Electrical Union News, 1946 January 18

-. Too many . American btisinessmen~

_ELECTRICAL UNION NEWS

A.great. part,of American mana-
-.gement has for months «been on
strike against the American people.
In their unreasonable drive for ex-
cessive prices and profits, they have
been holding up reconversion. and
peacetime full employment, ’
This, may ‘sourid extreme, but re-
member the stakes are high. . Bus-.
iness is striking to raise prices, slash
“wages, and weaken or crush unions.
have-never reconciled themselves to
bargaining with strong labor unions
=strong” “unions” that bar: the road
which leads back to the kind of in-
dustrial feudalism under ‘which

Industry Says "N

This strike by management is de-'
laying reconversion and destroying
our. chances for. full - employment.
Because of it, collective bargainin
in steel, auto, electrical, and other
industries has all but ‘entirely col-
lapsed. oo
“In the electrical industry, for ex-
ample, ¢ nion made a careful pre-
sentation in support of its wage de-

ands, It produced overwhelmin

o demonstrate the indus-
try’s ability to pay. substantial wage
increases now. :

It ‘adds up'to.an” ugly pattern.
Back of ‘the companies’ unyielding
stand lie some of the greatest legisla-

Shae a eae ye RR

“mass production industries.

~ This feudal attitude, this attitude
“which “denies + its responsibilities to

the public as well as to its own work- -

ers, is neatly summed up in a recent
statement by Harry Anderson, vice-
president of the General’ Motors Cor-

poration, After:turning down the un-.:
ion’s request for information on the.
eompany’s ability to pay wage in- -

creases, ‘he added, “We don’t even
open. our books to our stockholders.”
That remark speaks volumes of “the
“public be damned?!

“. ment have always maintained in pri-

vate if not in public. And remem-

- ber, this is the same Harry Anderson
who was responsible for the GM labor
spy system back in 1935,

the CIO ‘brought . protection into

attitude that |
large sections of Ameri¢an manage-

tive “swindles ever practiced on the ~

American -people—the —carry-back.
carry-forward tax law. If in 16, the
profits of the General Electric Com-
pany fall below the company’s “nor-
may’* pre-war earnings the U. S.

’ Treasury. wil refund enough of Gen-

eval Electric’s wartime tax payments,

, to lift. the profits. up to the pre-war

average,

Here is a wonderful inducement to
union busting. GE ean goad the
union into a long and costly strike.
-Meanwhile the company would be
eligible for refunds of many. millions.
This type of guarantee isn’t con-
fined to GE; it’s’true of all those

corporations that participated’in-the _

record profit-making of the war per-
iod.
*1936-1089 average profits.

_ holding up production.
scribed the automobile dealers’ ef-'

The plan to-sit back and foree un-
ions into strikes is not confined to
GE either, It has received support
from other sources. The Munn Au-
tomobile News Letter, an industry

sheet, speaking of management's Jack

of interest in getting plants started
and in bargaining with workers, sug-
gested to its subscribeds, . ‘Perhaps
the only solution isa policy of. nit-
ii ight and ‘waiting until the econ-
they must stay on the job or starve.
At the. moment there is no disposi-
tion on the part of management to
become ‘frantic over labor. unrest.”
The unsavory efforts of industry

-te=compel OPA-to-boost-pr

delayed reconversion. , The automo-
bile industry for, example bloclted
OPA Chief Bowles’ attempts to sct
ceiling prices for 1946 cars, thereby
Bowles de-

forts to raise car prices as “the great-
est single pressure operation” in the
history of price administration:
Although OPA’s studies revealed
that 1942 price ceilings: were more
than ample to allow most industries
high profits, the companies aré con-
tinuing’to put’ the squeeze on the
government. The General Electric
Company is a notorious case in point,
_U. §, Steel, ‘General Motors and
General Electric are merely exam-
ples. The same profits-first, public-
last. attitude has been also conspic-
uous in lumber, in textiles; and else-

workers to resizie”” carry-Lack-tax-refundsto help them

sort of-profite gre" Severna
Veterans, too, are involved.” Many

where. In the work-shirt and radio

parts industries manufacturers held’

back. production for months, ‘until
OPA was forced to grant them price

cinereases. 2 -
Anticipating the end or weaken-.
ing of OPA*controls and the end of :

the excess profits tax, manufacturers

and shippers throughout the country. |

have been deliberately delaying re-
conversion, Others are counting on

smash the labor movement in 19-46.

‘Business advisory services have syn-

ieally advised their clients to hold up
shipments: in 1945 to avoid the very
taxes’ designe ju

of them have been trying to purchase
machinery and other supplies, in. or-
der to get into business. But manu-
facturers with bulging warehouses
have turned them down, waiting for
1946, : 8‘

It comes down to the fact that la-

bor's effort to compel management ~

to bargain in good faith and to strive
for all-out production is. really’ an
attempt to galvanize the entire so-
ciety into action—an effort to brine
about full employment and rising
living standards for all.

It’s:not only the unions whose so-
cial and economic well being are in
the balance, Labor's fight for high-
er wages is a fight for all classes,
for purchasing power is the main
prop of a healthy economy.

 . GE Propaganda

| in Ghost Ads

(Continued from Page 8)
picket line and the loss of their in-

comes, now seeks to lay the blame |

- onthe strikers,

“TE any Schenectady merchant is

impressed by the figure, $188,600,

‘how much more would.he be im-
“pressed by the income loss that Sche-
nectady has suffered through. the
* General Rlectric Company's lousing
up the negotiations with the UE
since last Summer?

This figure if calculated would
make $188,600 look like the asking
price of a cigar-lighter in Satan’s
kingdom.

And the responsibility for its loss
to Schenectady’s commerce lies at
the door of the General FElectric

* Company.

