Electrical Union News, 1946 November 27

4

ELECTRICAL UNION NEWS

November 21, 1946

As Committeemen Crowd 301 Hall to Choose Slate for Union Elections

THE VOICE OF THE UNITED ELECTRICAL, RADIO & MACHINE WORKERS OF AMERICA—LOCAL 301 CIO
VOL. IIl—No. 33 SCHENECTADY, NEW YORK

‘November 27, 1946

Candidates in Local 301 Elections Monday

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RON SSR ES IR

SLOP LP SE ane iia

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A view of the Nov. 12 Committeemen’s meeting at which the shop
representatives voted unanimously in favor of a slate headed by Leo
: proved at the 301 membership meeting last Sunday.

Milne

Jandreau, to run for reelection as business agent, and Andrew Peter-
son, for reelection as president. Their recommendations were ap-

UE Meeting Attacks
Big Business Profits

Sharply attacking “unrestricted profiteering”
by GE and other corporations, a special UE
wage conference Nov, ‘TL in New York City
went on record that wages and salaries must
be substantially increased in-the interests of
American wage carners and the entire nation.

“American Big Business is waging a gi-
gantic prépaganda campaign to spread the
lie that price increases are caused by wage
increases”, the 200 union leaders said. The
group, which included Leo Jandreau, An-
drew Peterson and Edward Wallingford of
Local 301, represented 300,000 electrical
workers from plants of the largest corpor-
ations, ‘

Figures produced at the conference showed
definitely that the industry could give pay
raises from its huge profits without raising
prices a penny.

The conference decided that the immediate
job is to inform the union membership and

Nail One Rumor —
Up Pops Another

A malicious rumor that union dues were
to be raised further was circulated in parts
of the GE Works this week. This complete-
ly untrue story was just one more of many
recant attacks on Local 301.

The dues increase to $1.50 a month, voted
by the members this year, was the first
dues increase in 10 years, The officers of
the union see no reason whatever to need
any further increase. Besides, dues increases
can be made under the constitution only by
direct action of the membership,

thelr communities, thoroughly about “the
truth of the wage-price-profit situation.”

“In this ght to maintain the basic pur-
chasing power of the American working peo-
ple,” the conference stated, ‘we contribute to
the basic economic stability of the entire
economy, and to lessening the threat of de-
pression arising from -lack- of the -people's
purchasing power;

Toolmakers Case
Taken Up with GE

A toolmakers' committee and Leo Jan-
dreau, business agent, met Friday with GE
management to argue the union’s case for
higher wages, progression to the top of
classifications and reclassifying of jobs in
the tool rooms.

The union representatives pointed: out!

that wages have been raised in other occu-
pations in the Schenectady plant and that in-
creases have been granted to toolmakers and
diemakers in the section of New York state
used for rate comparison surveys.
Management asked time to reconsider the
entire toolmakers’ case,
. The toolmakers’ committee includes :.Bldg,
53, Anthony Esposito, John Kasitch and Al-
bert Lenta; Bldg, 17, Michael Tedisco and
Kenneth Sheehan; research laboratory, Anth-
ony Villano; Bldg. 269, Stanley. Aldhous;
Bldg. 69, Leo Foley; Bldg. 60, Edward Wall:
ingford, and Bldg, 46, Joseph Krone.

The candidates shown above include Leo Jandreau, who was
recommended unanimously by the Committeemen’s meeting
of Nov. 12 to run for reelection as business agent; Andrew
Peterson, recommended for reelection as president, and others

..an the Committeemen’s slate endorsed by the membership

meeting Nov. 17. Jack Mele, at left in front row, is not on
this slate but asked to be photographed with this group.
Front row, left to right, Mele, candidate for trustee; Albert
Davis, candidate for reclection as trustee; Helen Quirini, for

recording secretary; George Walker, for guide; James Kelly,
for reelection as trustee, and William Mastriani, for re-
election as chief shop steward, Rear, Harmon Cartwright, for
sergeant-at-arms; Jandreau, Joseph Dominelli, for vice-
president; Peterson and Marshall White, for reelection as
treasurer. Not present when the picture was taken were two
other candidates recommended by the Committeemen’s meet-
ing, Lillian Bliss, for assistant recording secretary, and
Edmund C. Tanski, for trustee. Voting will be Monday,

Dec, 2, on GE property.

