New Tax Plot Would Rob
Workers To Aid Bosses
There has been a great deal in the newspapers during the
past few weeks about tax cuts proposed in the new Congress. .-
For most workers, burdened down with the heaviest tax. bill
in the nation’s history, any such
tuk has a sweet sound.
Unfortunately;~however, a look.
at the so-called tax-cutting. scheme
now being put forth by the-Repub-
lican majority in Washington shows
that the sugar coating hides a bit-
ter pill for the average American
working man or woman who, in
reality, is faced with even higher,
not lower, taxcs. : ;
The present plan is to place a
ceiling on taxes. But this ceiling,
as envisioned by GOP congress-
men, would be high enough so that’
the only people who would benefit
by it are those with annual in-
comes of, at least $20,000.
But that isn’t the end of tax re-
lief for the big boys, Plans are
ulso afoot. to cut corporation taxes
by about $18-billion a year. ‘
In all, the tax cuts for the high-
income executives and their cor-
porations would take $1614-billion
from the federal government’s in-
come, Rather than making any
cuts in the high military expendi-
tures, the tax experts have de-
cided that this money his to be
made up somehow. And they have
specific proposals for Weing this—
hy imposing a 1096 sales tax on
everything, including food,
This vicious seheme would, in.’
effect, reb the pockets of workers
neross the country to pay the tax
bills of employers. For example,
owith-the sales tax, a pound of bacon”:
now selling for’ 7e would jump
overnight to 88e; milk would hop
4 ..¢ Friday, February 6, 1953
“from 25¢.2 quart up to 28¢; 2c
would be added to the cost of 2 loaf
of bread; a suit of. clothes now .
selling for $50 would cost $55; and
so on, ;
_ There is plenty of need for real «
tax cuts. However, if the people
are to. benefit from them then a
pkin such as that proposed by UE
would have to be put into effect,
This plan calls for ending income
etaxes ‘for all. workers receiving
less than $4,000 a year, and sharp-"~
ly reducing the levies on low and
middle incomes, Any making up
that would have to be done could
come out of the war-swollen profits
of the corporations.
Term Political Action Vital |
To Gains in Economic Field
UE Local 301 shop stewards were told Monday that “any-
one who. thinks that this union can stay out of the legislative
field, and at the same time do a job for its.members in the
economic field, just doesn’t under- ~
stand the problem facing labor to-
day.” -This assertion was made by
Business Agent Leo Jandreau dur-
Ang a discussion of the UE political
action program in Albany and
Washington.
Jandreaw-noted that “one stroke
of a pen signing an anti-labor bill
cin Wipe out gains scored by weeks
and months of militant fighting by.
union members in the shops.” He
udded: :
“We have seen the Inbor move-
ment crippled by the Taft-Hartley
law. Millions of Americans have
been deprived of their rights by
the McCarran-Walter act... The
freeze has robbed the working peo-
ple of billions of dollars won in
neyotiations,.and, even more im-
-portunt,: the freeze has: prevented
unions from gaining many more
billions through free collective bar-
gaining,
“ALL of: these blows at the people
were struck through legislative ac-
‘tion, and only a. united political -
fight by organized labor can free
the workers from the restrictions _
of such laws. Any union which
thinks if can buy respectability or
buy freedom from attack by shut-
ting up on legislative matters is
kidding itself. Sure, the commit-
tees, the grand juries, the maga-
zines will lay off the organization,
but at the same time, nothing will
be won for the people.
“UE has always believed: in the,
importance of lewislative action.
It’s meant that we've been attack.
ed from, every direction, but it has
also meant that we've never paid
the price of respectability—selling
out the people.”
RECEIPTS
Initiation Fees .
