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‘Six Appeals in Compensation
To Be Argued Next Week =
Appeals have been taken by injured workers and the
General Electric Company or the Special Fund in six cases
which were decided by a referee récently. These cases are to
be argued next week before a panel of three members of the
Workmen’s Compensation Board. Attorneys for both sides
have filed briefs in each of the six cases.
Silicosis Victim’s Case on Appeal
The case of Joseph Cermak, a
porcelain worker for 40 years, who
contracted. silicosis of the lungs in
January, 1956 was appealed by the
G.Ey Company. As in all’ cases of
workers who have been totally dis-
abled by silicosis, the Company
was ordered to pay compensation
for five years. After the first five
years tlie Company was relieved of
any further responsibility as 1e-
quired by law and the Special Fund
was ordered to pay compensation
for the“balance of the - injured
worker's life.. The Company ap-
pealed from this decision claiming
that it wasventitled to.an addition-
al.-three years relief from pay-
ments owing to the fact that when
it hired Cermak he had a serious
affliction, being a deaf mute. This
additional relief was sought on the
basis that. when an employer hires
a worker already partially. disabled
who becomes even further disabled
by an accident in the plant, the em-
- ployer iss given special relief al-
lowing him to pay only two years’
compensation following. which the
Special-Fund pays for the rest of
the worker’s life. Although the
Company’s appeal, will not serious-
ly affect Cermak’s right to com-
pensation it does, in the meantime,
while the appeal is pending, sus-
pend Cermak’s weekly benefits un
til the appeal is decided. All pay-
ments thereafter will be retroac-'
tive.
Two Death Claims Appealed
By Union’s Lawyer
Two elaims’ filed by the widows
of deceased workers claiming that
the death of these workers was in
some way connected with their
work or injuries were decided by
a referee in favor of the Company.
Both of these will be argued before
the panel next week.
The first of these involves. the
death of Antonio Tommasone who |
died in the hospital a day or two
before “he was about to ‘he dis-
charged from a hernia operation,
During his. lifetime, Tommasone,
who had worked as a lift truck ops ;
erator in Building 46, had sustain-
ed’a hernia but made no elaim for
compensation henclits. About 9
years later he went in for an op-
eration still making no claim for
compensation, He died before he
left the hospital. After his death,
his widow filed a claim on the
ground that he got the hernia from
heavy lifting and that the oper
tion sapped his strength causing
his death, Retired employees were
used as witnesses by the union's
lawyer, The referee decided ‘the
case against the widow. The un-
ion’s lawyer is arguing that au sue-
_ cessful case was made out for the
widow ‘and that. she: should « be
-awarded compensation for Hfe.
The. other death. case’ involved a
worker, Nicholas’; DeLucia, who
contracted a serious skin disease
/in 1943 while he was working as
a material handlersin Building 285.
Compensation was paid to him for
many years. Over thesé years De-
Lucia developed a crippling arth-
vitis and finally died from a weak-
ened heart. The union’s lawyer
presented the case on the theory
“that the chain. of events from the
serious skin condition to the heart
failure which caused the death was
closely related, It is on this basis
that an appeal was taken from the
decision of the referee which was
to the affect that there was’ no
casual relation between the death
and the skin condition,
Technical Defense Raised by
Special Fund as to Injured
Back
Another case, in which compen-
sation payments were awarded for
an injured back was appealed by
the Special Fund, Although ‘the
worker was an employee of G.E.,
the injury was mére. ‘than seven
yeurs old and became® a charge
against the Special Fund. Frank
Cainzzo;.whovis now living in Ari-
zona because of ill health, is being
represented by the union’s lawyer
in Caiazzo’s absence. The Special
Fund is denying that it has any
obligation to Caiazzo claiming that
the worker had not proved success-
fully that he had reeeived treat-
ment at the G.E. clinic up to. 1947.
On this technical defense, the Spe-
elal Fund would eseape liability.
