Electrical Union News, 1952 March 7

oa ; - “ a ;
“ELECTRICAL UNION: NEWS:

Your: Badge
Of Strength

You can show GE the strength of
your Union by wearing tha dbove
button,

When you wear it — it means.
you've contributed your $5 to your
Union's Fighting Fund.

It also fets GE know that you're
prepared with what it takes’ to fight
for additional wage Increases and
contract improvements—because your
Union has a Fighting Fund.

Show GE where you stand!

Contribute. your $5 today to Your
UE Local 301 Defense Fund.

_ Hughes- -Brees

Continued ‘from page|}
peal have, been introduced, with
netien scheduled on ‘them any day.
Sontum was expressed by some
delegates that CIO decided not to

attend the meeting’ because of its |

animus towards URL ‘801’ termed
this short-sightedness. gn’ their
part, pointing to the avowed op-
position of ‘CIO towards Hughes-
Brees and the fact that 700 steel

workers in ‘Aleo are now facing”

layoffs

Co. Union Rejected
By Mica Workers

The 600 workers at the Mica. In-
sulator Co: took: another big. step
last week to throw off the shackles
of company unionism and estab:

“dish a real union in their plant.

A majority of the members of
the compiuny union uattended two
meetings of first and-second shifts

“on Wednesday, Feb, 20 and voted,

with but two votes in opposition,
that the company union should be
dissolyed, that they wish, to’ affili-
ate with and join’ UE, that UE
should Immediately represent them
on grievances’ and administration
of their. contract and that all mon-
ies and property of the company
union should be turned over to UE.
Management officials the next
day.vefused to recognize this aet
of their employees, but meanwhile
inside the plant more employees
were signing UI cards. :
The Mica employees have been
receiving the aid of '801' officers
und members in establishing UE in
their plant so they can end a con-

dition where they get 20 to G0 cents

less an hour for similar work that’s
done in the Gl: Works under a UE
contract. .

Local 801 officers have urged
that members who have friends,
and relatives in Mica’ to contact
them and help make Mica a .100
percent. UE shop.

ALBANY BOUND. “Seen L tor. above are Jeo Jandt 1, business

agent; Dewey E
and James Cognet
argue, together with

hear, legislative chairman; Leon Novak, ‘attorney ¢
» President, as they left for Albany on Feb. 19 to
AFL spokesman, before N.Y. state Republican

legislative leaders for repeal of the Hughes-Breees amendments to
the Aner O ERNE insurance laye ye story on page one)

revealed last week,

Humphrey is.

What GE Wants Humphrey To Do

That Sen Hubert H. ‘Humphrey, CD. Minn.) is but a servant
of GE in. his. announced intentions of “getting” VE was clearly

Humphrey, who says Taft- Hartley doesn't go far enough to
break militant and fighting unions, which he: calls “red,” pot a
letter from another man who thinks Taft-Hartley doesn’t Ko far
enough—L. R. Boulware,.'GE’s ‘vice: president.

Boulware: said the law “leaves
make any choice of our own contrary to the wishes of our em-
ployees and the instructions of -the government.” Ye called for
a super-government agency to label those unions he doesn’t like
as “red” unions, so that they might be eliminated. &

Since Humphrey think’ the same—and since both feol the
same. about. UE—there’s little doubt whose little errand boy Sen.

the employers: no. latitude to

Prine insurance agents
leartied a Jot, during their recent
aeilie ak the: Teast of which was:

® Lted-baiting (is sucker-bait

put out by. the bosses to divide
workers and break unions.

eA well prepared union is

one that-has some reserves.

But the price of ‘learning this
was Jong and bitter experience,

‘801’ members heard about’ it at:

the February membership meeting
when Vineent Dembski, of the APL

International Union of Insurance -

Agents, appeared to make an ap-
peal for help during the tenth week
of their strike.

Though ‘this AFL union is but six
nionths old, Prudential agents were
organized in 1989 by a CIO white

collar union, Though the company:

called it a “ved union, the agents
ignored the charge since they were
for the first time standing up on
their feet and getting things done
for themselves like. Ww orkers in. oth-

ep unions.