Contributions, ete,
TOTAL INCOME
DISBURSEMENTS
Per Capita Taxes oc
Salaries und, Allowances
Time Lost Reimbursed to
“Taxes ensgaysesee ,
Administrative Mxpenses
Organizational lexpenses
Contributions
, Total Assets at End of Year
Total Liabilities at End of Yi
Annual Financial Report
UNITED ELECTRICAL, RADIO AND MACHINE. WORKERS
OF AMERICA—UER & MWA—UE LOCAL 301
FINANCIAL REPORT FOR YEAR
From January 1 to December 31,:1952
Debts Forgiven by National Union and Distr
$374,200.85
6,106.00
48,400.94
6,681.66
$435,388.96
+162,098.80
58,782.59
81,019.00
2,427.00)
14,938.12
36,686.64
_ 8,196.55
$85,648.99
$18,948.51
porations,
Reuther Deal To End’
5-Year Pacts Fails -
The attempt of ClO President
Walter Reuther to make a political
deal which would get him’ out from
under. the responsibility for the 5-
year contracts with which he sad-
dled hundreds of thousands of auto
workers fell through this week.
. The new CIO boss was “double
crossed” by the politicians when
the government announced that the
old cost of living. index, scheduled
to he replaced this week, would be |
continued for another 6 months, at
least, Reuther had made a deal
with the recently-retired adminis-
tration to substitute a new cost of
living: setup,
This new setup wouldn't have
been any more favornble to. or-
ganized labor. In fact, in some re-
spects it would, have held wages
down, . Howevei, it would have
given Reuther the excuse for end-
ing the 5-year auto pacts which
completely freeze workers’ wages,
and which ‘ictually have meant
periodic, pay cuts for many.
When the 5-yeur “escalator” con-
tracts were. first announced, i
condemned them as sell-outs of t )
rights of workers to fight for bet-
ter living standards. Reuther, who
wus busy taking bows as the great
“‘Qabor statesman”, dismissed this
as “communist propaganda.” How-
ever, 3 years of experience ‘with.’
the “escalators” have. resulted in
_ increasing bitterness ugainst Reu-
thei und ‘opposition to the ClO
leader in his own union,
The political deal was supposed
to get Reuther off the hook, and its
failure to materialize is likely to
men a stepped-up fight for “real,
militant: leadership by the aiuto
workers.. The 5-year pacts, which ,
run until 1955, have already been
denounced by Ford locals of the
UAW-CIO, and- by rank-and-file
groups among General Motors and
Chrysler employees. ,
Hope Freeze Ends
By Reopener Date
The atnouncedment this week
that the wage freeze would be:
abolished raised new hopes. that
the fortheoming UE-GE_ econc
reopener negotiations” would
underway in.an atmosphere of free
collective bargaining.
However, UE Washington ob-
servers warned of the possibility _
of some new scheme to freeze
wages being cooked up by the ear-
' BLECTRICAL UNION. NEWS a
re
@
board
‘LECTRICAL UNIO
Vol. 11 — No. 7
SCHENECTADY, NEW YORK
Friday, February 13, 1953
iation:
UE Urges United Fight by GE Workers |
Reevgnizing the importance of uniting all ‘General Electric
-workers around a fight for better wages and working conditions,
the UE-GE conference board voted Saturday. to approve a unity
call on rank-and-file.company employees regardiess of. union affil-
_ The board stressed that unless all GE workers can agree on
a minimum program. for which to fight, the chances of any one
union making substantial gains in forthcoming ‘reopener and. con-
tract negotiations are going to be greatly reduced. UE represen-
tatives from throughout the GE chain pointed out that-almost all
of the contract benefits we now have were won before the Carey-led -
split in 1949," Since then, the UE, the IUE-CIO and the dozens of
smaller unions have been forced .to settle for far léss than. the
workers in.the shops would have won had a united. fight been made.
Conference board members also pointed otit that even where.
moves for joint action are sabotaged by top officers in any'of the
unions, UL’s job is to go directly to the rank and file of those
‘unions and point out how they suffer because of the political man-
euvering of these leaders. This point was particularly emphasized
. because of UK's experience last year, when a similar unity move
was viciously distorted and rebuffed by IUE-CIO President James
Carey. Since then, Carey's complete failure to win ‘anything for
GE workers hag resulted in increasing IUE rank-and-file pressure
for united action around a minimum program with UE.
__UE Slates National Women’s”
(Lonference in NY, May 2 & 3 February ‘meeting is one of the
A national women’s conference to: advance the fight
against discrimination because of sex will be held by UE in
New York City on May 2 and 3. “Local 301, which has played
a leading role in the struggle up to-
now, is making plans to send a
delegation to the conference.