No Wolf Visible’
On Wilson Doormat

.. As a sidelight on the — electrical
workers’ strike, A. J. TFitzgerald,
general president af the UE, has

~. pointed out that “the last reported

‘

salary of Charles E, Wilson, presi-
dent of G-R, was $167,000 in 1942.”
“This ‘amount to $3,200 a week.
The average G-E worker now on the
picket line to win an increase was
making less than $88 a week, That’s
why he is on the picket line.”.
Figures: from the same
show ‘that A.:W. Robertson and B.
H, Bucher, board chairman and pres-
ident: respectively of Westinghouse,
G-E's “impoverished” ally, took home
$3,815 a week and $2,760 a week
respectively during 1924, | :

source

People or

Profits? |

By WILLIAM ROTH.

Member Local 301 Veterans. Committee

. During the war, the people were urged to buy war bonds-and

. to. make sacrifices. in order that the government could purchase

the supplies and tools of war.: ‘The people bought the bonds and

made the sacrifices. The war mater-
ials were purchased: from ‘big indus-

‘tries, which did not sacrifice their

profits, but in most cases. increased
them very substantially.

The corporations made their huge
profits by increasing their output at
a greatly lowered cost per unit of
production. When the working peo-
ple, who did the work and bought the
bonds, asked for a reasonable ($2 a
day) increase in wages, these com-
panies, including GE, raised a howl
as if they were being robbed. :

Do these great corporations, grown

‘rich on the labor and sacrifices of

the people, consider themselves to be
independent of and above the peo-
ple. They can’t justify their exist-
ence, except as servants of the peo-
ple. People come first——profits last.

GOING UP?

In deciding wha would and
who would not go inta the plant,
the company  nagotiator waa
submitting lists to: Leo Jandreau
the day before the strike. Jan-
dreau was saying NO to every-
one whose entrance to the plant
was not justified from our
standpoint. The company man

- suggested an elevator operator
' for building 2 stating: “You know
there are 4 or 5 floors the big
shots admitted in will have to
climb.”

Jandreau put his refuaal very
neatly by remarking, “They're
lucky there are not 40 floors...”

- Picket Meals Better Than: Ever

Arrangements have been improved
considerably for getting food to the
pickets since the opening day of the
G-E strike

Sandwiches “ara? now “being “serve

atthe ‘Rice. Road picket station in’
Addition to coffed. Beef broth is.

“being served at all the picket lines,
- For pickets changing shifts, UE
headquarters at: Evie and Liberty is
serving home-made soup, coffee and
- doughnuts.” “Pickets who have com-
pleted a shift are served these meals

.

!

on the presentation of their punched ~-

shift cards. The kitchen is open at
all hours while general picketing is
going on,

THINK YOU'RE GOOD? |
Any union members who feels they.
are competent at checkers, pinochle,

darts or other games, and those who’ ”

just play for the fun of it are in.
vited to play at union headquarters
any time. - There are always capable
opponenta,

. a
Non-Union Vets
a a . |. =
Join Picket Line
On Wednesday, the aecond
day of the strike, fifteen reso-
-]ute veterans who are not union
‘members but whose fathers and
brothers are out on __ astrike,

‘marched onto the picket line at
the main gate. ‘

Plenty, disgusted and ready
for battle after finding out how
the General Electric had been
treating other vets and war
workers alike, they ‘went into
their new marching job singing
and with the same enthusiasm
‘and confidence that marked
their combat against the foreign
enemies.

Hits Contract
Scrapping Move

NEW YORK—Cancellation of its
contract with the UE announced by
the Westinghouse Corp. follows ‘‘the
peneral pattern of provocation which,
the company has ‘adhered to for
many months”, A. J. Fitzgerald, gen-
eral president of the UE, said today,

“It is also evidence: of the con-

.certed attempt by Westinghouse and
_G-E to destroy our union, since G-E
“took similar action several weeks

ago,” Fitzgerald said.

“In December G.E. announced it
would terminate the UE-CIO con-
tract at the same time that the com-
pany made its unacceptable ‘offer’

_ of a 10 percent increase, thus mak-

ing an‘offer with one hand and tak-

.ing it away with the other. Now

Westinghouse. has matched this G.E.
double-talk and the two corporations
have joined hands in a war against
their employees and the nation.”

COMING SOON

A 4-LEGGED PICKET

WATCH FOR HER

~

‘eral Electric Company ?

C, E. Wilson, NOTHING.

lits last cent,

| STEEL and G-E .
. If the conference. going on at the White House to avert

the pending nationwide strike’ of steelworkers should prove
successful, what will it mean to striking workers of the Gen-

Judging from the past pronouncements of G-E President

Developments in other industries do not penetrate. the
hide of the G-E spokesman, according to his own pronounce-
ments.in defending. the G-E position of 10 cents or 10 per-

“cent and “NOT ONE, PENNY MORE”;

The steelworkers are trying to get the management
negotiators to meet the 1914 cent increase recommended by
the fact finding board in the General Motors strike. Sup-

_ybosing this should happen,.and, the. steel strike..be averted, ..
‘would it influence Mr. Wilson and the G-E? |

--{--- Jor the present, the public can only judge from Wilson’s’
statement that he doesn't care what happens in steel, auto-
mobiles, or the national wage situation—the G-E has offered

‘

:

THE VOICE OF THE UNITED ELECTRICAI. RADI

~ Vol. I—No, 3

0 & MACHINE WORKERS OF AMERICA—LOCAL 301 CIO°
SCHENECTADY, NEW YORK |

i :

An Appeal to: Me
ay a. 1 i Kee I ee ee o |
Office and Salaried \

and without bargaining rights

January 25, 1946

orkers o:

pany in which the office and salaried workers remain: unorganized -

For. many years, General Electric -has exploited office and
salaried. workers, through low wages and poor working conditions.
Now the Company is plotting to use you as‘strike-breakers against
your brothers and sisters, against your mothers and fathers who
are on strike to make GE pay living wages, . -

General Electrie wants to march you through the people who
are picketing the plant for decent wages for you as well as for the
‘Tactory Workers; They want to march you through the striking
veterans who fought for all of us on the battlefronts all over the
world, and who are fighting’ again to make GE live up to its

pledges to the people.

. Many thousands of office and salaried workers: have joined
our- Union, the. UE-C10. They are actively supporting the strike
on the picket lines, right here in Schenectady, the home office of

General Electric.