The worker testified, however that
he did in fact receive treatments
up to 1947 at the Glinie. If the
degision in Caiazzo’s favor is up-
held, he will receive benefits while
he lives in Arizona,
Two Facial Sears Appealed
The Company and the union’s
lawyer each have appealed from
awards given to°two workers by-a
referee, The appeal taken by the
union’s lawyer involved Erich Puff
who, lacerated his forchead in
Building 40 when he was struck by
an elevator door, An award of
$500.00 was given hin but it was
felt that this award, in light of the
sear which remained, was entirely
too Inadequate. On the other hand,
the Company appealed from an
TOP OF THE LABOR NEWS
HOUSTON, Tex: (PAI)—Roy- Shipley, a former member of Local
185, National Federation of Post Office Clerks, has learned that the.many:
henefits of trade unionism come in unexpected packages.
Shipley, who had to quit his job when afflicted with muscular dystro-
phy several years ago, couldn’t manipulate his wheel chair in the sticky
terrain around his yard. His union brothers came to the rescue. His own
local furnished materials and Houston unions built a G0-foot smooth con
crete walk leading around the yard. ' wg .
* Pre | * ‘
WASHINGTON (PAI)—With some officials of the Federal Com-
munications Commission under charges of accepting payoffs from inter-
ests und‘ subjeet to pressure from the White House and elsewhere the
Washington Daily News had+this comment:
“Maybe FCC should set up an Ethical Practices Committee—like the
“AFL-CIO,” ;
+ eR He
COLUMBUS (PAI)—It seems. that the labor movement has done
such an excellent, job of pinning a “fraud” label on so-called “ight to
work” laws that the Ohio Chamber of Commerce -has deme up with an-
other title. ; : 4 : :
The new title is “I’reedom of Choice” which John R, Kooney, sect
tary-treasurer of the Ohio CIO Council, says is “simply an effort to come
-up with some more fancy language in another attempt to disguise its
campaign against unions and workers,” “=
. + a * a '
HOMESTEAD, Pa, (PAL)}—Anthony Vrabel, a long time member of
the Steelworkers, in a recorded interview for world broadeast by the
Voice of America, told the Voice’s Jabor editor Liston Oak, what the
union means to him,
“The union means job security,” he.declared. “The boss cannot fire
me without cause. It gives me financial security too. With my long years
of service 1 now ve an equity in a pension program the union won in
1949 and has-improved upon in the current contract with management,
“fe I get hurt, my union-won insurance program protects me, pro-
‘viding medical care and hospitalization and the services of a doctor. It
also provides that my family would get an income until 1 recovered and
was able to go back to work,”
Bldg. 50: The-group under Shop
Steward A, Simmons feel that the
job of clean (check R-14 weld) is
improperly evaluated, and they are
_ asking for an investigation.
IUE Local 301 handles thou-
sands of grievances’ at all levels
cach year, These are just a few
examples of cases, not settled at
steward-foreman level, to be procs
essed at management level,
Bldg. 49: The group under Shop
Steward J. O'Gorman are charging
Violation af the ‘wont’ under Ar-
ticle IIT, These conditions exist in ¢
Foreman Weston’s area; one viela- job from Bldg. 40-2. to Bldg, 18-4
tion is having one man work under These prices are being cut with no.
the turbine handling heavy plates’ change in method, The complainant
—there were previously two men ‘in the case is Edwin W. MeFarran
doing this work; the other viola- who works in Shop Steward 8.
