Electrical Union News, 1949 July 1

4

ELECTRICAL UNION NEWS

June 24, ‘1949

GE Propaganda
Going Full Blast

As was expected, GE is engaged
in an-all-out propaganda effort to
confuse and misinform its employ-

_--...-tes.and..the_general_public_in_the_

current negotiations.

The last Works News carried two
lengthy statements on the negotia-
tions, one signed by L. R. Boul-
ware. They are elaborate attempts
to make workers believe that black
is white. GE tries to deny the
whole experience of 1929, which
proved the falseness of GI's
theory,

For two years GE has been put-
ling forth the “cat beans, work
harder” line, the theory that
“greater productivity” for the com-

-pany’s benefit is good for the work-
ers. The result is now told in hard
facts — lay-ofl's, short time, down-
grading. But. still, to fight for its
program’ of speed-up and extra-
ordinary profits, GE tries to sell
the same “lower costs, greater pro-
ductivity” line, As a result, the
company contradicts itself and
falls back on crude falsehood. Here
are specific examples:

Some Boulware Distortions

1, Boulware says a shorter work
week with present take-home pay
would not put any more pay in the
omployee’s pocket,

The fact is that a shorter work
week would reduce the number of
lay-offs, mean more people work-
ing, more pay in the pockets of ail
the people to buy goods with, |

2. Por two years Boulware said
raises Were no good, because they
only caused price increases. Now
Boulware complains that this time

“amployers .. . cannot include in
their prices 2. . any part” of the
wage cost increase.

Tf that is true, that is an excel-
lent reason -for getting a raise. Tt
means that, even without price con-
trol, employers would have to pay
the raises out of their record prof-
its, That is exactly what the coun-
try needs.

8. Boulware calls the idea of
raises to increase buying: power
“nump-priming, and says that 98
per cent of the people are employ-
ed “at good wages,” that they are
‘making new savings at a surpris-
ing rate’ and that the trouble is
just that buyers are “reluctant.”

Most Savings Lower
The fact is there are 4,000,000
unemployed, and that carnings of
those still employed are going
dawn, Boulware’s statement about
savings is just untrue, Govern-
ment figures show that the savings

301 Field Day Big Success Despite Heat

‘art of the enthusiastic audience at the magic and pantomime shows af ‘he Local 301 field day Sunday at
Hans Grell’s, Grove, More pictures of the outing wil Appear ine next week's EV News

Canadian Workers in Demonstrations;
Demand GE End Stalling on Contract

Thousands of Genero] Electric

workers in Toronto and Peterboro

took part recently in demonstrations demanding that the company make
definite proposals in contract renewal negotiations with UE. Manage-
ment has been stalling since bargaining started May 4 for renewal of
the master contract covering Canadian GE plants.

At Toronto nearly 2,000 workers
todk part ina paride that atreteh-
ed for almost half a mile. They
nuuched around. the plant with
hanners and a sound:truck, At the
campuny'’s home. plant at Peter-
boro 2,000 workers gathered on

of Taw ineome people have gone
dawn steadily from 1945 to 1946
to 1947 and to 1948, Figures are

not available for 1949, but even the
magazine “Business Week” recent-
ly admitted that savings are rising
in the hands of the few rich, while
the savings of the many are being
exhausted. The desperate need, to
hold off a depression, is more
money in the hands of the people.

The fact that the profits of in-
creased productivity are taken by
Big Business is the basic reason
iw depressions.

. Boulware talks about a drop
in lo cost of living.

The truth is that after a tiny
drop, living’ costs have started up
again,

But GE thinks that by shouting
loud enough it can caver up the
truth and can make the American
people -forget the Hoover. depres-
sion of the thirties.

the fant lawn to welcome 500 or
more demonstrators as they ar-
rived. They held a meeting to de-
mand action by the company.