The women's conference will
‘arry out a plan voted. by, the 1952
union national convention in Cleve-
land. This plan was embodied in
a resolution first presented by
. Helen Quirini, one of the leaders
in the fight against the “pay the
women less” racket in Schenectady.
« Popies slated for discussion at
the women’s ‘conference will be’
fighting sex discrimination through -
the grievance machinery, fighting
discrimination through shop action
and: the role of negotiations in the
struggle.
The part to’ be played by. men in
the fight will: also occupy an im-
portant place on the agenda, . For
this reason, every attempt will bo
made to assure wide male partici-
pution in the conference, :
ection Monday
Local 301 will elect its 1953 dele-
gation to the UE-GE conference
at Monday’s «membership
meeting. |
place at both afternoon .and> eve-
ning meetings. .
James. Gognetta, Leo Jandrea
und Fred ‘Pacelli: are’ the present
Schenectady. local delegates to the
bourd,
The --voting --will- take. --
‘Thousands Sign Petitions
Opposing McCarran Law
UE Local 361’s petition calling for ‘repeal of the vicious ,
McCarran-Water immigratiion law has already been signed by
thousands of workers in the GE, Schenectady works, with
Membership to Vote
Monday on By-Laws
A proposed change in the consti-
tution of UE Local, 301 will be
voted on at the membership meet-
ing Monday. The proposal would
make at least one year’s union
“service a requirement for. election
as shop steward. :
The requirement was recom-
mended by the’ local constitutions
committee which will"present it to
the members at'both afternoon and
evening meetings. ‘Another pro-
posal to extend ‘the term of ‘union
officers to 2 years will also be re-
ported, but this suggestion will
carry>a recommendation of rejec-
tion from the committee.
Under the 301 constitution, the
four membership ‘gatherings dur-
ing the year at which changes in
the governing law of the local ean
be made. *»
Be -
THEY'RE’ ALL. WORKERS,
ance of joint ‘action
Executive Board Member Howard McClean
is pictured above as he. took the floor Monday to stress"the import. -
: ( by all GE workers in coming negotiations.
McClean emphasized that the needs .of all workers’ are the same
regardless of union - affiliation,
Active Stewards to Have Banquet
A ‘big’ end-of-the-year banquet
for shop stewards who attend their
monthly meetings regularly was,
voted unanimously by the 801 exed-
utive board Monday-night,
The banquet, in recognition of a
conselentious © job of representing
the men and women in the shops,
would be. open’ to, all stewards. who
-uttend 8 of ‘the 10 meetings re-
“maining this year, The 2-meeting :
margin. was agreed on so that stew-
ards’ who are -unavoidably -kept =
away from occasional meetings and
have to send alternates would-not
lose out .on the banquet which
promises to be oné of the most im:
portant social events on the union's
.1958_calendar.. . :
many new signatures being col-
‘lected every day.
The petition is directed to .the
two U, S. Senators from New York
.State, Herbert Lehman and Irving
Ives, and to Rep. Bernard Kearney.
It calls for outright-repeal-of the
law which has been condemned by
all of organized. labor, chureh
groups of every denomination and
hundreds of, other. organizations.
-Opposition to the law is based on
a number of provisions which:
® Discriminate against numer-
ous national groups including Ital-
ions, Spanish, Eastern Europeans,
Negroes, Jews and Asians.
®° Force all non-citizens to be
registered .and fingerprinted, and
then to live on “parole,” subject to
deportation at the whim of poli-
ticians, ‘
® Make it possible to take away
the -citizenship and then deport
men and women who have lived
and worked. in this country for
many years, and many of whom
chave ‘fought in the armed. forces
in defense of the U.S. Under the
law these people can lose’ citizen-
ship for vague reasons. |
°© Give employers a powerful
weupon over trade unionists of
forcign birth, since it is a simple
matter to take away the citizen-
ship of people. whose only “crime”
is activity in the interests of their
fellow workers,
© Set a preeedent for similar
oppressive laws against native-
born Americans. .
The MeCarran-Walter Inw has
aroused — widesprend — opposition
right here in Schenectady. A num-
ber of clergymen last week gave
statements to the EU News con-
‘demning the act and calling for ~
its repeal, The lnw has also been
attacked by both President Eisen-
hower. anid ex-President Truman.