tion is oil on the steep steel stairs Roberts’ group,
Witte gue Ne act inte the ae _ Bldg. 269: Lhe group under Shop
Mg pit, anc ° . _ Steward Jo Natonski feel that due
Budg. 273: The operators on the
8’ drill press, who are under Shop
“Steward A. Polsun, fecl that they
to the high skills and very long
period required to become a CloA
Tube Assembler, the rate on this
should be able to maintain their job-is too low. They are asking’
previous earnings after a time ., that this rate he incredsed to prop-
study, The Union is requesting erly compensate the people for this
that the Company. investigate. work, ’ . ;
: : Bldg. 285: The group of Wind-
award of $650.00 made to Warren eps under Shap Steward §. Boro-
Feathers of Building 278 on the — yieku feel that the only part of a
ground that it was excessive. 0 aie ae be, stuedice is ihe
eye te part afected hy a change in meth-
feathers was scarred on the fore.” | ie F
Feathers ote Bees On tn for ad, Thay believe: that since’ there
head when he avas struck hy is sufficient data on the unaffected
saddle handle of a boring machine, part from which to make a tuble,
'These-workers will appear hefore ihe Penipiny ee on ulate mo-
: ya, tive when it deliberately wastes
‘ ane. ’ 2 Ww Teview yap * , ig “
panel which will vew the ay the time of such valuable employ-
peals, ‘ues as time study men.
ae Re ee E
SEER Pere ees
PEE
= 7
ian :
stoner nates ens be SLATE AM SS Se aS NSEC VEL ota snore Lem cates WRUMERMRA Mtte le NW Pe
AFL-CIO
-... The Voice of GE Workers, Local 301, Schenectady, N.Y. -
Editor's Note: We expect. to carry a series of 3 Artiéles in answer to: Genéral Electric's propaganda that the’ . ;
° -.U.E. ‘contract. providing small annual wage increases is intlationary, We suggest’ you read these ore 0 ; e ;
Laid Off
» The Officers and the Placement
e
Vol. 4 — No. 31 May 16,.1958
vArticles carefully and discuss these tacts with your co-workers and friends in our Community,
Committee of the Union met with
<. tepresentatives of management on
o Is Causing Inflation i
C) It is strange today, with about 25,000 GE employees laid off, that GE is not concerned _ posed layoffs.
about what happens to them. It is worried only that if it provides employment security bene- We were informed by manage-
fits to its employees in our negotiations in September, it will.further contribute to inflation. nient that there will be about 800
In fact, says GE, the so-called “Better Living Program" that it boasted was its.own invention, more people laid off in our Bar-
‘is already inflationary,” . - ; gaining Unit by October. This will
Since GA has publicized this position wiaely to its employees and. reduce the number that we repre-
‘
the publi¢,;we should look at the facts and see what they really show.
For something to be ‘inflationary’, moans that it must have pushed
Half-Hour Fest:
sent. to about 12,000 “employees.
This is a shocking figure when you
think back to 1954, In that year
EES
ES
up prices substantially: ‘ ‘ea : . | ARE MOST "eae
Have GE. prices gone up substantially? They have! From 1949, the MANUFACTURERS *
year 1UE was formed, through 1957, GE average prices rose by 80.59%. DISHONEST ?
From 1955, when we signed our last contract, to 1957, GE prices rose Yes | No []
by an average of 15¢%. This is a sharp and inflationary increase. But Answer is “NO”, but the half-
_hat caused it? Was it the benefits we negotiated with GE? “Or was hour time is given for people to} ‘or depression;, however, we have
it greed for profits? remember those who are and \
(7), 1, WHO IS CAUSING INFLATION? Let's look at the period from | Pave been proven guilty in’
Outwer and see what happened over the history of LUE. courts-of; law.
» Without mentioning names, to
INCREASED «= 33.796 or 4.2% a year prevent embarrassment to the
obvious, we remind you of ‘thuse
companies who had world-wide
cartels to suppress competitors
and those companies who vig-
at the time of the N.L.R.B.»Elee-
tion, there were over 19,000 people
in our Bargaining Unit. The lay-
offs in the past 6 months are due
moving work out of Schenectady.
You might say we have had a
Production per employee Schenectady since 1954.