The only offer the company has
made on money matters was a
statement of wiliingness to review
rates and meet average community
levels. GE has supplied the union
with a copy of its community sur-
veys which are highly unsatisfaec-
tory, To “meet the average” in
Peterboro, for instance would mean
an over-all wage cut of three cents
an hour and in some cases cuts of
nine cents.

Softball Game

The Schenectady All Star girls’
softball team beat the Local 301
girls’ team 7 to 3 in a pame at the
vOL feld day.

Did You Know?

Six corporations. joined the hil-
lionaires club in 1948, bringing the
total number to 66, The six
newcomers are Gulf Oi), Standard
Oil of California, Commonwealth
Edison, Bethlehem Steel, Ford and
American Power and Light.

Grievance Session |

‘On Lay-off Methods

The Local 301 grievance commit-
tee met with A. C. Stevens, assist-
ant works managet, on Wednesday
afternoon (after this paper went Lo
press), to discuss the many diffi-
culties occurring in connection with
lay-offs.

The principal immediate com-
plaint is the continuing failure to
place laid-off workers whose serv-
ice records clearly entitle them to
jobs. Women with six years of
scrvice and more have not been
called back after being out several
weeks,

Men with one year of service and
more are told in Building 1 that
there is no job of any kind for
them. This appeared to be the re-
sult of some arbitrary ruling by
the Personnel Division, contrary
to the contract.

Most puzzling development was
the word from Personnel to the ef-
fect that toolmakers would shortly
be cut back to 1942 service, and
therefore toolmakers with less
service than that would no longer
be offered toolmaker jobs, but
would he offered machine jobs.
Stevens said this appeared to be a
misunderstanding,

Meanwhile,. lay-offs and “rota-
tion” continued in various parts of
the plant, particularly . Control,
Punch Press Tool and Die, and.Por-
celain,

SHORTER HOURS and MORE PAY for Job Security

THE VOICE OF LOCAL 30!

Vol. 7 — No. 25

SCHENECTADY, NEW YORK

_Suly 1.1949

Profi ts Up —

Jobs Down

“|New York iit by RiseinJ. staat stun
: sump in Many Key Indust Bee

ces
sLayott Signal E;
OT Textile cas

Ich b Joa of Comms
stories = | OT

—

iat ¥ Yor! ies —
otscierat I) Unem it BY Ring
employment, Dr Di
CY Industrieg

Skees, Lot

Recon —

GE Estimate

Jobless Expected to Reach 1,100 Today

Lay-offs have been continuing in
June at the rate of 400 a month,

so that about 1,100 are expected:

to be out of the plant for lack of
work by now, according to A. ©.
Stevens, assistant works manager.

Stevens gave the figures to the
union grievance committee in a
meeting last week. He said about
550 were laid off in May. From
now on lay-ofl's will continue, but
‘at a lower rate than in June, Stev-
ens said.

Works Manager Lewis J, Male
said that by the end of September
or October “not many” workers
would be left with less than one
axear's service, This means that by

ven about 2,000 will have lost
their jobs.

In addition to those echuntly go-

ing out, hundreds have been trans-
ferred to different jobs, mostly at
reduced earnings, Hundreds more

are losing time.

The union grievance committee
again protested thé delays in plac-
ing laid-off persons whose seniority
entitles them to jobs. Women with
six years’ service have been out
for weeks, and men with from one
to two years’ service are being
told there is nothing for them now.
Male said the personnel department
was analyzing the jobs held by
short service men and women, and
calling back the longer service
laid-off workers as promptly as
possible. Figures on the situation
were promised for this week.