Running in opposition to the slate headed by Leo Jandreau’
and Andrew Peterson are the candidates pictured above:
front row, left to right, Foster Campbell, for chief shop
steward; Christian Herbeck, for president; Kenneth Shechan,
for business-agent; James W. Kennedy, for recording secre«

tary; rear, Harry Frick, for trustee; John Dunn, for trustee;
Frank Civitello for sergeant-at-arms, and Larry Fagnon, for
treasurer. Not present when the picture was taken were the
other candidates on this slate, William Hodges, for vice-
president; David Fisher, for assistant. recording secretary;

and Stephen James, guide.

ven Val _conciliator.._.

2

“ELECTRICAL UNION NEWS

November 27, 1946

Tinsmiths Unanimous

Behind Pay Demands :

Building trades workers held a ser-
ies. of meetings in craft groups during
the past week to consider the negotia-
tions in which Works Manager J. M.
Howell has refused to meet with a fed-

‘ing level the company has ‘offered a
5-cent increase in the top rate for some
crafts, and rejected the apprenticeship
system requested for the helpers.

' The tinsmiths, the one group that met

“pefore this paper went to press, voted
unanimously to insist on the full 10-
cent raise for the mechanics, and on the
apprenticeship program. They voted to
meet again Monday, Dec. 9.

The tinsmiths also voted unanimously
that in view of the company’s attitude
toward the helpers, the helpers should

At. the lower_bargain-.

limit their work strictly to the duties .

of helping tinsmiths, as stated in the
company’s. definitions.
The—action—was—followed by a -brief
stoppage in the tinsmiths’ shop Friday
afternoon, when a tinsmith’s helper was
told to assist a shearman, and then was
told to go home when he insisted on
sticking to his, defined duties. In a
special grievance in Bldg. 41 after the
stoppage, the company agreed to invest-
igate the work assigned to helpers, and
to eheck the claim that several of the
helpers were doing mechanics’ work and
- should be paid as B tinsmiths, There
will be a further grievance meeting.
An informal committee picked by the
tinsmiths told the company emphatical-
‘ly that an organized method of. train-

ing and upgrading the helpers was need- ,

ed. ‘The committee included Commit-
‘teeman Charles Nitsche, and Anthony
Severino, Vincent 'Bousa, Louis Chi-

._coine, Leo Fredericks, and Earl Martin. —

» $200 Donation Recommended

The Executive Board has recommend-
“ed that the next Local 801 membership
meeting donate $200 to the strike of
«Local 86, United Furniture Workers of

America, CIO, at the Telescope Folding”

Furniture Co., Granville.

ELECTRICAL. UNION NEWS

UNitep Envornican, Ravio & Macnine
Workers or America, CIO

_ Scmenscrapy GE Locar 301
== <r
Published by the Editorial Committee
Dewey Brashear Ray Flanigan
William “Mastriani
Editorial Office - Electrical Union News
_ 801 Liberty St. -. Schenectady, N. Y.

SCHENECTADY PRINTING COn INC.

short.

Additional News
On 301 Election °

Members of Local 301 . who
work at Malta will vote in Bldg.
26 in the annual election of. the
local Monday, the Election Com-
mittee has announced.

Martin Burgess of the Election
Committee will go to the airport ~
Monday noon to collect the votes
of. members. stationed there.
Brother Burgess also has charge
of the polls at union headquarters
where eligible voters who are not
working or unemployed members
‘who are paid up to date through
unemployed stamps will cast their
votes,

These were the only additional
announcements made after a sec-
ond meeting of the Election Com-
mittee last week.

Sessions on AER'S
To Begin Today «

Discussions will begin in Building 41
this afternoon in the broad grievance
action started by Local 301 to raise the
piece work rate of jobs with AER’s of
89% cents and 95%- cents. The union
contends that under correct application
of the piece.work principle as it ‘is in
effect at GE, these AER’s would be
$1.06% and $1.10%4, respectively.

The union contends in the same griev-
ance that the minimum piece work day
work guarantee should be 89% cents,
instead of the rates now paid, as low as
80% cents. It also claims that the
hourly’ guarantee should apply during
breaking-in periods for as long as gen-
uine breaking-in is requited, and that
where many operations must be learned,
the usual four-week period is “much too

The union will be reprenane in the
ease by a committee of the following
board members and  committeemen:
Anthony Esposito, Grace Friello, Vir-
ginia Murphy, Lucy Zeppitelli, Betty
Roberts, Lucy Swatling, and Al Ray-
mond, all of Bldg. 538; Stanley Bishop,
Irene Patterson, Antoinette Daly, Mar-
tin Stanton, and Peter Miller, of 69;
Helen Quirini, of 81; Dewey Brashear,
Luey De Carlo, Connie Wrex, and Stella
Stankavich, of 89; and Leland Sisto,
Frances Manna, and Warren McDonald,
of 269.