UE loeals ‘throughout the country
have joined with many other un-
ions in waging an active campaign |
to repeal the Inw. ,
ce
$100 to Wausau
A $100 contribution to aid locked
out members of UE Local 1118 in
Wausau,” Wisconsin, was voted”
Monday night by the Loesl 301
executive board: tae
The 750. Marathon Electrie work- ..
vers have, been, yn the picket lines
for nemiy une year in a ‘struggle
.. fo.save their union...
le Heck Holds Key
To PPR’s Fate
~" The 1958 fate of the New York
State personal permanent registra-
tion bill, which is supported by UE
Local 301, appeared to rest in the
hands of Schenectady. Assembly-
man Oswald Heck this week after
“the ‘Republican majority in the
state legislature blocked one move
to put the bill on the floor.
The proposed registration plan
woull enable people in cities’ to
vote every year after they had once
registered in their community. Un-
der present law, voters must reg-
ister every year except in rural
areas. _
Heck’s role as chairman of the
assembly rules committee gives
him the power to make sure that
the bill reaches the lower house
floor, There many GOP represen-
tatives are pledged to join with
the Democratie minority in back-
ing the bill.
Union members are urged to.
“write Heck in Albany asking him
to act for the bill.
UE LOCAL. 301
MEMBERSHIP
MEETING
2nd SHIFT
Monday, Feb. 16, 1953
1:00 P.M. (before work)
1st and 3rd SHIFTS
Monday, Feb. 16, 1953
7330 PM.
Local 301 Hail
Aids Polio Fund
The. UE» Local 301 executive
board voted Monday night to make
a contribution of $100:to-the March
of Dimes. The donation to the
polio drive is: over and above the
many individual contributions which
have been made by members of the
union. in the shops~and the com-
munity. ;
The sum is the largest amount
which the executive board can allo-—
cate to ally one group without ap-
proyal of the membership,
Jobs. in 86 Big Corporations
Cushion Cabinet Members
* Any hope that organized labor will get a break-.from the
administration quickly: fades when it’s realized that 10 mem-
bers of the Eisenhower cabinet hold directorships or other
top positions. in 86 corporations.
These corporations have total. as-
sets of more thin $20, billion.
Topping the listaf the big bus-
iness guns in government is for-
mer GM boss Charles IE. Wilson.
Wilson wasn’t much bothered by
the wage freeze last year, having
Ban on industry-Wide
Bargaining Proposed
Big Business. settled down ,in
earnest this Week to its latest of-
fensive aimed at destroying the
labor movement. Heaviest weapon
brought up by the employers was a
“'pill- introduced to virtually put all
‘national unions out of business.
The bill was sponsored by 2 ‘Tex-
as Dixiecrat, Rep. Wingate Lucas,
whose proposal would make it il-
legal for any union to bargain
nationally with two or more cor-
porations in one industry. This,
of course, embodies the ban on in-
dustry-wide bargaining long advo-
cated by the National Association
of Manufacturers. :
received a salary of $566,200
GM, which didn’t do too bad)
during World War II, averaging
profits of $175 million annually,
has really been: going to town dur-
ing the Korean war.: Its average
profit for the two years of the cur-
rent conflict was $670-million. per
year.
wage too vigorous a struggle. to
knock his “former” company off
the war profit gravy train.
Wilson’s colleagues in the De-
fense Department are not likely to
show ‘up to work in the morning’
without lunch money. Army Sec-
retary Robert Stevens, has~been* a
director or officer-of 15 big eorpor-
ations, including. GE, and was
board chairman of the huge J. P.
Stevens textile firm.
Air Force, boss Harold Talbott.
is one of the biggest aircraft in-
dustrialists in the nation, and -hold
directorships in». 10 ‘corporations.
“Poor man” of the team is Navy _
Secretary Robert B. Anderson, He™
holds office o directorships, in only
5 oil associations and. one bank.
feds,
Bldg. 17: Stanley Galuszka has
been an A toolroom machine oper-
ator since 7/51, His last wage in-
crease was in 11/51. The union
demands that he be given ‘his job
yite as of 2/2/53 based on his
ubility and: performance on the job.