But when a few years back the
CIO labor “statesmen” went soft
and decided things were getting
too rough for the old CIO militant

Agents Thank UE

Thanking” members of UE Lo-
eal 301 for their “loyal support”
in their recent stiike, Joseph A.
Tucei, president of Local 232,
AFL Insurance Agents Interna-
tional Union, hag’ slated in a
letter (o the Union: ©»

“It goes without saying that
it, would be impossible for us to
have continued our strike activi-
ties: without your so gracious
aid. Our membership has noth-
ing but ood will and apprecia-
tion toward the UE. If, at any
time in the future, we can he of
service to you, ‘do not hesitate
to call on us.” :

Tucei also requested that if
any UE members have occasion
to purchase insurance from a
Prudential agent: to ask him for
his union. card—-to ‘make sure
no insurance is bought from a
seab agent.

policies of an all-out fight against
corporations to improve conditions,

woWwhen. they. turned their backs on.

democratic unionism and demanded
that all affiliates must follow a
policy dictated by a few leaders,
the CIO white collar: union insisted:

The Story Behind the Prudential

on its right to stick to the program
and policies that: had made a19 a
er eat organization.

The CIO then called the union a
“red” union and ordered another
C1O union to raid it, “The. Pru-
dential agents defeated this raid.
Another raid followed and the
workers decided they’d get a
“clean” union — one that no one
could say was “red. _ So they vot-
ed for the APL. :

They found out that the com.
pany wasn’t any easier to deal
with, On the contrary, a lot of
things they’d won since 19839 were
taken away. Then they didn’t get
any Inereases for a couple of years
—though the company: handed out
two increases to all its other em-
ployees in the last year.

Then when their ‘contract ex-
pired, on Dee. 1, 1951, their $11
billion employer, second: largest in

the company, casually said: “We.

haven’t any money for you.”

The agents knew then that
_.when, Prudential, had said! it’,
“svouldn't deal with a’ red un-
ion” it ‘really had meant it
didn’t want to deal with any.

union, “ ‘

Strike

But. Prudential miscalculated.
Evidently, it figured this would
end unionism among its agents
onee and for all. -But.the agenis
had learned the lesson that the on-
ly thing an employer respects is
the united strength of its workers
—regardless of what label employ-
ers or their agents might tack onto
their union,

The result was the largest white
collar strike in the country’s his-
tory, covering 384. states and the
Distriet of Columbia — for 12
weeks. ‘ ‘

For 12 weeks they held their
ranks solid until Prudential learned
that its agents wouldn't fall for
any more unti-union tricks. ,

Vince Dembski-got the help he
appealed for from ‘801.’ He. also .
received resounding applause: when
he told UE members, who. ©
know from, bitter experience:

“Don’t fall for any red-bait-
ing. It only helps the employ-
ers. And, brothers and sisters,

~-build-yourself.a Fighting Pund---
so you'll have some reserves if
your company forces you ‘into
a long and bitter battle ate
as we're in.”

‘a

0

THE VOICE OF THE UNITED ELECTRICAL, RADIO & MACHINE Snners OF AMERICA — LOCAL 30!, UE

10 — No. 9

SCHENECTADY, NEW YORK.

Friday, March 7, 1952

Louisville, Ky UE Local 236

“struck the International Harvester .

Works after the company fired
four grievancamen and a steward.
The local. charged the .move “is
part of a conspiracy by the Ken-
tueky Chariber) of Commerce to
keep a low wage market for Gen-
eral Mleetrie, which is now huild-
ing a hig plant here whieh will em-
ploy 16,000 workers.” re
xk &k *
* Bessemer, Ala—-Members of Lo-
wh 121 of the Mine, Mill & Smelter
Workers Cfind.) defeated a raid by
CLO steel workers al two iron ore
mines of Republic Stecl Co. The
vote wis 205 to 195,
a ee %
Spokane, Washi -- Aluminum
companies, including Kaiser, are
“using: the defonse-effort as a cloak
C) gener further-exorbitunt prof.
8 a CTO Steel unton les adler hue
charged. ;
kok ok
Washington — Women work be-
cause they have ‘to make a living,
That was (le answer toa question.
aire sent out by the U.S. Women’s
Bureau fo 100 locals of six unions.
8,500 women sent in their replics.
ko ko
Washington—-The* APL’s Labor
League for Political Education ‘re-
ports that 84 out of 93 eligible in-
ternational APL unions are tais-
ing money from members for the
1952 political campaigns.
kok Ok