We asked the Company for a
breakdown on the 800 to come
out as to which departments they
would be coming from. They in-
(“Employce” means every person
employed by. the company: and in-
cludes salesmen, exacutives, clerks
and the vastly increased number
of scientists, engineers and technicians.)
; : : rules where the companies pros-
Productivity per production ecuted retailers who dared to
warker by our estimates “INCREASED 55% or 6.9% a year sell products for less than: the
: : “| Company said they could.
So remember well, that while
many manufacturers are creat-
ing anti-labor ‘hysteria with
their propaganda against all la- Gen, Eng, Lab
bor unions, they themselves Research Lab.
have been found guilty in courts M.A.C, 24
of law and convicted. f, S.4,.C, 13
Steam Turbine 30
Gas Turbine 60
L.M.&G. 29
S.R&U, ; ‘ 24
Power Tube - 12
Our problem now is to see that
project this to October, but they
could give us the breakdown for
the month of May. 210 people are
to be laid off in May and the break-
down is as follows: ‘
Light Military 10
. Insulated Materials - 3
3
2
An average’ production: worker who
in 1949 carned $1.49 had wages INCREASED A9.5% or OO a year
But his real wages after the cost
of living is considered
cy" GE Prices
’ Beeause of this) profits before taxes
Per Employee (Remember this
considers the vastly increased num-
ber of non-production workers) INCREASED
INCREASED — 26.8% of 3.356 a year
~UNCREASED 30.5% or 3.8% myear
FLAS H
Union Wins Appeal en
Vacation Pay Benefits
‘The Unemployment Insurance
66.9% ov 8.30 a year
And PROFITS after taxes
Per Employee INCREASED
largely to the so-called recession |
lost over 5,000 jobs due to GEV
“Company - Made” recession in
orously upheld “fair price” formed us they were unable “to!
80% or db a year
This shows who benefitted the most due to increased prices, The
Appeal .Board has just handed
down a decision denying the Com-
these people are properly placed in
line with their service and back-
pany’s appeal from a referee's de. gtound. We will expect the Com-
cision granting unemployment ben- Pany to live up to the layoff and
efits to workers affected -by yaea- vehiring procedure as agreed to in
tion shut-down, The Company has. the Local Supplement.
the right to take another appeal to
i the courts,
Assume Joe had the average wage of $149 January 1, 1950 or $3099 =
a year if he worked every hour, Mr, Investor, we will assume, got from } ,
dividends as tuiieh as Joe got from wages, This would have required 815 Aifend Your
Meetings
Corporation was piling up additional profits much faster than it was
making wage increases.
( “ty 2 LET'S LOOK AT IT ANOTHER WAY TO SEE WHO WAS
~CREATING INFLATION, Take, the case of Joe Worker and James
- Investor, ‘ -
—
LOCAL 301
PARTY NITES
EVERY TUESDAY
7:00 p.m.
UNION AUDITORIUM
shares with a 1950 dividend of $3.80 a share. to bring $3099 a year in
dividends. ot
At an average price in 1949 of $388 4 share, Mr. Investor invested
$30,970.
(Coitinued on Page 2)
OPENNESS:
EERIE EE Cyt
SEAR Ro
oes
LEERY
erecta ies 3
seat
PERT URE ORT Aiet
WPALELE gC ay te ene ta
NED Fe Ne ae bata elon cones ee
Who. Is Causing Inflation ?
“by law the possibility of iner
(Continued from Page 1)
Let's look at what happened to them in the period through 1957,
Joe Worker James Investor
If he worked every’ hour in the In the eight years he received
years 1950-57, or 16,640 hours, in dividends $28,480
he earned in wages $30,962 With the 3-for-1 split in 1954
: he now has 2445 shares. At
the’ present ‘market value of
about $58 a share, it is
worth $142,810
: The total value is therefore $171,650
If he worked only 16,000 hours The cost of shares was 30,970
(considering illness, layoffs, etc.) ; ——
he earned “$29,972 $140,680
Mr, Investor’s gain of $140,000 amounted to $8.70 for every hour
that. Joe worked! : .