They are working at strike headquarters, help-

ing with clerical and other necessary work.
The white-collar workers of General Electric in Schenectady

fy

are in the worst position of any salaried workers in the entire GE
system. The Schenectady GR plant is the only plant of the Com-

~~" Because you are unorganized, GE feels that it ean use you.as:

guinea pigs, that it can experiment with you as it does with the
production of appliances in the plant. They not only exploit YOU,
they now plan to use you to hurt OTHERS. | = :
The issue today is not the “right to work.” Sixtéen thousand
men and women are striking to have bread on the table,.clothing on

their children, and a roof over their heads. If they win, you ‘win. -
If they lose, you lose:

Office and salaried workers, open your eyes to the cruel and
dangerous game in which you are to be used against your own. -
people. Most of Schenectady is with us, merchants, housewives, —
professional people, the ALCO workers, too, many of whom are
white-collar people like you. : os

We urge you to tell GE that you cannot be used against your

‘families —~ that you ‘will not permit them to pit one group of work-

ing people against another. Such an action would produce a bit-
terness from which Schenectady would.not recover for many years.
The responsibility for such an unhappy development would lie with
the management of the General Electric Company. ~

Office and salaried workers, we are all-in the same boat. - ity

-one sinks, all sink.

Don’t Let.GE use you as Scabs and Strike-Breakers.

Little Hope Held
For Mediation

Mediation, without power for: the

‘ mediators to do more than recom-

mend, is worth giving a trial. The
union hes agreed:to the request of
the secretary of labor to do all it
ean to bring about a quick settlement
with General Electric through media-
tion, but it seems wishful thinking to
expect very much to come of it.

Industry’s record of voluntary co-

.operation is none too savory. Look:
at what has taken place. WU. S.
Steel has shown contempt for the
President of the United States in
his efforts to bring about settlement
of the steel dispute.

General Mators figuratively
thumbs its nose at the United States
Government by its refusal to abide
by the decision of‘ the President's
fact-finding panel in the Auto Worl-
ers’ strike. 2

Mediation carries with it even less
power than the methods used in the
President’s effort to settle these two
cases and when used with the cheap-
est of all the corporations in the anti-
labor conspixacy-~General Electric—
can it be expected to do much bet-
ter?

It is the apparent aim of these
profit-swollen corporations to con-

trol the nation’s economy and in.

their efforts to do this they have as-
sumed the attitude evidenced “by
both Steel and.GM — the publie-be
damned.

‘ y

MEMBERSHIP
MEETING --

Tuesdeny, Jan. 29
8 P.M.
e

Speaker:
JULIUS EMSPAK

UE National
Secretary-Treasurer

. MT. PLEASANT
' HIGH SCHOOL

’

&

Free Revue and Dance Planned

There are big things ahead in the recreation. line for il 301 members and their families. yes
High on the list arranged by the Strike Recreation and Social Activities Committee is a free

entertainment scheduled for Friday, January 25, at Union Hall.

Notable on the list of attractions

for the evening are Belle Baxter’s |
daneing class of children of union

members, who will present a dance
revue, The dancers will include
Joan, Ann Capitumino, Say Vacca,
Stella Gillo, Dora Candeloro, Rose
Gentile, Shirley O’Brien, Angelina
D'Amico, Ernestine Johnson. ,

Among the entertainers also will
be Charles O’Rourke, blind singer,
who will present his “Novelty Sur-
prise.” Joseph Noisseau and his
doll, Elmer, ‘will tell you what they
both think of Charlie Wilson.. War-
ren Kilmer, wizard of the strings,
will perform, and there will be com-
munity singing. a

Jitterbyg Sunday

For the benefit of the younger
members of the union particularly,
the committee has arranged a dance
for Sunday, January 27, from 3 to 6
pm, Jitterbuggers can frolic to
their heart’s content to the music of
Cyril Sille and his orchestra,.which is
composed of GE employees and vet-
erans, who are donating ‘their sery-
ices.

Remember, these events are free,
and all members of the union and
their families are invited.

Scardino Challenges

. On ‘Monday .evening, January .28,

Joe Seardino, checker expert, will
take on all comers at one time. He

* will be willing to tackle up to 35 .

players at one time. All interested

are asked to sign up at the informa-:

tion desk, j

A radio and jute box have been.

added to the recreational facilities
at Union Hall. Popular recordings
are on tap now at all times—-come
and make the most of: them.-

Checkers, chess, -dominoes | and
cards ore available—and they are
being enjoyed continually by the
members.

Bossy Arrives As Promised

<

Alfred Mead, Schoharie Farmer’s Union leader ‘lends the 4-
LEGGED PICKET around the line. .

ELECTRICAL.

_UNION NEWS

January 25, 1946

ELECTRICAL UNION ‘NEWS.

United Electrical Radio & ‘Machine Workers of Amatica, Clo.
:.Setiensctedy GE Local'30t a

QEIB> =

- Prep arbid and’ Published by: thi MPs
"PUBLICITY AND PUBLIC: RELATIONS COMMITTEE
Editorial Office.  - Electrical Union News
301 LIBERTY ST. =  -. SCHENECTADY, N°Y.

SCURNEGTADY PRINTING COMPANY

United Electrical. Dadiin 2
——————————— of Vasexioa =

CG. 1.0, LABOR CENTER
Conner aug Méuuavanp ano Lisnaty Gracey

SCHENECTADY D, ¢, BiLLIe ROGERS

NRCOMDING BEERRTARY

CIO Is Bulwark of Democracy

The continuing. threat. of fascism. in the life of. the Unit
‘states, in spite. of its. defeat on the battlefields of Europe,
thoroughly realized: by. the: “CIO leadership, it is shown in-the ca
for the national“CIO policy conference to be held next week in.