As a result of a written griev-
ance presented on 2/2/53, James
Wayand has been reclassified from
8 to A toolroom machine operator,
However, he received no wage in-
creases clespite 144 years service in
the B clnssifieation and his present
A work, The union demands an
increase as' of 2/2.
Bldg. 49: Edwin Askew hus not
received proper consideration for
upyvading’ to B stockkeeper, In
fact he has been bypassed in favor
of .much- shorter service workers.
The union demands a management
investigation to determine why
Askew has not been upgraded deé-
spite his qualifications,
Stockroom group protests a num-,
ber of contract violations inelud-
ing foremen performing their du-
ties and even coming in on Sun-
days to do so, utilization of em-
ployees of different classifications
to do their work, lack of adequate
help and replacements for 5 work-
ers who have left the group and
refusal to fill B openings while as-
signing, lower rated) men
jobs. The union demands that
these. prictices. be-stopped.--
Tuspectors’ group on 8rd shift
demands that a foreman be as-
signed to them, 1st and 2nd shift
rroups are properly staffed with
to the,
-Lemporary. measure:
Thousands of grievances are handled by.UE Local 301
each year at all levels from the steward up to final appeal
in New York City. To keep members posted, we shail :
each week list some of the grievances that have not been ©
seltled at the steward-foreman level and have been re-
ferred to. the executive board-management level.
supervision and there is no reason
why the 8rd shift should’ not. be
staffed in the sume-way.
Bldg. 60: Smoky conditions re-
sulting from building of water-
wheels constitute 2 major health
and safety hazard. The union de-«
mands that this situation be cor-
rected through ‘adequate ventila-
tion. :
Bldg. 66: Foteman has taken
voucher on’S.O. 180-8681, . drwe.
7008E34 for chip. and grind. This
job must be performed for inspec-
tion, and P. Russo demands issu-
ance of voucher for this reason.
R, Tomaschek “has requested
breakdown of pricing on ‘founda-
tion cap S.O, 101-8739, drwg, 181C-
217-1,. Contrary to past practices,
foreman has refused
The union demands it be given.
Welders protest the present ac-
curacy of pricing through division,
Inadequate allowanees for inac-
cessability result in continuous
bickering. The union demands that
these allowances. be correctly com-
puted, no,
Bldg. 107: On 12/11/52, the un-
ion protested ‘the use of production
workers and porters to paint ma-
chines and lockers in 285, Man-
agement informed. the union that
this was being. done: only as a
lack of work condition, and-would
not be established as, a practice.
However, the union finds that as
late as 2/1, the practice was being
2 ® Friday, February 13, 1953 _
breakdown, ©
“|, ELECTRICAL UNION NEWS
o-nllevinte: as:
continued, It therefore demands
immediate halting. of this con-
tract violation. :
Bldg. 227: Group demands 10c
hourly increase for employees used
to operate Sno-Go machine. The
job requires mechanical work and
cin only be done. by selected and
qualified workers from the group.
Bldg. 269: Groups including A
and B engine lathe operators, A
and .B serew machine operators
and miscellaneous machine- operi-
tors ask correction of following
situations: (1) B engine lathe op-
erators are doing A work without
compensation; (2) excessive day-
work up to 50%; (8) use of lower
rated men to do higher rated work
and of higher rated workers on
Aower rated work at loss of earn-
ings; (4)
ment of workers to job outside of
their classifications; and (5) fail-
ure to pay average earnings for
all repair work. The union. de-
mands correction. of all of these
violations, —
UNITED ELECTRICAL,” RADIO. & MACHINE
WORKERS OF AMERICA (UE) |
Local 301
«QD 2
Publishad by tho Editorial Committac
Prosidont.n..-ueanneasJamos J, Cognotta
Vico Prosidont..
Troasurar.
“Recording Sacretary.
Business Agont--..-.--.----leo Jaondroay
301 LIBERTY ST... 'SCHENECTADY'S, N. Y,
t
indiscriminate. assign--
.- Bldg. 273: The union deman
proper adjustment of starting
for L, Capeci in’ accordance w:
contract article VI-60-8, and. ob-
servance of article VI-Ga-4 which
provides for filling of higher rated
ujobs by upgrading.