Some of the laid-off workers are
being absorbed by the expansion in
Turbine, but this will not change

the over-all picture above. -

Stevens confirmed previous in-
formation that toolmakers were be-
ing cut back to 1942 service. He
said this meant a net reduction of

301 Meets with Marcy
On Silicosis Question

While saying that the company
had “nothing to hide,” Charles G.
Marcy, personnel director, , last
week resisted strongly the union's
request for joint union and com-
pany action against the dangers of
silicosis. ,

Discussion started last week on
the union’s grievance growing out
of the examination made for the
union by Dr. Saul Solomon, New
York City lung specialist, which
showed that out. of 86 men and
women from Building 68 who were
examined, ‘seven had severe cases
of silicosis, and 17 had cases rang-
ing from mild to moderate, The

Executive Board of Local 301 call.

ed for a joint survey to eliminate
‘or reduce the dust hazard, and for
medical examination of all other
workers in 68, and others exposed
to serious dust hazards, particular-
ly in the foundries and Mica. The
union asked that X-rays be made
available to doctors named by the
union.

GE Defends Conditions

Marcy said that the Porcelain
division here is “in good shape in
comparison with the porcelain in-
dustry,” that the company had a
survey made two years ago by a
team of industrial hygienists, and
again in 1948. He said progress
was being made against the dust
danger by carrying out the experts’
recommendations, and that “pro-
gress is more important than the
present degree” of the illness. He
said the company had put in the
aluminum dust treatments for sili-
cosis, which were believed to he
very helpful. He said that worlk-
ers concerned about their health
could “consult Dr. Vosburgh.”
(Head company doctor). /

Representatives of the groups in
Porcelain ,Foundries and Mica told
Mayey their members did not want
to depend on the word of the com-
pany medical staff. Marcy repeat-
ed he did “not see the advisability
of joint investigation.”

The union grievance committee
called Marcy's attention to the case

(Continued on Page 2)

only 60, as there is only that many
toolmakers with shorter service,

‘These are being offered machine

jobs according to their service,

GE Remains
Deaf to Needs
Of Employees

General Electrie Company nego-
tiators continued last week to
maintain an attitude of complete
indifference to the needs of em-
ployees,

In answer to the UE committee’s
demand that the company act to

--reverse the present trend toward
a depression, the GE. committee
said that a situation has been
reached where an adjustment must
be made.

It was clear that the company
meant the workers should be the
vietims of the “economic adjust-
ment”, while the company reaps
fat profits,

The UE committee declared that
the company’s policy of hoarding
super-profits would only mean the
loss of jobs for more people. The
first step on the road back, the UE
committee said, must be an in-
crease in the purchasing power of
the people who make up the mass
market for manufactured goods.

Next Session July 12
After two days of negotiations
in which the company repeated its
Big Business economic theories, the

negotiations were recessed to July
12.

GE admitted that on June 1, 1949
there were 9,000 fewer men and
7,000 fewer women on the hourly
payroll than in January 1948. Tt

(Continued on Page 2}

July Meeting Set

The combined 801 member-
ship and shop stewards mect-
ing for July will be at 7:30 p.m.
Tuesday, July 19, for all stew-
ards and for first and third shift
members and at 1 p.m. Wednes- ‘|.’
day, July 20, for second shift |
members. Both parts of the
meeting will be at 801 hall.

No section of the plant will be
having a vacation shut-down at
the time, The Electronic Tuhe
Division’s vacation shut-down
will end July 17,

The date of the combined
meeting was set by the Execu-
tive Board Monday.

2

ELECTRICAL UNION NEWS

July 1, 1949

GE Remains Deaf
To Workers’ Needs

(Continued from Page 1)
tried to belittle these layoffs. The
hegotiators declared that many
more thousands face Jay-oils if the
company does not change its high
price, high profit, low wage and

speed-up policies — the Big Busi-'

ness policies which already have
caused unemployment fur millions
in the country, while great num-
bers of those employed are on short
time at low earnings.

Lunch Hour Meetings

Liocal 801 members last week met
in hundreds and thousands outside
their buildings to hear reports
from Executive Board members on
the negotiations and to protest
against the company’s attitude.
The meetings were held at the
same time all over the works dur-
ing the noon lunch hour Thursday,
with one meeting during the sec-
ond shift lunch hour. The mem-
bers expressed vigorous support
for the union’s demands, There
was particular enthusiasm for the
35-hour weck with 40 hours’ pay, as
a means of reducing the lay-offs
and increasing purchasing power.