Atlantic City.-

In issuing the eal for the conven-
tion, at which 250 leaders of the CIO
unions will discuss the strike situ~
ation, wage increase program, and
Congressional attacks on labor; the.
national. headquarters of the CIO
said:

Mackie. Werhart “Tt_is.not--impessible—for-fascist-

ideas to- conquest even though Axis
military might is ecrushed.. Reac-
tion, which was-temporarily partially,
silenced by the war, is again: becom-
ing prevalent. Those who place pro-

Vets, Workers
Both ‘Sucker’
in this Case

Nobody in his right mind objects
to a veteran getting a good job. Es-
pecially is it true that no union man

Stents ica

sae

 Cbpic £ f y p |

Gnpersonel
MORE DOUBLE TALK

By Charlie (10c) Wilson-Wilson

“Dear Fellow Workers, Well Dear
Fellows, anyway—

ain” very” disappointed in you.
Since my last letter.in which I told
you why the Generous Electrie Co.
had to reduce your wages, you went
and pone: a strike on me! You

“RARSGRIR HARI
BF. RACORDING BECHLTARY

ROBEAT FRENCH
CHIEF BOP BTEWARD

VICRPALSIBENT

VETER AORKNORN
TAF AER

TJanuary.3, 1946

LO TRE EXECUTIVE BOARD:

We the undersigned menbers of the United viectriocal,
Kadio and Machine vorkers of America, Local 301, working
on full time jobs for the Vaolon, are notifying the Executive
“Board ag of the ubovea date, that we will voluntarily coa-
tribute’ our services to the Union without pay, if and when
the local takes strike action ugelost: the ueneral Kleotrio

Gompany.

We expeot the above to be effective for the duration
of the strike.

Struck Companies Can’
iss With Tax Rebate

Whether we know it or not, you and I and every ote of us is paying
for General Electric’s financing of this strike. Everyone of us who gets his
pay check with the notation that so much has ‘been deducted for withholding
taxes is footing the bill for G-E, General Motors, Steel, the meat packers
and the rest of the unholy anti-labor alliance that is determined to be the
deciding factor in ott national economy by permitting—even encouraging—
these wasteful strikes.

How are we forced to do this?

All reconversion legislation passed by the —T is one-sided in favor
of the profit-tich bosses. They have nothing to lose—can’t lose anything
under this legislation. There are no chances for them to take. You and I
have to take all of them, for the laws are so written that the industrialist
is “cushioned” against any loss during the reconversion period—and. “oush-
ionéd” with the dollars of the working people of the United States. Our
‘income taxes provide the “down” on which they land if they should come a
cropper. 7

Not only that, the rebate provisions of the tax laws and the “oarry back”
and “carry forward” clauses actually provide them with money to wage
their war against the American workman.

Your government has gone just about the absolute limit in its &fforts to
bring an end to these labor “troubles.” In the Steel case, for example, it
has offered to the industry a ceiling price increase estimated to bring into
its coffers $224,000,000 at the same time it suggested a wage increase which
would have cost the industry only $184,000,000.

Of course, industry could not be expected to snap at. ‘his $40,000,000,
It stands to make much more by keeping! its plants idle through the “rich
man’s’ tax laws.”

» Senator Harley M. Kilgore (D. W. Va.), who has made a study of monop-
olies and cartels, said in Washington recently: “These Jarge corporations,
swollen with war profits, are more concerned with asserting their rights to
dictate working conditions than they are with maintaining production,

“The Steelworkers, by their acceptance of the President's compromise,
showed a desire for continuing uninterrupted production.

“The responsibility for the present shutdowns of production now reste
squarely upon the steel monopolies, These corporations, like General :-Mo-
tors, have said in effect to the President, the Congress and the American
people: ‘These wage disputes will be sottlod on management’s terms. The
workers can strike and be damned.’ ”

Committee Named-—-
For Mass Meet:

The Local 301 General Strike Com-
mittee has named a committee” to
work in conjunction with the Steel
workers’ unions’ committee froni
Locals 2054 and 8180 to arrange a
city-wide mass meeting of striking
CIO members to be. held carly next
month.

--Mutual Benefit
-Checks Slow

Many complaints have been re-
ceived at Local 801 headquarters that
people who have benefit payments

due them by Mutual, Benefit have"

not received "their checks, This de-
spite the fac} an adequate force is
allowed into the G-E plant by the
union to handle these paymenits,

“fits before people, those who believe :

the Negro: should be kept ‘in his
place,’. those who seek: a scrapegoat
in the Jew, aré now as vociferous as
ever. Likewise those who ‘seek to
crush labor as: the protagonist ‘of
democracy are determined to use un-
employment as their tool and the
financial reserves built at the tax-
payers’ expense as the, weapon.

“Political action, social reform

and economic security_are_all_ areas.

which affect the daily life of the
worker and in which we must par-
ticipate to secure our goals of full
employment, full production and an
annual living wage for all workers.

“arg the CIO is weakened through
reactionary attacks and legislation,
the people’s cause will lose its most
able advocate and the cloelk of pro-
gress will be turned back. —

“Now, more than ever the need of
cooperation between all men of good
will becomes evident. Only through
the unity of those in the labor unions,
on the farms, in the businesses’ and
professions, and among the consum-
ers of America, can we hope to
achieve a real vietory—a world order
based on law and human rights.

“Therefore, in this most crucial

‘“\ year of world history, let each of us
\dedicate ourselves anew to the ideals -

of clo organization, economic jus-
tice and legislation in the interests
of all, irrespective of race, creed or
color.” —~

Letters Reveal
Strike Support

Excerpts from letters sent
voluntarily to- Local 301 shows
the true public sentiment. It
comes in daily, unsolicited, (un-
paid for as is GH’s Opinion Poll
paid for as is GH’s Opinion Poll.
A few are printed here.

From an office worker comes, “TI
am a white collar worker and sym-
pathize with the stand the CIO has
taken against these corporations...
wnion papers and leaflets should be
distributed throughout the country
to educate and inform our people
how our- representatives in Washing-
ton take good care of Big Business
and neglect the workers.”

From Watervliet.came the follow-
ing word: “As an ex-GE employee I
am glad to see the way the union is.
carrying things out. You have a
great number of people with ~you
whom you do not know.”

From Schoharie County Farmers:
“We will stick it out with you to the
end... You have our mallee, sup-
port.”

A business man wrote, “I earnest-
ly hope the strikers are aware of
the principles involved that are im-
portant as the gain in wages from a
well deserved victory.”