~ Who contributed .to inflation. ‘Joe Worker who turned out over
$100,000 worth of goods working over 16,000 hours in these 8 years and
got between $29,000-$30,000 in wages, or Mr. Investor who did no work
and benefitted by $140,000? ;
DOUBLE STANDARD
GOWEN THE Company
RAISES THEIR PRICES
TO MAKE MORE PROFIT”
5 I
)
ry
sly .
he et
an :
x ,
AAS NED “THATS INFLATION”
TOP OF THE LABOR NEWS
WASHINGTON (PAI)—A survey of the.states by Press Associates,
Ine. shows that three new and major developments favorable to labor are
The net gain would he
But wHen THE Onion
WANTS TO RAISE WAGES!
So THAT WORKERS CaN |
taking place in the campaign for the compulsory open shop or the so--
called “right to work” proposal:
1. “Work” bills have been pretty well blocked in most state legis-
latures, Supporters of the anti-union measures are now concentrating
most of their attention on initiative referendums;
"2, As the recession deepens and more and more persons are losing
their “right. to work,” the title “right to work”. is -being replaced by
equally fictitious labels such as “Freedom of,Choice,” “Voluntary Union-
ism,” and “Equal Opportunity.” ; ‘
* * * *
CALIFORNIA---Backers of the “work” law are having real difficulty
in securing sufficient signatures to place the initiative on the ballot in
November, They filed only 150,000 valid signatures prior to deadline
and were forced to ask for a 40-day extension, permitted under state law,
+ * a *
OHIO—*Work” law propenents are still far behind in their drive for
signatures to place the measure on the November ballot. Some 7,000
petitions are currently out and many more will have to be signed hefore
the August ‘5 filing deadline. However, unicn leaders feel the “open
shoppers” have the time and the money to seeure the names.
’ * * * *
CHICAGO (PAl)—The Methodist Church national board of social
and economic relations has adopted a resolution declaring that the “real
menace” of state laws banning union shop agreements is that they deny
easing: individual freedom... and are mis-
called ‘right to work’ laws."
. * 5 * *
WASHINGTON (PAI)—The 18 ‘ihe ta work? states led in mini-
-mum wage and child: labor violations last year,
for 46% of violations of the minimum wage act though they only have
28% of. workers subject to the act. They accounted for 59% of farm
violations of the child labor laws, Though they have only about half
the farming population, children exploited were 70% compared to 30%
for the rest of the country.
They were responsible’
frets
ESCA A Bi
Docket #8615-58 was filed sev-
eral’ weeks ago in the S.R.U. De-
partment. This. docket was filed
by the Electricians of S.R.U. in
protest of the violation of depart-
mental seniority by this’ depart-
ment. ‘In ‘this Electricians’ group
we have had layoffs of men with
as much as. 1942 service. The Com-
pany refuses to, place ‘them «on
other related jobs, namely Crane
& Elevator Repair (Electrical) and
Maintenance Electrician ‘in the
‘Powerhouses even though there
are people in these classifications
with five or six years less’ service.
Because of the Company’s” atti-
tude, these well qualified Electrici-
ans are being forced. to go on Elec-
trician Helpers and Lamp Trim-
mers jobs. The Company negoti-
ators in Bldg. 41 claim that the
Wlectricians are not qualified. to
do the jobs. They say this in’ spite
Path gM ALY
of the fact that they have admitted
many times in other meetings that
urrent Events in My Section !
by Allen E,
Townsend gg: 7
these Crane & Elevator and Power-
Powerhouse workers are, in fact,
Electricians.