Wilmington, Cal. — Compress
workers, who.are members ‘of the
International) Longshoremen's  &
Varchousemen's Union (Ind), are

“now “probably the best paid in the
world” in their industry after win-
hing a 25 eent hourly pay increase
that broke the ware freeze.

kr ok oO

Now York-—A delegation of Pur
& Leather Union members has pro-

sted Mayor Vineent Impellitteri's

‘er ta play host to the Mayor of
Madide “We are outraged,” they
said, “that our mayor sees fit to
invite a man not elected by any-
body, but appointed by the fascist
dictator of Spain, Praiteo---ta pov:
em a eity where free trade union-

‘ism is outlawed and where relig-

ious freedom af Protestant and -

Jews is grossly violated.”

Fewaigttedueet >

; WALKOU'

Top two photos, left.

show. ‘301’ zmembers leaving Sub-
yay and Main gates at noon,

March 4,
OUT ‘from

Bottom left, cars .and
workers jam

the street. heading

Subway Gate.” Top

right, is seen unusual mid-day, traf «
fic: jam: at:Main Gate, while bot.
tom,- right, the exodus ‘stalled traf.

fic all the

way up to St

Center, ight, ‘is seen th big: push:

GE could have skipped blowing the whistle at
the end of lunch-hourson all three shifts, Hardly
anyone was in a mood ‘to return to work on Maren

4 in the Schenectady Works.
; Over 90 pereent of the workers hung up. the
“Gone For The Day” signa,
GE could have skipped blowing the “whistles

in its entire chain. Workers in over 100 plants
responded to°UR’s call, issued on Feb. 17, urging

demonstrations calling for:
© An ead to the wage freeze, °

® Por GE to vet ils industry members
“on the wage freeze board to act at oncelo
approve the entire 3.58 pereent increase.

oe That GELsit down at onee and bar-
gain in good faith on the new wage de-
mands of its employees.

The unity of GI's employees was solid on
Mareh 4. UE members were joined in their action
by [UE members in plants throughout the chain,
Many AFL workers also joined the action,

Ul’s militant fight to wet the 0.58 increase,
in which it called upon all GM workers ‘lo idly
against G's stalling, delays and do nothing poliey
on their wage needs, was weleomed by workers
throughout the nan

on Feb, 27 -ealled for ehain- wide deman-
strations in both = » and Westinghouse to tet the
company know the temper of its workers. It met
with such a hearty ‘response that even the 1UE-

er Rd,

CLO's Tonders couldn't ignore the sentiment of their
members, One week later, on Feb. 28, the IU
leaders called for parallel-demonstrations on the
siame day Ult had set—Mareh s

This rent demonstration of unity by Gi werk-
ars was inarred only by James B. Carey, [UE-CIO
president, On the morning of March 4, he turned
his back on his members’ actions of solidarity and
their ceonamic welfare, U's statesmanlike and
practical proposal af the day befure that 16 unions
in the chain conduéet a joint fight so that they might

J win maximum gains through their united strength

in Gh hewotiations was rejected by Carey.

dn Schenectady, the anger against GE was tne
tensified on the eve of the demonstration by
statement that Works Manager Lewis d. Male is-
sucd to the press. It was Local 801 members who
hid first proposed six weeks ago the iden, of

-chain-wide demonstration if GE refused to go with

UIE top officers to personally urge the WSB to
promptly approve the 4.58. GE rejected the pro-
posal. :

In GE’s tirst public statement on the matter
locally, Male, instead of taking: any positive ae-
tion, cited: figures of how much a walkout would
vost members, He tried to stave off the demon-
stration by arguing “nothing to be gained” and

the workers would. be. “walking out, for no el wel

reason?
The morning after the demonstration, UI ne--
wolinters presented new w age demands to GE
New York City. ,

“Friday, March 7, 1952 ELECTRICAL UNION NEWS a. cr ae 3.