What is more significant, checks
from those able to contribute to the
strike fund accompany many of the
letters. GI may have its money bags
but the union has the people.

Good Service

George | Churchill,
superintendent of streets has given
splendid cooperation to the picket
committee by sanding slippery spots
and keeping the picket paths safe
to walk on, Chairman William Mas-
. triani reports.

=objectsy—for

Schenectady ~

more to-protect the rights: of GIs
while they have been fighting our
battles for us than any other =
ization.

But the UE does object to these re-
turning veterans being used -as
pawns in the efforts of the bosses to
tear down the wage structure that we

‘ have been years in building up—as

much for the benefit of the veterans
as for anyone.

“What brought all this on?” you :

a Well, listen.

. H. O., with 85 years of exper-
teres e and rated as a Class E inspect-
or, and Mr. A. J., with 30 years of

‘service and also class FE, were sent

to Building 1 to “see if there is any-
thing for you” from Carbon Products
Inspection department, Building 64-

A. They were replaced on $1.16 per |.

hour jobs by veterans who had a
year of actual service with the com-
pany-—at 96 cents per hour.

Nobody questions the right of
veterans to jobs. An. honest .com-
plaint by 30 and 85-year men when
“bimped” by short service men is
also justfied .

There is, however, real objection
to “chiseling” of 19 cents an hour in
the pay rates, : o

Nor is G-E the only corporation
which has used the Soldiers’ and Sail-
ors’ Civil Relief Act or the GI Bill
of Rights as leverage in the cam-
paign against the American work-
man. Such instances are cropping
up all over, but here are two that
have hit right at home—with your
own veterans being: victimized by
this pinch-penny, union-busting cor-
poration,

MORE RADIO TIME

CIO radio programs over
WSNY have been extended to
five tines a week, Monday thru‘
Friday, 7:15 p.m. to give mem*
bers and the city complete up-
to-the-minute atrike news.

World War Il Vets
Vote Full Support

The Veterans Committee of Local
301 announces a wide-spread back-
ing of their resolutions in:vegards to

Unemployment Insurance Law and’

the Servicemens Readjustment Act

of 1944 Ata recent meeting in Al-.

bany prominent legislatcrs assured a
Vet-Labor group that immediate
steps would -be taken to correct ex-
isting laws that - exclude a veteran
involved in’a labor dispute from re-
ceiving any benefit whatsoever.
Amendments have already been
drawn up that will be acted upon im-
mediately,

Foster Campbell, Chairman of the
Veterans Committee of Local 3801
states that a meeting of the Veterans
of Local 301 will be called as soon
ns it is lenrned when these amend.
‘ments will be acted upon so that a
delegation may be sent to Albany as

~{interested spectators.)

A communication has been ‘ye
ceived from the Veterans World Wat
II, Ine, stating that their organiza-
tion has adopted a resolution sup-
porting the workers and Veterans at
the G. E, plant,,

the’ unidiis hive” done -~

got a headache!

adv.—
0c”.

Iam afraid you don't fully realize
how much ten cents really amounts
to. Ten cents will buy, yes. even
today, a Bromo Seltzer — for a head-
ache—that is! And Brother, Have I

“when I said 10e—I ‘meant

buy over half, a pack of cigarettes,
or buy one whole egg! It will also
buy a glass-of-beer,
I should have mentioned the beer
though, sinte some of you might
want 20c so you can have an ege in
your beer.

Ten cents will also buy — well, it
will buy you a stamp so: you can
write your congressman and ask him
what the hell good a'dime is any-
way.

I do wish that you wouldn’t keep
making remarks about our Company
being so cheap. People (the Con-
sumer) will surely get: the: impres-

sion that the goods we make are.

Ten Cents will also —

T don’t: think ~---

cheap, too, and they will never quite

understand why they will have to

pay so much more money.-when-they-~-

buy. Please remember that when I
refer to people I mean Consumers,
I never consider employees as. peo-

ple,

Let me again say that you can gain
nothing by striking that you could
not gain by working. Of course I
am doing my best to give you noth-
ing, anyway,

T will write again soon, but it is
time for my asperin. In the mean-
ime, don't believe what those Union
pers say’ about me, they are only
saying those things because they are

true anyway.

Your puzzled employer,
Charlie (I can spare a. dime)
Wilson-Wilson

-Couneil which visited. them.in-Albany

. children of union members will give

‘Insist Veteran Ben vi efits
‘Must Have Priority —

that they mvst have had taxable
earnings during 1944, and they lose

Action in. the Legislature to ob-
tain for striking war veterans equal
consideration under the unemploy-
ment insurance law. must take pre-

eedence over all other business, leg-
islative leaders were told by:a dele-
gation.from the Capital District CIO

vision withholding benefits for un-
employment caused by strikes,

After conferring with Speaker
Heck the committee met with As-
semblyman Pillion, who told them
the bill” could ‘be put through the
Legislature and be signed . by the
Governor within two weeks and can

routine channels of the Legislature. become effective two weelts there-
It must have top priority”, Assembly after,

Brewer Oswald D obtbels was told by h

this week, : fs
“This bill cannot pass through the

t to Speaker
Heck by the CIO locals of the two
principal industries in Schenectady
‘and thereafter the fight.for the bill
was taken up by the Capital District
Council. On the. council committee
in addition to Secretary-Treasurer

the Couneil, #0 “headed the delega-
tion. He referred to a measure to
be introduced by Assemblyman Pil.
lion of Erie’ County, under which
veterans if on strike would receive
unemployment compensation of $20
per week after seven weeks, and ‘ex-
tending for the same period for
which they would normally be en- .
titled to jobless benefits under the
GI Bill of Rights.

At present veterans are for the
most part barred’ from benefits un-
der the state law. by the provision

Recreation Available
For Strikers at Hail

Lots of activities are being planned by the Strike Recreation
Committee for the members of Local 801 and their families... Dart.
“games and table games have been provided. by the committee and
are in use at union headquarters. These include checke
dominoes and cards. A ratio has
been placed in the main hall and
emergency groups and others gather
around and listen to the programs

and news broadcasts of what is: BOs
ing on over the world.