Tune ln -

Remember the Local 801 radio pro-
gram at 7:15 p.m. every Monday over
WSNY.

-year,” he. said...

Toolmakers’ Case
is Sent ‘to Howell

The union has referred its case for
higher wages for toolmakers to Works
Manager J. M.,° Howell, after receiving
an unsatisfactory answer from GE at
the first. level.

“Management so far has ignored the

union’s two main arguments for the

increases..

1. That rates for toolmakers have
been increased in communities in this
region used for rate ‘comparison sur-
veys. ‘

2. That wages have been increased
in other occupations in the Schenectady
GE plant.. For instance, an inequity
exists because puatternmakers now re-
eeive higher rates than toolmakers
whose rates, always equaled the pattern-
makers’,

Board Meeting Endorses

Jandreau, Peterson-Slate

The Executive Board has endorsed,
with only two dissenting votes, the slate
of candidates recommended unanimous-
ly by the Nov, 12' Committeemen’s
meeting, the slate headed by’ Leo Jan-
dreau for reelection as business agent
and Andrew Peterson, for reelection as
president,

All Board members at a recent meet-
ing went on record in fayor of this
slate except John Saccocio and John
Boyle. ‘Board Member John C. Myers
was absent, ,

William Kelly, vice-president of
Logal 801, said he heartily approved
of the entire slate as . guaranteeing
strong, dependable leadership.

“As an assistant business agent I am
not a candidate myself for office this

favor of the slate headed by Jandreau
and Peterson.”

The 301 membership meeting Nov. 17.

overwhelmingly approved this slate and
then, upon request of the present offic-
ers, nominated additional candidates
for each office, Both sets of candidates
will be on the ballot Monday, Dec. 2.
The present officers have urged that
the membership give its wholehearted
support to whatever officers are elected.

Represents 301 at Albany

Micliael Tedisco was named by the
Executive Board to represent Local 801
at a meeting in Albany ‘to discuss plans
for extension courses in Albany of the
New York State School of Industrial
and Labor Relations. ©

Tam. thoroughly in

November: 27,1946.

BLECTRICAL UNION ‘NEWS

‘Substantial Wage Increases.

Head National C10 Program

The National CIO Convention at At-
lantic City last week pledged the full
strength of the CIO to winning sub-
stantial wage gains from the huge prof-
its which corporations are rolling up.

President Philip Murray warned that

“economic collapse and depression are
unavoidable unless the purchasing pow-
er of the people is raised and profits
and prices are lowered.

Huge Corporation Profits

Profits of American corporations will
reach 15 billion dollars for 1946, com-
pared with five billions in 1939, he’

» pointed out, while the wage earner now

gets in real wages $11.04 a week less
than he did in March, 1946.

“It is asserted that certain interests
here in the United States threaten our

institutions and threaten our form of Bldg. 2783—West side, between doors 18 and 14...

—

2 rena

Polling Places for Local 301 Elections

Location of Booths

Bldg. 5—Basement under main entrance Psat a ee

Buildings Voting
7, 6, 37, 2

Bldg. 26—First floor, door 2, front... ssssssesersscennn 2B, 24, 28, 29, 26, Malta
Bldg. 10—Center main bay... serscsssrsecsserscsseorseecsecrennedy 10, 12, 9,.11, 18, 18F

Bldg. 16—First floor front, first cross aisle
Bldgs 18—Middle;-

- near-cross-aislenxacn
Bldg. 17—Rear of center, main bay.

sewarsracvomssecascustentte 1 Oy V1; 16,19

Bldg. 46—First front by clevator.............-1-ccsecssenncossnsennenessccesssrerenA dy 46, 60, 48

Bldg. 60—First front.......
Bldg. 49——-West end by r.
Bldg. 58—Front of tool crib, bay 23.