~UEUrges Joint Wage Fight by 16 Unions

, doint action us the, way to achieve maxi: 7 finally negotiated for them is still being with-
mum benefits in negotiations with General held from them by the Wage Stabilization
leetric and’ Westinghouse has been proposed Board,” he said, adding:

@r UE’ to 16 unions that represent. workers in “We believe that. the interests of GE
tl

Friday, March-7, 1952

ELECTRICAL UNION NEWS

ne

Bill To Aid Silicosis
Victims Pressed

Victims of silicosis are “in the
very sad plight of having no, rem-
edy whatsoever either for them-

> selves or their dependents” if they

Carey Called ‘Labor Czar’
By W'house IVE Leader |

'.» The man who has been head of IUE's. Westinghouse Con,
ference Board since it was set up has: refused to run for i

diving for mula based of the BLS price index;
and a productivity wage factor which would ,
‘make wage increases subject to increased pro- .
duction, The UE regards the first two of the

ure partially: disabled, Ul Local
801 wrote to State Sen. Ernest I.
Hatfield, chariman of the Senate
Labor and Industry Committee.

‘Hatfield was told, in a letter sent
last week by ‘301? Attorney Leon
Novak,.in which passage was urged
of UE’s bill to oblain benefits for
partially disabled victims of sili-
cosis, that “these vielins of their
occupation are put ia the peculiar-
ly hard position of having -no rem-
edy available to them either under
Workmen's. Compensation Law or
‘any other statute or law in. this
state” ;

Sitcasis Vielims are given bene-
fits only if they are ‘totally dis-
abled but no -benefits if only par-
tially disabled. Novak pointed out
‘that in “no other occupational dis-
euse is such a distinetion made.”

Wha Jt that. te Satay Shoes!

Grievance Action
Wins Upgradings

Grievanee action at the manage-
ment level has won an upgrading
for Glenn Rose, Bldg. 278.
a owelder-hand-special, had his rate
boosled from $L75 to SL86l.

Mary Magan, Bld. 28, now has

ad job ratecns a result of griev-,
When several. other”

mmee action,
workers with less services were give
end jobs, she fled a grievance. The
new job means a boost from $1.80
to $142 an hour

The 48

James i. Brown called a
‘is needed.

Says Brown:

100% In Three Hours

cond shift members of the A Bay serew machines: in- ”
Bldg. 273 ate signed up 100 percent for UE

They signed up i less than. three hours
lunch-hour
Vilalo, 801" executive board member, explained why such a fund
Brown then followed up ow ith the signatures,
Ahan 50 percent have already paid their
“We think we're the best Union gang in Sor
and putting our dollars on the line for our Defense Fund is just
another way for us to keep our reputation.”

Local 301's Defense,
ov Feb. 27. Steward
meeting at whieh “Ralph

More
in full.

the Westinghouse

Rossg,,

election because IUE Pres. James B. Carey acts like a or

czar” and is guilty of “irresponsi-
ble acts” which have “jeopardized
the welfare of workers in the
Westinghouse chain.’

The charge was made last week
by Michael litzpatrick, who said
Carey’s “practi¢e of mecting: with
management
alone, which brought eriGeism from
the Westinghouse conference board
and its delegates, has eontinued in
spite of his agreement’ to inelude
the conference board officers in
such discussions.

knowledge of West-

inghouse jis: nil, yet he contin-
dt clice’ af neyotiat-
ing with manageniont on his.
own, ‘Phere is no question but

_ that it jeopardized the welfare
of workers in’ the Westing--

‘house elvain,”

Iitgpatriek’ cuceuséd Carey of
having the TUL?s. program created
inv his Washington olfiee by union

‘oieials Who know nothing ‘about’

Westinghouse workers’ problems,
“His are the acts of a labor
czar, rather than the president
of a democratic organization?
he said. “LT have no desire to
be a party toe Carey's irrespon--
sible acts, which have a direct

bearing on the welfare of the

workers of the entire Westing-

house chain.”