Three tournaments have been
nlanned in checkers, chess and \pin-
ochle, Joe Scardino, the master
checker player is in charge of the
checker tournament and John Sac-
cocio is arranging the dart tourna-
ment.

Belle Baxter’s dancing class for

301; Stephen .Zdunezyk, Plumbers
and Steamfitters Local 128 AFL; W.
DuChessi and Milton Yates, Textile
Workers Union, Amsterdam, and.
~ Robert Northrop, chairman of the
veterans committee of Steelworkers
Local 2054,

‘Vocational High
Offers Classes

Here’s an opportunity for tempor-
arily: unemployed pérsons to learn
how to do some of the. things they’ ve
often thought they'd like to do.

The faculty of Vocational High
School is offering a series of meet-
ings in the auditorium of the High
School, 564 Broadway, each day
from 8 to 5 pm. A different type
of work will be taken“up and ques-
tions answered each day. The meet.
ings are free and open to all. The
first session will be Monday, Jan, 28,
The schedule:

Monday—Building vepairs,

a dance revue on Friday evening,
January 26th, at 8 o’clock. This will
be highlighted by community singing
and the learning of new union songs
for use on the picket lines.

years.*

avoid tax payments,

Charley Wilson Says:-

~ "Labor has won its fight against managerial selfishness but doesn't
know it." Reported’in the Schenectady Gazette, Jan. 21.

G-E's Record of Selfishness

* Has offered the lowast wage increase of any major company.

* Has consistently paid the lowest wage rates in the industry
though its products are always in the highest price brackets.

* More than doubled its total assets, during the 5 war production

v  *(Source: Co. statements to Securities Commission).
* Held back appliances many months to force higher prices and

* Forced long-service employees and ethers to take low-rated jobs.

* Refused to giva returning servicemen jobs with adequate pay to
maintain themselves and family.

* Demands back.from workers in exchange for !0c increases, un-
limited speedup in production, the right to cut prices, the right

Tuesday—Automobile inspection
and care.

Wednesday—Repair of
appliances.

Thursday—Shop sketching,
Friday—Machine shop problems.

If there is sufficient interest, oth-
er meetings will follow on furniture
refinishing, theory of airplane flight,
problems in welding, acience of met-
als and any other subject in which
a group would be interested.

; Welfare Office
Established

Any union member on strike, eith-
er at General Electric or Aleo who
finds it necessary to apply for emerg-
ency aid should apply at the new
welfare office, 831 State street which
is on the third floor above the Un-
employment Insurance offices at the
corner of State and Broadway.

The office will be open daily’ ex-
’ cept Sunday, 8 am. to 6 p.m. and is
supervised by John Polack, 801 wel-
fare chairman and Eugene Sabourn,

electrical

‘out under the GI Bill through {ts pro- -

egislation_was__to.Chas,_G

Lash were Sanford Archer, Local-

to hire and fire at will without regard for seniority rights.

Because they have demanded more in return, °
General Electric Has Offered Nothing

LOCAL 301 PUBLICITY AND PUBLIC RELATIONS COMMITTEE
|

. Loeal 801... GE strikers

Aleo workers’ welfare head. Separ-
ate phones have been installed for
the benefit of the respective groups.
phone.. is
2.8884 and Alco, 2-0804,

Chairmiin Jolin” Polack ‘has stated
that several community welfare
agencies are’ cooperating and have
representatives stationed at the of-
fices including Catholic Charities,
Family Service Bureau and Salvation
Army.

~ Herald Tribune and ©
~ Fairless’ Defy

Being on the spot is the proper
description of the situation the pro-

management, anti-labor press of the ©

country found itself last Saturday.
They had been taking pot shots at
the American working people who
through their unions are trying to

salvage enough. folding currency..to._

provide, not a luxurious, but a fair
living.

But low and behold, they find their
fair-haired boy, s Mr. Fairless of

U. S. Steel Corp. (he's no. relation
Wilsan—hnt- vou

9,
om: SRever

know it), telling the President of
the United States to go to... .,
even if this might mean national dis-
aster, .
How do the papers get around
that one? First they take a little
bitty slap at Mr. Fairless’ wrist. for
being a naughty and unwise boy and
then they wind up.and take a good |
healthy sock at the working people

and the government so Mr, Fairless

“won't. feel offended.

“To illustrate, two well known pa-
pers are quoted: The New York
Herald Tribune and the Schenectady
. Union-Star. Could similarity be-
tween the two commentaries be
purely accidental? Let’s see,

Here we have excerpts from both:

H-T:° “We can regret that Mr.
Fairless hag’ not seen fit to accept
the compromise .. . Mr. Fairless
could have made ‘his stand © far
stronger.”

U-S: “Mr, Fairless does sig ‘make
out the,strongest case.” They didn’t

even slap Mr, Fairless_at_all_ but

“watch out now.
H.T:* “The United Steel. Workers

rs,_chess,. -—were--brazenly—violating- —their—eon.

tract,” ”

U-S: “The'union has a contract
with a no-strite provision... A
strike is a violation of ‘contract.””

H-T: “It is impossible to forget
the role of the government... it
has been a sorry role... It has
been conspicuous for its hesitations.”

U-S: “The government's role.
from the beginning has not been one
to be proud of. It has been conspic-
uous for its hesitations,”

Not being such a large paper, the .

Union Star limited its rambling to
only about 6 inches long, but if it
had been labor defying of the gov-
ernment, we'd probably see pages
of criticism. On the other hand,
the Herald-Tribune, being much larg-
er, allotted about 16 inches, 3 regret-
ting about Mr. Fairless’ strategy and
the other 12 to lambasting labor and
government,

Tt. is high time that the people of
this city and every other city who
are the subscribers of papers, (and
this is not referring to the Star, Tri-

‘bune or any other paper directly),

demand that patriotism and devotion
to country not be measured by folit-

“ical or business expendiency.

In the steal case, Philip Murray
and the CIO went all the way with
the President in order to help bring
an agreement and avert a strike even
thought it meant relaxing its just de-
mands. By doing so, CIO proved
beyond all doubt, its cevotion to
America,

Management, firing from behind a
wall of financial armor which it has
collected as profit on war production
at taxpayers’ expense, has shown its
devotion is not to the red,.white and
blue but to green backs.