A inspection groups believe that
they have not been. properly -con-
sidered for AA ratings. The un-
ion demands a management in-
vestigation to determine why long
service workers have been by-
passed in favor of those with short-
er service in upgrading.
Group under Foreman Snare pro-
tests following contract violations:
(1) excessive and unnecessary time
lost arguing prices for extra work,
machining weld, extra stock, ete;
(2) establishment of fixed prices
for machining weld rather than
payment for ‘actual work; (3) dis-
erepancies in prices for turn sur-
plus stock; and (4) changing of
standard prices by inclusion - of
extra worl when diameters are
different, and by classification as
standard of new prices including
extra work, The union demands
correction of these situations,
© Men classified as arm and hand
welders ave performing duties of
special hand welders. The union
therefore demands proper upgrad-
ing and rate increase.
Robert Douell is classified as a B
machinist, but. he is perform’
full.A job. The union demand
be. reclassified with. proper rate M-
creuse.
Racetrack: Raymond Van Allen
und Norman. Wentworth are classi-
> fied ais: B- electricians, but-are- do-*-
ing A work on test and wiring op-
erations, The union, demands they
be reclassified with proper rate ad-
justments.
ELECTRICAL UNION NEWS
Wilson is. not expected to.
Ashtabula, Ohio—UE Local 738
members have won a Te hourly
wage. increase from the Ward
Products Co. Since 4c of the boost
s retroactive to Jan. 7, 1952, the
workers will receive o total of
$30,000 in back pay.
k kk ok
East Chicago, Ind. — A . 5-day
strike by 18,000 CIO steelworkers,
which ciosed down the Inland
Steel plant here, ended: last week
when the company agreed to aban-
don its “work on our terms or else”
attitude, and to process a big back-
log of grievances as speedily as
possible.
* x
Essington, Pa. — Patternmakers
ut the big Westinghouse plant here
repulsed the 8rd raid by. the AFL
patternmakers in 2 years and vot-
ed to maintain unity with produc-
tion, maintenance and salaried
workers in UE Local 107.
ko ok ok .
Hyden, Kentucky — A Leslie
County coal company boss, Sher-
man, Smallwood, was arrested. this
Week and. ‘charged with the. at-
tempted murder of 4 members of:
the United: Mine Workers, The
anion men were ambushed and
unded, ‘near. here on Jan. 30.
“Smallwood is being held on $27,000
bail,
ke ke O*
Kingston, Ontario—UE members
“he Frontenac Tile Co. have won
rate increases of 18¢ to 81le an
hour after long contract talks.
x wk O*
Miami Beach—The AFL execu-
tive council this week declared that
general wage inereases for all
American workers are needed if a
major depression is to be avoided
The council warned that if the
present gap between productivity
and wages continues, the working
people will soon produce far more
than they can consume, and a panic
like that of 1929 will be inevitable.
xk ke *
Toronto—Renewal of their UL
contract has brought a 10%e to
12%3¢ wage boost for employees of
the Trane Co. Of special interest
was the raising of the common la-
bor rate to $1.60 an hour, one of
the highest levels in Canada, An- -
other important gain was the
hgosting of weekly sick pay: from
~) to. $40.
yr ke *
San Diego—One of the last ‘ac-
tions of the Wage. Stabilization
Board was to approve 7e hourly
-wage increases: for 17,000: employ---
ves of the Consolidated Vultee Air-
craft Corp. The boost was nego-
tinted by the AFL machinists.
ELECTRICAL UNION NEWS
GE Conference Board Drafts Wage Demands
As Freeze End Sets Stage for Real Fight
. A program for mobilizing all General Electric workers for a fight fer real economic gains
was drawn up by the UE-GE conference board at a meeting in New York City this past
drafted with the knowledge that the end of the wage freeze
weekend. The program was
gives the American working peo-
ple their best opportunity in sev-
eral years to fight for real im-—
provements in their wages.