We have had several Tn adh)
In Bldg. 41,o0n this case; in add
“tion to these meetings, we had a
joint investigation of these jobs
with the Company. Our side of
this -investigating committee who
are people’ well qualified in the
electrical field say without reser-
vation that the Electricians from
Shop Electric can do these jobs
with. very little training. This case
is scheduled to be talked once more
this week in Bldg. 41, If the Com-
pany remains adamant in their an
sition, we will have no choice bu
to clear the New York Level on
this ease, We feel sure that the
New York negotiators will see fit’
to reverse local management on
such a flagrant violation of our
contract, Tf local management
persists in violations of this type,
there can be nothing but trouble
for them in the future,
UE-€)
IUE Local 301 handles thou-
sands of grievances at-all levels
each year. These are just a few
examples of cases, not settled at
steward-foreman level, to be proc-
essed at’ management level,
Bldg. 49: The group under Shop”
Steward W. Gage do not feel it is
necessary to farm out work in view
of the serious lack of. ‘work situ-
ation in the Schenectady plant.
They are requesting this. situation
be investigated and corrected, _
Bldg. 273: The group under Shop
Steward P. Lombardi do not feel
that the proposed method of pro-
portioning vacations is fair, They "
are requesting that they be per- °
mitted to tukd their vacations as
they have done in past years, :
Bldg, 273: The group under Shop-
Steward G. Rose. feel that longer
service Welders ,should be given
the pipe test so that seniority shall
be the factor determining which
Welders. will be released from the
plant on'a lack of work basis,
General Case? The Union is
charging the Company with viola-
tion of the Local Supplement. un-
deh Article 17, Sect, 5, The Com-
pany is refusing employees with.
longer service the right to displace
shorter service employees on like
kinds of jobs between divisions; for ”
example Assembler Erectors from
LM&G, Gas Turbine and MAC not
heing allowed to bump in LSTG;
‘Assembler & Connectors from
MAG and LM&G not being allowed
to bump in LSTG, ete,
Bldg. 52: The ‘Union feels that
work that falls into the chip and
arind and painting classification
should be done by employees with,
that classification and not by grit
the Job
blast ‘operators. The complainant
in the’¢ase is Bradley Covert who
works in Shop: Steward C. Wink-
ler’s group. .
Bldg. 29: The Union is protest-
ing the way Gertrude L. Tambur-
ello who works in Shop Steward A.
Brunetti’s group was handled in
Personnel. We believe she was dis-
“
/
lr
eriminated against. Although there .
were. 2 jobs available, a shorter
service employee. was interviewed
first and given her choice of jobs
and the longer service employee
had to take the job that was left.
We feel the longer service em-
ployee should have been inter-
viewed first and been allowed tn
availah
choose between the 2
jobs.
Bldg. 285: The group under.Shop
Steward. P. Sipone feel that since
there has Seen no change in the
Work to, be’ performed, the stand-
ard price should be paid on the 2
CW Operation.
Bldg. 285: The group under Shop
Steward B. Abeel feel that the
price on 518C458 polishing buckets
is inadequate. They request proper
price for work performed.
>
‘Bldg. 273:' The union is charg-
ing violation of contract urider Ay
ticle IV, Sect. 3; in this instan
not allowing the complainant, Jo-
sephine Borini, who ‘is a female
employee, to displace a shorter
service male employee on the same
occupation,
Bldg. 269: The group under Shop
Steward J. Natonski are protesting
salaried ‘employees operating Ex-
haust Sets without hourly rated
men assigned to this work. This is
a constant violation of our Union
contract, ,
i)
I A gat gt
2 AS ESEE TT »« |
Keto 66. p 66m. DY CHARLES SCOT py pcos eon
Once more we are forced to visit
the imaginary Allpurpose Lighten-
ing Company for this week’s. col-
“umn. There were momentous hap-
penings in the Gelectricady plant—
the head of the Lightening Com-
pany was coming from New Cork
to instruct the local management
on how to quiet the employees who
were starting to ask embarrassing
‘questions,
The instructions from New Cork
read to have all the local heads of
the different divisions assembled.
and also to‘have a few members of
_~ Supervision who had not: been to
C
C
<
\
Ney
the Croakem Training School there
for comie relief.
