say definitely that progress
has been made,” Jandreau said.
"In a short time I hope I can re-
port complete settlement of the
contract negotiations,”
canes tees.
ELECTRICAL UNION NEWS
May 30, 1946
ELECTRICAL UNION NEWS -
Unirep Exgcrricat, Rapio & Macuine
Workers. or America,-C IO
Scuenectany GE Locaz 301
ee
Published by the Editorial Committee
Dewcy Brashear Ray Flanigan
Milo Lathrop Fay Marvin
William Mastriani
Editorial Office » Electrical Union News
301 Liberty St. - Schenectady, N. Y.
SCHENECTADY, PRINTING COv INC.
CIO Leads Fight |
On Anti-Strike Bill
(Continued from Page 1)
immediate distribution of thousands of
eards to workers in, Schenectady shops.
The cards are to be mailed to President
Truman in protest against the anti-
labor, anti-strike legislation. .
The union representatives voted to
take as much radio time as possible to
arouse public interest in the campaign
to defeat repressive legislation,
Steps were taken to enlist cooperation
of AFL and railway unions in the city
and to reach civie groups.
“This may be the blackest hour in
the history of our country,” Leo Jan-
dreau, business: agent of Local 301
said.
“The strike-contro! bill recommended
by President Truman threatens nearly
every liberty which the common people
have won since the Revolutionary War.
‘Tt is the legislation which the Nation-
al Association of Manufacturers, the
Wall St. gang, the railway magnates
and the General Electric have been
working for.”
New Committeemen
Shop committeemen sworn in at the
membership meeting May 21 were:
Sam De Cesare.........c. seen Bldg. 29
Philip Bubb -...2... eee Bldg. 107
James J. Cognetta .................Bldg. 62:
Earl G, Barnhart..............0.Bldg. 58
Frank ©. Kriss... eee Bldg. 105
Joseph Giannetti_.w
Publish Paper
The Office Workers Organizing Com-
mittee has reported that its news sheet,
Office Digest, met a good reception
among GE white-collar workers and that
the next issue is in the offing.
The office workers are planning to
enter a candidate in the Local 801 Field
Day-queen contest. ; wh
Gas Ban Lifted,
GE Lay-offs Stop
The General Electric Co. notified. the
union Monday that the New York Pow-
er and Light Corp. had lifted the sud-
den ban it placed on use of industrial
gas. Employes laid off as a result of
_ the ban were recalled to work.
.When the ban was imposed without:
warning, the GE laid off 650 to 700
workers, chiefly in the porcelain and -
punch press cepartments, last Friday.
Some second and third shift workers
were sent home when they reported for
work Friday and other employes were
told they would be laid off Monday.
The GE told the union that continu-
ation of the ban on industrial gas would
make the layoffs amount to 2,000 within
a short time and would affect various
parts of the plant.
t
_Anti-Strike Bill
Threatens Labor
Here’s what the Truman anti-strike
bill means:
It is a clearcut violation of the right
to: strike,
Collective bargaining and even the
right to advocate a strike are placed at
the discretion of the government in in-
dustries where the President declares a
“national emergency’ exists.
The Norris-La Guardia Act which
banned federal anti-labor injunctions
would be set aside by this bill.
The Wagner Act and practically all
other New Deal labor’ legislation are
made useless in the industries involved.
The bill would abolish seniority rights
of strikers.
It permits firing strikers who do not
submit to forced labor.
It would draft strikers into the arm-
‘ed forces.
Vote on Dues
Ends May 31
(Continued from Page 1)
_ It, was, moved and seconded . at the
membership meeting to adopt the rec-
“ommendation of the Executive. Board
and of the Constitution Committee for
the dues raise.
Sid Friedlander amended the motion
to provide that the increase should take
effect at such time as a-majezity of the
members have signed the petitions for
the increase.
_ He pointed out that the membership
nieeting itself had the power to vote the
«dues inerease, but that in the interest
of getting as broad ana democratic a
vote as possible committeemen were
giving all the people. in the shops the
chance to cast proxy votes. About 5,000
signatures had been handed in by the
time of the meeting.
‘William Hodges added a_ second
amendment to have the increase. effec-
tive if the majority vote was obtained
by the end of May.