Union members also have been
speaking up on the negotiations at
the meetings which the company
has been holding by divisions. Top
division managers have tried to
make it appear that the lay-off sit-
uation is not so serious and that
the solution lies in the Boulware
theories of economics. In most of
these meetings union members
have taken the floor to point out
that the problem is very serious to
the workers and that the company
can casily help the situation out of
its vast profits by agrecing to a
shorter work week and higher pay,
decent pensions, ete.

3,839 Jobless Reported

Another big inerease in the num-
ber of workers registered for un-
employment insurance in Schenee-
tady was reported June 17... The
figure jumped to 3,839 from 3,380
as of June 10.

ELECTRICAL UNION NEWS

UNITED ExLectnrican, Rapro & MACHINE
Workers of AMeERtcA, CIO

Semenrctapy GU Locan 301

Published by Editorial Committee
Mary McCartin, Chairman
Arthur R, Bertin, Seeretary

William Christman Frank D'Amico
Victor Pasche E :

Editorial Office
Euecriucal UNION News
301 Liberty St., Schenectady, N. ¥.
Telephone 3-1386

It’s Another Writer  -
But Same Old Story

GE Vice-President L. R. Boul-
ware gave over his special page-in
the Works News to a ringer last
week. Possibly it was because
Boulware’s nonsense had become
too easy a target, but the official
explanation was that the ringer,
Lawrence Fertig of the New York
World Telegram, had “so clearly
presented the two conflicting views
of the current diiliculties ” ;

The truth is that the ew York
financial writer did no such thing.
He presented the usual Big Busi-
ness propaganda -with a simple
trick, The piece thoroughly dis-
torted the arguments of the unions
now fighting for more purchasing
power to protect the country. It
completely left out the one big fact
which is the root of all the present

trouble—tie hi Ofiteering

which is making even the profits of
1929 look small.

And by that simple device Fertig
arrives at the usual Hoover con-
clusion that we must cut produc.
tion costs still further (pay work-
ers still less) to “induce invest-
ments in increased production.”

It’s the old Hoover theory that
if we just Iet Big Business niake
still bigger profits, the Charlie Wil-
sons will let the common people
have some of the crumbs.

The New York World Telegram
is one of the most anti-labor pap-
ers. lt belongs to the huge Seripps-
Howard chain, with papers from
coast to coast,

301 Meets with Marcy

On Silicosis Question
(Continued from Page 1)

of a worker in Porcelain who was
encouraged to retire, and immedi-
ately afterwards was found to be
totally disabled by silicosis. The
company agreed to workmen’s com-
pensation when the union filed a
claim, Marcy denied that the eom-
pany had intended to do the man
any injustice.

Discussion was scheduled to con-
tinue this week. The union also is
asking for special compensation for
the silicosis victims,

Representing’ Local 3801 were

Shop Stewards Arthur Bertini,

Anthony Rainone, and Ernest Cos-
tanzo, of Building 68, and Board
Members Henry Kaminski, Robert
Phillips and Joseph Mangino.

A slip in last week’s Electrical

Union News made. it. appear that.
out of 36 workers examined, 17

had cases of silicosis. The previous
issue gave the correct figure, 24
out of 386.

10 p.m. Monday
WXKW

301 Starts Preparing

For Primary Elections

Local 301 has requested heads of
the Democratic. and Republican
County Committees to meet with
a special committee of the Execu-
tive Board so that the union may
learn the program of these parties
on issues in preparation for coun.
ty and municipal elections.

The special committee also will

contact all nidividual candidates” vo *

ask their positions. Members of
this committee are President Frank
Kriss, Vice-President William
Hodges, Business Agent Leo Jan-
dreau and Board Members William
Stewart, Joseph Mangino and
James Cognetta. Cognetta was
added during the illness of Man-
gino.