The great day arrived and all
‘Were. assembled and waiting. eag-
erly -with duly respectful ‘bated
breaths for the great words of wis-
dom: that were about to be spoken.
The great man-began by first tell-
ing the different managers. that
_ people. were getting restless and
unless something was done and
ddne quickly, the Allpurpose Light-
ening Company would be on the
defensive and were there any sug-
gestions from the assembled super-
vision? ” ,
Of course, the division heads hav-
ing “been: through Croakem knew
etter than. to make any sugges-
“tions, becausé ‘if you make: wrong
ones you are not heard of again.
The supervisors who thought that
the Chief meant what he said
asked why not provide more jobs
and’ some sort of employment se-
curity so that employées will not
be afraid to spend what little
money they have?
what the. big man was waiting
for and he inmediately began
his spiel to his captive audience.
“That, my boy, is negative: think-
ing, . Remember what that fa-
-mous Roman, Nero, whom we ad-
mire so much, said: “When the
restless and discon-
eople’ ar
Vented, give them Bread and Cir-
cuses’, Of course, the bread is out
—that costs money, but circuses
will be our pitch, and, besides, they
can be charged off as: publicity.
We will deluge “the community
with 2 flood of propaganda’ on
T.V,, radio and in the newspapers.
We will put it under the head of
‘Funetion Upward’, We will tell
the public to spend their savings;
‘merchants to eut prices, but not us,
ay employees to’ work harder and
sPhetter for the same wages. If the
public and our employees do this,
even if it doesn’t end the recession,
we will still make higher profits,”
“Our piteh—item- by item will
have this psychological effect on
the public: First, we tell everyone
to spend all they have—our slogan
will be ‘Buy with Assurance’, Notice
how cute we are; we don’t say
- money because confidentially
This was just
the .
bulk of the saving is controlled by -
you know whieh group and if any-
one doesn’t ‘Buy with Assurance,’
that means they don’t have assur-
ance and are troublemakers and
should be watched closely.”
“Second, we tell the merchants
-ta cut thei? prices as low as possi-
ble. Of course, just between us,
they have, but if they don’t eut
them further and the recession con-
_tinues, it will clearly be the mer-:
chants and. .not. us who are, to
blame.”
“Third, and the most important
item, will be jingles over radio
telling our employees the picnic is
over and we have to-ship on time.
Of course, they have never had a
picnic in our plant and the only-
shipping dates. that have been’,
missed were through error’s' caused
by ‘the heads’ of divisions who are
no longer with us, but the basic
idea is to make the public us a
whole think that-the recession’ has
been caused by picnic times and
missed shipping dates. Now comes
the real meat of. the diScusion!
We follow up this picnic introduc-
tion with a plea to our employees
for increased production and bet-
ter work. We all know in this room
‘that anyone who does. spoil a job
is taken off his job’ and we are _
pushing our’ help continually, but
again the pitch is psychological;
for, all we want to do is créate
the impression that our employees
are not working hard and. do not:
do good work. To top off the pitch, ’.
we will inform the, public that we
are ‘Buying with Asurance’, We
“Will point out our huge order for
automation equipment.”
The non-Croakem’s broke in
here to ask—“But won't that in-
crease unemployment?” The great
man again had the answer: “Boy;
let me tell you that a course in the
Croakem Training Center will-sure™
straighten you out. -We don’t talk
about inereasing “unemployment,
We point to figures, Our pitch will
‘be, ‘Look how many less people are
drawing
Unemployment. Insur-
ance’, There are’ less pedple draw-
ing Jnemployment — Insum:nce;
henee less unemployed, but nover
say anything about the checks, run-
ning out, and if there is, any dis-
cussion about extending ---Unem-
ployment Insurance, you will im-
mediately start the propaganda
machines rolling, saying’ loud and
clear that people don’t want unem-
> ployment benefits extended as that
is the ‘dole’ and people would
rather go hungry..than. accept. ex-
tended benefits: You see, the pitch
here is that unemployment henefits
are charity and not something that
the workers have paid into.”