“There’s no need to stretch this out,”
he said. ‘People will know by then
how they stand and will have a chance
to vote.”
He reported that 66% of his own shop
had already supported the increase.
Friedlander said the Hodges amend-
ment was satisfactory to him and the
motion was passed as amended.
It was pointed out during the meet.
ing that the General Electric Co. has
shown a keen interest in the dues in-
crease proposal. It tried to crack down
on the distribution of the petitions in
the shops, although it has not attempted
to interfere in the past with other types
of petition. :
Three Girls Enter
Contest for Queen
The first three entries in the contest
for queen of the Local 301 field day are
Marie Sweeney, Bldg. 69-8, industrial
control department; Sophie A. Pajak,
Bldg. 14, punch press section; and Gene-
vieve Puglia, Bldg. 58-8, test depart.
ment.
Foster Campbell, chairman of the
Activities Committee: in charge of the
field day program June 80 at Pete-and
Sally’s Grove, is-assisted by Lucy Swat-
ling, secretary, and Harold Claus, treas-
urer,
Any girl working at GEE is eligible to
tun for queen, Each ticket sold in a
“girl’s name ‘entitles her to 50 points, —
May 30, -1946
ELECTRICAL UNION NEWS
Good News ~— Orders for Week's Lay-Off Are Cancelled
When approximately 30 women and three returned G.L.’s re-
ceived notices recently that they were ta be laid-off for a.
week for going to the wash rooms five: minutes before closing
time, the union took up the grievances at once, Results. The
lay-off orders were revoked and warning notices removed.
Here are some of the group when they got the good news, All
Josephine Alberti.
of them are coil winders in Bldg. 14. Front row, left to right,
Martha Gordon, Hedwig Miller, Beatrice Andrews, Elsie M.
Jarek, Sol Goodman, Sophie Pajak, Josephine Fowler and
Rear, left to right, Mary Predel, Molly
Bornfield,. Josephine Frese, Marion Simmons, Marcia C. De
Sorbo, Rose Matarazzo, Violet Hatdergot and Harriet Coton.
Here's Only Reason Kearney Didn’t Vote
For Anti-Strike
ll—HE WASN'T THERE —
“Tf I were in Washington I would have voted for the Truman bill.” That's
the flat statement which Representative Bernard W, Kearney (who represents
Schenectady in Congress) made to the officials and Board of Local 3801 at a con-
ference in the State Armory Monday.
Invited to attend the emergency un-
ion meeting at CIO Hall, Congressman
Kearney said he had an engagement,
but countered with a statement that he
would meet the union reprsentatives at
the Armory.
The union men asked him if he would
go on record that labor in his congres-
sional district had a splendid war pro-
duction record and by its actions has
given no justification for such repres-
sive measures as the. Truman or: Case
bills. ; ;
Kearney refused,
The only concession. that he made
during the entire talk was to say that
when he returns to Washington he will
“look over” the Case bill, now before
the Senate. GENES Bete SEES
Union Calendar
Tomorrow, Friday, May 31—
Shop meeting under board mem-
ber John Boyle.
Monday, June
Committee meeting.
Tuesday, June 4——Regular com~
mitteemen’s meeting.
June 10-—Activities Committee
meeting,
38—-Activities
Union leaders told him that his at-
titude could only be interpreted as anti-
labor and that his voting record in Con-
gress has been equally unsatisfactory,
Veterans Break Rules,
Ask Kearney Questions
A few hours after Representative
‘Bernard W, Kearney was taken to task
Monday by Local 801 leaders for his
anti-union stand on legislation, he tang-
led with returned veterans of UE and
Steel Workers at a meeting of Veterans
of World War II in Schenectady.
After talking on technicalities of Vet-
erans Administration procedure, Kear-
ney was asked a few questions about
his stand on OPA, on veterans housing
and on labor.
When he asserted he has never voted
for any bill which could be called re-
pressive by labor or by veterans, the
questioners had plenty more questions
Kearney ducked direct answers and
went back to “safe, non-controversial
generalities. ee
The Schenectady Gazette disposed of
this part of the program by calling it
“a somewhat disorderly question and
answer period,”
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