Conference board members from
UE-GE locals throughout the coun-
‘try attended the meeting. They set
forth a program which will pfo-
vide the basis for a strugyle both
in the forthcoming economic re-
opener talks and in the contract
renewal negotiations next Septem-
ber. : :
High on the list of demands to
be presented to. the company will
_ be one to return the two paid: holi--
days (Memorial Day and the 4th.
of July) which fall on Saturdays
this year. ;
A demand for a substantial wage
increase this year is, of course, one
which will occupy a central posi-
tion in all negotiations with the
company, With pay no longer tied
to the corporation-created cost-of-
living and productivity factors,
these negotiations can take the
form, of real collective bargaining,
backed by shop activity,.. instead
of being turned into a-matematical
debate on ‘percentages amounting
to peanuts.
The wage fight is regarded as
essential in the coming months be-
cause of the elimination of price
controls, which weak as they were,
protected the workers against some
part of the higher price barrage
which cun now be expected to hit:
with full force,
Economists now estimate that
the end of price controls will mean
un inerease in the cost of living
totalling’ between $1 billion and
$144 billion a year nationally. This °
is probably a low figure’
Big business propagandists. are
now trying to sell the line that the
end of price controls. will mean
lower prices, But they. made this
same claim when OPA was killed
after World War IT.
UE wage demands, like the pro-
gram to eliminate all forms of pay
discrimination (described elsewhere.
on this page) will be subject to ap-
proval of GE locals; ‘UE 301 will
discuss the program at Monday's
membership: meeting.
a a
Wins Damage Suit
Chicago—A suit instituted by
UL Local 1114 has resulted in a
$100 damage award for a Negro
worker who was refused facilities
at local bowling alleys. The legul
vietory- was regarded-as-a-power--
ful blow-at widespread practices of
discrimination In Chienyo bowling
establishments.
r]
301 REPRESENTATIVES. Pictured
above are Helen Quitini who repre-
sented the union at a women's, conference of UE Local 207 in. New
Britain, Conn., on Wenesday even
ing; and President James Cognetta,
selected by the executive board as the local’s representative on the Sche-
nectady Inductees’ Center. committ
ee. The board also. recommended a
$300 donation to the orgariization. °
End of Pay Discrimination
Viewed as Key Goal in’ 53
UE’s 1953 .wage struggle with General Electric, as out-
lined by the UE-GE conference board, will include a fight for
Special pay increases to eliminate all forms of economic dis-:
5 Packers Win Extra
Work Payment in Beef
Supervision attempts. to take ad-
vantuge of methods changes to
chisel on the wages of a Building
285. packing group were stopped
by the UE Local 801 prievance ma-
ehinery, and, as a result, 5 mem-
bers. of the group. received the
equivalent of a wage boost amount-
ing to at least $4 weekly, .
The actual’ grievanee involved
puyment for extra work resulting
from the methods change and past
company policy, As a result a
sub-committee investigation was
ordered, -'This probe bore out the
UE contentions that the men should
be paid for making’ ladders (steel' .
mill panels) on open switches and
changing saw blades.
In addition the union won pay-
ment of average earnings . for
nupproximately 144 -hours per man,
instead of for a total of 14% hours
for the whole group, and a new
change in method eliminating other
unpaid for extra ‘work, ‘
Local 301 was represented in
~ the ease by Executive Board Mem-
ber Paul Landolfo, Steward Louis
Riano and by Steve Mullen,.one of
the workers in the packing: group.
crimination against workers in the
chain. ,
While stressing the need of all
GL employees for higher wages,
the hoard took special note of the
problems of day workers, skilled
craftsmen, Women and persons em-
ployed in low ware areas.
an extended fight on behalf of
these groups will be necessary if
the wae levels of all GE workers
are to be maintained and improved.
As long as day workers’ rates are
held down, the company has an. ex-
cuse to keep the earnings of piece
workers below what’ these. people
are actually entitled to: because of *
the levels of their produetion.
In the same wiy sub-standard
wages for craftsmen enables GE
-to put a low eciling on all wages.
The threat to men presented by low
pay to women workers is even
more direct. As long as the com-
pany can keep women below the
utes being paid to men for sim-
ilay work, then they can cut all
job rates by moving women onto
so-called “men’s jobs,”
The fight against geographical
differentials is. ineraasingly .
Important as QE moves more and.
more of its work into low wage
areas of the South.
Friday, February .13, 1953 * 3