.60, 52 Turbine
49, 57, 61, 63
wenoasedl 58, 60, IC

Bldg. 52—-Door 6 to door 18, 50 feet from superintendent's office............52, 66, 56

Bldg. GB—Pirst Tear........cse--ecccccsccerssencnnnsone

Bldg. 69-—First annex, door 14, west side..
Bldg. 77—First floor front........cssceseceneee

sasnenenecenenneeG4, 68, 72, 76, 700, 91
65, 69, 78, 784, shipping and test
77, 67, TTA, 79, 75, 64, 71, 284

Bldg. B9— Center esecencenesesensssnnesnerevnstevenipusenieonesnsensteentmerttneectneseemereeusBLy 89
Bldg. 97—Middle on west Sid@..............cs--1---sseecsessesccccanarecessscennen by 96, 97, 101, 105
Bldg. 95—Second floor conference room....87, 95, 98A, 99, 99A, 95B, 258, 259, 261

Bldg, 269——Middle west............ sa

-00n265, 267, 269
avnnetT3, 59

povernment— and I speak now with Bldg. 285—Bay. L- 8 center of Diilding.....-seseesegrecssnsnssnatenerseeerssnnanannnnrececeessssnnnsanee BO

__ par lar_ reference to allegations made_
concerning the Communist Party,” Pres-
ident Murray said. So
“But what could constitute a graver
threat to the perpetuity of our free ex-

istence in the United States of America

—our democratic way of life—than this —

fiscal picture that. I have presented\ to
you here?”

Statement of Policy

The “Communist” issue was removed
from the CIO convention at the very
start when a statement of policy was
unanimously adopted by the 62-man
Executive Board and approved by the
convention. This statement said, in
part: “We, the delegates to the Highth
Constitutional Convention of the Con-
gress of Industrial Organizations, re-
sent and reject efforts of the Commun-
ist Party or other political parties and

“Bldg. 40—First rear
Bldg. 85—First front..

ane 09,107

40, 40B—I.M,
weal, 84, 85

CAP, northwest corner of new building near tunnel entrance....CAP and race track
Airport, Mr. Talbot’s offi¢@.....cescscssssecsasussssescsesncccnssncasnaneesenansneneeenccen sesene-ee Airport

In commenting on the resolution,
President Murray declared, “I have had
a great many communications which, in
substance, suggested that this organiza-
tion of ours should indulge itself in the
extravagances of repressive legislation.
As the president of this organization, I
should like it to be distinctly understood ,
tkat I am definitely opposed to any form
of repression in this movement of ours.
There should ‘be on misunderstanding
about that.”

The CIO convention also took the fol-
lowing actions: condemned the govern-
ment’s use of the injunction in the coal

--their~-adherents—to interfere in-the-at- -—Strike,..voted_to_intensify. PAC work,

fairs of the CIO. This convention
serves notice-that we will not tolerate
~-such-interference.” —_

Joint Meeting Tuesday

for

Committeemen
and

Membership

Results of the Local Eo elec-
tions will be reported by the Elec-
tion Committee at a joint Commit-
teemen’s meeting and membership
meeting of the local at 7:30 p.m.
Tuesday, Dec. 8, at the union hall.
Other business also will be taken

up.

pledged itself to fight all Congression-
al attempts to weaken labor unions,
called fora halt of stockpiling atom
bombs and passed a foreign policy reso-
lution which called for a free, united
China, and for severing diplomatic and
economic relations with Franco Spain
and Argentina,

Albert R. Fitzgerald, UERMWA pres-
ident, was reelected as one of the nine
vice-presidents, Leo Jandreau, 801,
was a delegate, .

Acting Board Member

Stanley Bishop, named shop chairman
of Bldg. 69, is an acting member of the
Executive Board

301 Goes to Bat
For Machinists —

Raises for machinists to restore their
traditional relationship with the tool.
makers’ rates were requested in a griev-
ance sent the company last week by
Local 3801,: following a meeting of
machinists’ representatives at the union
hall,

The union proposal is that the ma-
chinists be given merit reviews every
six months, as won for the toolmakers
in the War Labor Board ease, and that
the following rate ranges be establish-
ed for the machinists’ classification

A $1,885 to $1.585

B $1.235 to $1.885

C $1,105 to $1,285 (automatic to

$1.185 and last step on merit)

Participating in the machinists’ meet-
were Fred Pacelli, Leonard J, Reichel,
and Charles .Ossenfort, of Bldg. 101; T.
A. Edwards of 61, Kenneth Sheehan of
17, Henry Busse of 68, Martin Maul, J.
Morrett, and. Lawrence Di Lallo of 58,
and William W. Selby of 60.

Activities Committee
The Activities Committee will meet

at 8 p, m. Dee 9 at 801 Hall. Lanson

Cole is chairman, -

snonesscnsessnsnseensecnrseneeedZy 14 ,16, 80 —
18, 18A,.part-of-40; part of 40B-—-