“Now, if everything is clear, and
it had better be, I leave you with
“"t New Unemployment Law Eliminates
Vacation Shut-Down Benefits
‘No unemployment benefits for periods of vacation shut-~
down will.be paid in the future to workers affected by the shut-
down of a plant for vacation purposes. The New’ York State
Legislature made this ruling as part of the laws which it
‘passed during its recent session.
Heretofore, a worker who was
forced. out of work for one or two
weeks because of his employer’s
desire to shut down ,for. vacation
purposes without the consent. of
the employee ‘or his labor union,
was ‘considered to. be eligible for
such “benefits if. he was available
for work during the period of the
shut-down, At the General Electric
locations throughout the country,
many claims were filed by workers
for such benefits. Schenectady was
one of the locations in which un-
employment | referees ‘have held
that. the shut-down of certain
buildings was not made with the
union’s consent, Asa result, work-
ers in Schenectady were held eligi-
ble for benefits until the new law
was passed. In the future, Sche-
nectady workers will. not be cligi-
“ble for such benefits.
Union leaders predicted that if
the State Legislature were to
amend the law with respect to-va-
cation:shut-down benefits, the Leg-
islature would take advantage of
the situation and ‘open the flood-
gates to a flow of legislation un-
favorable to‘workers. This, in fact,
happened as. predicted. Although
the Legislature sugar-coated the
‘pill “with an increase in weekly
rates to $45.00, at the same time it
included’ provisions making it cas-
ier for employers to defeat claims
of unemployed workers by casy
appeals on. the part. of employers
‘by removing the opportunity of
workers to regain their benefit
rights during a seven week waiting: :
period after losing .their jobs
through so-called “misconduct”. or
“voluntary leaving”; and by giv-
ing employers a. bonanza of mil-
Hons of dollars taken from work-
ers. who have had. their ability to
heat damaged by noisy work.
this statement of policy: ‘All’ that
the Allpurpose Lightening Com-
pany will contribute is “slogans and’:
propaganda nothing material’,
‘Now all rise and recite with me
the Company. slogan: ‘A Lower
Standard of Living for Employees
and Higher Profits for the Com-
pany is Our Main Goal’.”
The Community
And Labor Unions.
by Dave Stockheim
The’ men and women of Local
, 301, after the day’s work, go their
different. ways to meet the prob-
‘lems of living in the commiunity.
As in other communities, many
meet on common ground by mem-
bership in, fraternal, religious and
public service organizations, Much
time and effort is made to be suc-
cessful in all the projects that
these worthwhile organizations
plan. This is not done for any spe-
cial attention, applause or a pat
on the back, but because these peo-
ple have the welfare of others in
their hearts,
The ‘situation in. Schenectady is
not sound at the present time.
Many who were in better circum-
“stances will have to look to various
agencies for help,
Those who support the Commun-
ity Chest help the agencies that
they themselves are interested in.
“ Local 301, as part of the Budget
Committee of the Community
Chest, assists in making recom-
mendations on allocation of funds
to the various public service agen-
cies.
“At last week’s Budget Meeting
we were quite impressed with the
Visiting Nurse Service Association,
which made over 15,000 bedside
calls and only through lack of
funds and nurses was unable to
make an additional 2,000 calls. The
majority of their calls to the sick
and aged are free; in instances
where remuneration is offered, fees
are very noniinal. Those under the
G. E. Hospital Plan may seek aid
from the Association. .
To support this worthy+ organi-
zation and others like it, contribute
to the Community Chest,
- sua. People
> &0UD
ow ALWAYS
COMPLAINING
__ ABOUT THE
a ONION (HENS,
NEVER BEEN
TO A ONION
MEETING ?
cu 660
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