And the rags back them up!

Meet Saturday
In New York

The UE strike strategy committee,
on which Leo Jandreau vepresents
General Blectric strikers and which
also includes representatives of West-
inghouse. and GM Electrical workers,
will hold a meeting in New York

nar ene

Saturday to consider strike develop- ~~~

ments to date,

" VOLUNTEER
FOR ODD JOBS AT
UNION WALL

Ny

t ay
“Nay, aN

‘

KS

~ Ex-CE Worker, 82, Donates
- Fur Coats To U-E Pickets

‘Pickets at the main gate of the G-E plant were surprised to
see an aged man coming towards them while on picket duty last
Tuesday. He had two fur coats in his arms and with firm steps
and a determined gleam in his eye he approached the nearest picket.
“J want to donate these two fur coats to you people,” he said, “be-
cause this.is the least I can do for you who are waging a fight for

decent living standards.”

Upon further questioning, the
benefactor, Emerson B. Cramer, of
2026 West Side Ave., Schenectady,
spid he was employed by G-E from

Hotel, Restaurant

‘Workers Offer Aid

Hotel and Restaurant Employes’
International Alliance and Bartend-_

1902 to 1921. During those 19. “years

of servitude, Mr. Cramer turned in
many valuable suggestions to the
company on improved production
methods and means of affecting op-
~ erating economies, “And all I ever
got for my efforts was a ‘dinner’
sponsored by G-E executives,” he
Telated.

Today Mr. Cramer is 82. years old.
Life has nothing further to offer
chim so he has resigned himself to
raising chickens on a modest. little
farm which he bought out: of years
of saving. ‘When I was a young
man I lived on a farm and only knew
what I read in newspapers,” he told
the pickets. ‘I thought union peo-
ple were devils, But after learning
to know them and what they were
organized for, I realize they are good

men just trying to earn a decent liv-

ing.”

A statement simple in itself, yet
it carried the deep significance of
coming from a man who had p
“his whole life's efforts into the ¥
fare and progress of G-E and had

received NOTHING in return.

ers’ International League of America, _
local 820, have voted their support

to striking employees of “General,
Electrie Company and the American:

Locomotive Company. |

At a recent meeting the union vot-
ed unanimously to support the
UERMW and the Steelworkers ‘100
per cent in their fight for better
wages”, Leonard T. Hogel, business
agent, said. The executive board
was instructed to. meet with leaders
of the striking unions and offer the
assistance of local 320.

Emspah Remembers

UNITED ELECTRIOAL, RADIO & MACHINE WORKERS OF soaeracal-

AFFILIATED WITH THE CONGREAS OF INDUATRUAL ORGANIEATIONS
21 EAST 51 BTREET
NEW YORK &&, W.-Y.

January 15, 1946

wr. Leo Jandreau, B.A.
Local 501, UER & BNA
S01 Liberty Street
Schonoctady, New York

Dear Brother Jandreau:

T have made arrangements to ‘pend ny weokls paycheck to the Local,
I intend to endorse it over.to Local 501-UB, 1 assume that thio
--ondornement. wil] _be. a¢captable_to_whorever you_ ‘bank. tho_money. If ___

At 4s not, let me know and will make it out in whatever wey 15

necessary. Maybe I will see you “in a fom days.

Fraternally yours,

Jultve Emspak
Genoral SecreturyTreneurer

‘Jofh i
uopwo 1s

OS

ALBEAT J, FITZGERALD, GEN'L PREGIDENT <= JULIUG EMQRAK, GEN'L BEC'Y-TREAG. — JAMER J, MATLEM, DIRECTOR OF ORGANIZATION
GENERAL VICE:PAEGIOENTI) HARRY BLOCK, PAUL E, SEYMOUR, LEO JANDREAY, JAMES MCLEIGH, €. @. JACKSON, MICHAEL FITZ
PATRICK, VICTOR DECAVITCH, WILLIAM BENTNEA, JOHN GOJACK, ENNEGT DEMAIO. 4

: 7

Farmers Know the Score —
Bossy Brings the News’

The squawk of crated chickens resounding through union head-
quarters and the sight of a heifer making the rounds with the
picket line at the GE main gate told strikers this week that the
“men who raise your food” are with them in the strike battle.

“pe @ signs reading “Two
Bucks a Day is Our Beef” and “G-E
Can’t Cow Us”. Together with the

Se

Deeply moved, the pickets secept-

ed Mr. Cramer’s fur coats and to add

_to their surprise, discovered he had
filled the pockets with fresh eggs!

Real Thoughtfulness

Too much ean not be said of
the wonderful spirit of Mr. Joe
Jones, 72-year-old friend of la-
bor, who lives at 1054 Howard
St. He gets up at 3 A.M. every
morning to fix the fires for
pickets on the Rice Road.

Senator Urges
Rebate Repeal

Repeal of the tax rebate provis-
jons which permit General Electric,
U. S, Steel and General Motors to
draw upon the Treasury of the Uni-
ted States to finance their attacks
upon American workers is the most

- important step, Congress could take
to restore production says Senator
Harley M. Kilgore.

‘The responsibility for the pres-
ent shutdowns of production. now
rests squarely upon the steel monop-
olies. These corporations, like Gen-
eral Motors (and General Electric),
have snid in effect to the President
of the United States, “to the Con-
gress and to the American people:

“These wage disputes will be sct-

_tled on management’s terms. The
workers can strike and be damned.”

—poultry--and--a-—-truckload--of. other
farm produce, the animal was the

gift to the strikers from the Farm-.

ers Union, Northeastern Division,
Schoharie County Local, with heaa-
quarters in Gilboa.