Fitzpatrick made reference to a
12. week strike by 6,000 TUE mem-
bers at the Westinghouse Bullalo

plant and sporadic walkouts at the ,

Bowling Green, Ky. plint whieh
resulted in) Westinghouse locking
out the workers there and finally
shutting down,

Fitapatrick is,a member of TUN
Loeal GOL in Kast Pittsburgh, lay
est TUM local, where there “have
been reports of discontent with
TUR for many months. TUN won
the cleetion at the plant by slight-
ly over 100 votes out of 13,000 cast
two yea YS UBO.

Back Pay Won

I Kubina, an inspector in Bldg,

28, has secured back pay of five’

vents, ain hour for the, period ‘of
July te Nov ember, 1951, as a result
of Union grievance
nyement level,

Upgraded from oto C in duly,
1981, he did net get a one step in-
ercase until November. Steward
J. Mann took up his grievance,

Bldg. 37: Julia) Pochily, office
service, transferred to Knalls at
her regular rate of SLh88 was
tronsferred back after one year to
Bldg. 87 to herald i aba rate
of SLY6 The RL88 rate is de.
manded.

Bldy. 46: S. Sille, AO, clussi-
tied as class -Bomovenian, demands
nh reclassification and higher rate
for work he performs. Sille claims
he was by-passed by foreman ona
second: shift dispate her job, with
job piven ta a moveman with loss
experience aad service,

Bldg. A. Walsh and B. Hand,
gas turbine, demand reehassifien«
tion as A sheet metal workers with
inerensed rite, sinee they are qual-
ifed and supervision requires them
to go A works.

Palick, as turbine, in tool
aed for tive vears has had respon-
sibilities added to his work Chat are
customarily done by A men. Acres
clussifieation and Ao rate is de-
manded, '

A vevaluation and fnereased job
rate is demanded by B.A. yan
who does work Beyond skills of

“AERO wiring: Jobe oes o~

Bld. 60: A prop. of elevator
repairmen, required to paint ele-
vators. as part of their job, charge
management is taking advantage

Thousands of grievances are handled by UE Local 301
each yearat all levels from the steward up to final appeal

in Now York City,

To keep members posted, we shall

cach week list some of the grievances that have nat been
settled at the steward-foreman level and have been re-
ferred to the executive board-management level. an

oof this wroup's past cooperation,
“They du not object te minor paint

work over small area, but object to
painting work that? belongs in
punter classification. An iivesti-
gation is demanded.

A reduction of forees'is demand-
ed by a serew machine group that
has sulfered loss of e: nings over
long pevied of time duecto lack of
work,

Bldy. 692 A group in eontrel de-
tiand a Washroom remain in op-
eration infront of G9-2. The wor
ers Claim that lo elose will ere.
me il-feeling: and” fneonvenience
for women and cause excessive
loss of time whieh will affect their
carning power,

Bldg. 269: A group in cleetron-
jes-tube demands their rate be

vaised three steps to $1.b0 far
eulunlie work. Under ordinary cir
cumstances, Lhis worl pays shag ES,
Reenuse of the havard of mereury
the higher rate is demanded. Ut is
presently paying Hazel Ghat and
Lillian Je, Weightman only #129,

Bldg. 278: Allen. Ty

since he wis “retumed to repular
shift on Feb. 17 after being On Sev
en day schedule for several weeks,

Clarence Williams usks adjust-

Claypool
demands: change-of shift-payment--

ment ona fob priced al 4.800 per
G, on which he canet iuaintain his
sarnings.

A two step inerense in timing:
rate to S00 fs demanded by John
Yanis, who is working on rough
slotter work evaluated at 97 in
1987. The higher vate is justified
on basis of finish fits, close toler-
anee and variety cof complicated
set ups the job now calls for,

Robert W. Stirrat and Alfred N,
Repka demand that final inspection
of Hood) Cutter Shells and High
Pressure liner Shells should) he
upgraded ta AA work, sinee their
works has become more exacting:
and euiefligtttent and theyre called
upon to vet as ingtructorseand ad-
Visers,

ELECTRICAL UNION NEWS

UNITEO ELECTRICAL, RADIO’ & MACHINE
WORKERS OF AMERICA (UE)
Lecal 301

w@ fw se ee
Published by the Editorial Committee

Ass't Recording Socrotary..-~Frank D*Amico
Holen Quirini
Roy Schafter
Rudy Rissland’)"~

lames Cognetia
illiam Mastrlanni
leo Jandreau

SCHENECTADY 5, N. Y.