This group reported to the Board
Monday that in accordance with
previous instructions it had met
with a committee of American La-
bor Party representatives at the
ALP’s request. The Board found
that the ALP program for county
and municipal elections is in line
with the position of the union of
the various issues involved and un-
animously approved the prograni.

The Board instructed the com-
mittee to draw up a Local 801 pvro-
gram for county and municipal
elections for presentation to the
next Board meeting and to the
combined 801 .membership and
stewards meeting this month.

Downs and Kelly Report
On Civil Rights Session

Treasurer William Downs and
Board Member Joseph Kelly of
vocal. 301 made a detailed, factual
report to the Executive Board Mon-
day on the Conference on Civil and
Human Rights conducted last Sat-
urday in New York City. The
Board accepted the report and vot-
ed that it should be presented to
the combined membership and
stewards’ meeting July 19 and 20.

Downs and Kelly were sent as
observers by the Board to the con-
ference, which..was called by the
Civil Rights Congress of New
York. Under Board instruction
they did not vote at the session,
but merely gathered information.

Another Session Asked
With GE on MBA Plan

The Local 301 Executive Board
has asked for a meeting with
Works Manager Lewis J. Male for
discussion of the question of the
company contributing ‘toward Mu-

‘tual Benefit Association benefits.

After two weeks of a heavy
pressure campaign the General
Committee of MBA last Friday
passed proposed amendments to the
plan by a vote of 74 to 6,

Local 301 has asked the company
to have the vote on the amend-
ments delayed, pending discussion
between the company and the un-
ion of a disability plan on a col-
lective bargaining basis.

The 801 Executive Board met
Jast week on the question with
Male and. other. GE.representatives
and with C. F. Lane, MBA chair-
man, and J. C. Meader, MBA se
retary. In the absence of Busine:

Agent Leo Jandreau his assistanbes

Victor Pasche, appeared with the
801 Board. .

Lane refused to recommend that
the vote on MBA amendments he
postponed. He even said he didn't
see why he should report the 301
position to the MBA General Com-
mittee. .

Male. insisted that the amend-
ments had been under discussion
fou a period of years, Lane denied
that the proposed changes were a
move to bring the company into
compliance with the new state
Disability Law. Actually a question
and answer form sent out by the
MBA as propaganda for the am-
endments mentioned the Disability
Act.

Throughout the discussion Male
insisted MBA was an “independ-
ent” organization, though GE
names its principal officers and has
veto power over any changes.

Several 301 Board members
pointed out that the contents of the
proposed amendments were not
available to the general MBA mem-
bership.

Mrs. William G. Hodges

Mrs. Frances Nora White Hod-
ges, wife of Vice-President William
G. Hodges of Local 801, died Tues-
day night at Ellis Hospital after
a brief illness.

Funeral services will be at 2:30
p.m. today (Friday) at the James
Funeral Home, 128 Mohawk Ave.,
Scotia, Burial will be in Park Cem-

etery, Scotia. QO
Mrs, Hodges is survived by a

daughter, Miss Joan Hodges, Sco-
tia, and three sons, Wilford and
David Hodges, both of Scotia, and
William Hodges of Collingdale, Pa.

FIELD DAY FUN. An exciting moment in the potato race

a the wunual 80b outing dune 19 at Hans Grell’s Grove,

Bob Coward, pantomime artist,

Above, bingo
players,

At left, w lHltle girl
on ow bie horse,

At vight. Mr and
Mrs. George Pratt,
1084 Helderbers
Aves und the auto>
mobilo they won,
the grand prize a6
tiold duy. He Is a
304 momber,

_AL Moss, singer and. guitar player,

.
MAA TS ATR RUAN OA TICE AC IY MRR PLN CREE ne ern A

Se

HA