A Farmers Union committee es-
corted the livestock to ‘town and
joined the picket line, one carrying
a banner saying “Were Out Till the
Cows Come HomeIf Necessary.”
Alfred Mead, Grand Gorge, spokes-
man for the committee, declared the
action of the Farmers Union in sup-
port of the strike is in part due to
the support the farmers’ organiza-
tion received from organized labor in
the Capital District in the 1939 milk
strike, ‘The Farmers Union action
also was prompted, he said, by the
realization that the prosperity of
farm people:through the marketing
of their products at profitable prices

is directly tied up with the fight of ,
the wage workers for higher earn-'

ings.
Resolution

The Executive Committee of Scho-
harie Local, Farmers’ Union, North-
Eastern Division, offers to our
brothers, the members of the above
union, the hearty support and sym-
pathy of the farmers in the union’s
efforts to maintain a living wage and
the American Standard of Living.
We further assure you of our as-
sistance, financial as well as moral,
in the event you are obliged to re-
sort to strike action, We appreciate

the fact that if we had to depend on .

Newspaper Guild Active
ln Support of Strike

Tri-City Newspaper Guild heard
Milo Lathrop, educational director
of Local 801, at its annual meeting
Suriday in Albany and after listen-
ing to his discussion of the issues of
the strike voted its full: support: to
the strikers. James D., White, of the
‘Knickerbocker News oditorial staff,
who was elected president of the
Guild, appointed a strike committee
with I, Allen Craigie of the Knicker-
bocker News and Al Deyo of the

Times Union as co-chairman. Week-
ly salary contributions and ‘the do-
nation of professional services on
strike publications are planned by
the newspaper workers.

Another avea local of. the Ameri-
ein Newspaper Guild, that in Kings-
ton, also has taken action in support
of the strike and sent an initial con-
tribution of $10.75 to the strike fund.
The Kingston Guild consists of 20
members, all but two of the eligible
omployes of the Kingston Freeman,

G. E. executives to buy our produce .

we could all take a vacation and
starve,

County Executive Committee
Signed William Briggs,
Louie Robinson,
Alfred Mead,
Katherine S. Harrington.

Food Donations

Acknowledged _

Aid to the General Electric strik-
evs in the form of food, so badly
needed and so thankfully received,
have come in liberally.

An especially fine food contribu-
tion was made by an elderly couple
operating J. A. Winders store, a very
small store on Veeder Ave.

Other contributions of food have
been received from Mohawk Bakery,
869 Crane; Co-op Food Market, 1207
Eastern; Miller & Salad, 1188 Al-
bany; Friedman & Co., 58 N. Broad-
way; Kinzel & Son, S07 Albany;

Non-codperating, according to
the Food Committee reports, are
Zak Market on Cutler St., which
“Wasn't interested,” and the
store at 130 Nott Terrace, which
said “We don’t feel that way
about it.”

Kronman & Sikora, 945 Crane; Kir-
vin, 1848 Watt St.; Joseph Nasal,
888 Tastern; Louis Wasserman, 354
B'wy; P, Campbell, 721 Altamont Ave,

Also Ruby’s Quality Foods, 2539
Broadway; (Romano “Bros,, 2619
Broadway; Mohican Co, 161 Jay;
Johnnie’s Fruit and Vegetable Store,
1704 Van Vranken; James Psimari,
138 Jay; Kelly's Liquor Store, (food)
Jay St. Oregan’s, Broadway;
New York Market, 175 Jay; Albany
Pork, Store, 861 Albany.

Also George’s Food Market, 708
Albany; Schenectady Pork Store, 854
Albany; Sanitary Market, 188 N,
Broadway; Jacobs, Chrisler Ave:;
Pleasant Valley M’kt, 588 Broadway;
Bellevue “Sweet Shop, 2826 Broad-
way; Mecham Grocery, 885 Eastern,
and Daley Restaurant, State St.

Louis ‘Panster, 510 Broadway; Mt.
Pleasant. Baking Co., 941 Crane;
Milano Importing Co., 1016 Crane}
Klein's, Craig St., and many others
Be ‘vequest their names he. with-

i

ATELNEEAUUR SRSOMHTURTE NER EAURUTATEREDR

oer

Kidnap
UE Picket

NEW YORK—A sharp protest was
made to the Navy and Army Depart-

> ments~-by-- dulius~-Emspak;—-Generaboo oo

Secretary-Treasurer’ of the U-E-CIO
over the “kidnaping of a UE picket

by military police™and’ resiilting “in="~

timidation of union war veterans who
are supporting our strike on the
picket line.” ; :

“The union’s strike of 200,000
workers at plants of the General
Electric Co., Westinghouse Electric
Corp., and the electrical division of
the General Motors Corp. is receiv-
ing widespread support by war vet-
evans, who are participating im large
groups in picketing,” Mr. Emspak
declared.

In letters sent today -Mr, Emspak -

asked Secretary of Navy Forrestal
and Secretary of War Patterson to
launch “a thorough investigation and
make public the fact that war veter-
ans have a vight, as do all Ameri-
cans, to engage in strike action, to
picket and to otherwise support their
union in its activities.”

The charge of kidnaping referred
to the arrest and detention, for threc
hours last Saturday, of Charles J.
Rosie, Newark, N. J., an honorably
discharged navy veteran, who was
seized on a picket line at a Newark

‘plant of the Westinghouse Blectric

Corp.

“Rosie was seized by members of the
Navy Shore Patrol and taken to New
York, where he was held in a_cell
containing five drunk men, threat-
ened and finally released after he was
forced to sign a paper which military
authorities did not permit him to
read,” Mr, Dmspak stated.

“He was taken to New ‘York de-
spite the fact that he was wot in
uniform and despite the fact that he
displayed his discharge papers to the
three members of the Shore Patrol.

“Servicemen who are holding pro-
test meetings overseas because of the
failure of the military authorities to
speed their return to the United
States, and war veterans who have
been discharged, hava a perfect right
to free expression of their beliefs.
As Admiral of the Fleet Halsey de-
clared recently -in a- apeech, ‘We
fought so those people could strike
. «+ Tbelieve every American citizen
should have a right to-do and. say
what he pleases,’

Aids Subway Pickets

Bill'y Lunch, Ace Diner, Bob
Scraletta and Kay and Adams lunch
are making every effort to help the
pickets on Kiuesi Avenue,

$10) oP UNE MTR

N

rae