Prosidant ~-------
Chiof Shap’ Steward
Businass “Agent...

301 LIBERTY ST

Bldg. 285: A eroup in SM. sec-
tien wants the same procedures in
establishing prices as in SM. Dept.
in Bldg. 60, withsspeeial reference
to thread and tap jobs and pricing
of TVR. tables of hard sand. seft
brass jobs.

Ao group-demands that) tmmed-
inte steps be taken (o ensure prop-
ee instruction in operation and
safety for new operators, They're
now moved from first to second
shift after only about two weeks
und “put on their own.”

Campbell Aves: Albert Pepicelli,
general engineering Invb, a class B
tool crib keeper, demands an A
classification because of inereased
duties and responsibilities.

Airport: A retroactive udjust-
ment ois derianded for Stephen
Cheresnowsky, who was hired as
class B aireraft. meehanie on May
28, 1951. He has not reecived the

job rate and was started two steps:

below job rate, a violation of con-
tract avtiele VI, 6 (a) a %

A retroactive adjustment i
mated far Ric hard Hannay,
was hired April 28, 1951 as cf
Co aireratt mechanic, hus not
ceived the job rate and started tivo

is de-

‘stops below the rate, a violation of

contyact attiele VI, 6 (a) a.
A_retroactive adjustment is de-
manded for Fred WL Harrisons dr,
hired: ‘lass CO airebatt niechinic
on Feb, 25, 1951, has not received
the: job mate and was started two
steps below the rate, a violation of
contract article VI, 6 (a) 3.

» Minn.) get ana

netion at. “OO -
Wj

the two chains,

The proposal was made last week by Albert
J. Fitzgerald, UB president. ;

With GE negotiations

represents 7

alvendy underway
and Westinghouse due to start soon, UE, which
75,000 workers ins the two chains,
urged the 1G unions to “press jointly in the

coming wage negotiations: for wage increases

the lines we have

of any or all of these

bused upon the needs of the membership and ies.”

nol upon
derived) from speed-up, and the
Huron of Labor Stutisties

house workers need. higher wages.
“They

regs!

Jage Stabilization Board formulas
inadequate
price index.”
Stressing the urgeney-of such action, Fita-
gerald. pointed out that both Gil and, Westing-

did not get enuugh te meet their
in Mir last negotiations, and what wis

workers ‘
ducided a wee
meetings against WSB

welcome the

te

tintions. a

and Westinghouse workers require that
the unions involved proceed jointly along
suggested,
stands ready to meet with representatives

the details and form of such joint action,
on behalf of all the employees of the Gen- -
eral Electric and Westinghouse compan-

Pointing out, that GE
facet" that the IUE-CIO:
_after U

Fitagerald at the same time was particularly
evilienl of two of ITU's demands for GM newo-.

These are IWE's demands for) Sa

‘TUE-GCIO's
dangerous,,
The UE

unions to work out

Insteac

demands as both inadequate and

“Neither is based upon the needs of the
-people but upon acceptance of the back-
ward cost of living productivity formula
advanced by the General Electric Co. in

_ dast year’s negotiations.” :

of this approach, UE placed em-

‘phasis’ on the need to end the we use freeze.

and Westinghouse

Eto join in protest
stalling on increases,

yours

cost of

“The wage freeze,” the UL president declared,
“ander which labor ‘has suffered the past two -
is‘imposed under the authority of the
so-called Defense Production Act, which freez-
es wages. and allows prices and profits to soar,

“The UE
juin in opposition tu the
‘freeze law.”

proposes thit organized labor
extension of the wage

Humphrey Gets
Carey Assist

Sen. Thubert Hy Humphrey (D.

ist from an old
pal last week in his announced in-

tention of “wrecking? UK. Humph-

ey has been out, lo get UE ever
nee the Union opposed him in

Minnesota. in

te Tn 1948

his race, for the sen~

The assist he wot was from IUE-
CIO. Pres. James Be Carey—who
lust week in the IUE-C1IO News
took the same position against Ule

that GE's vier president, L. RL
Boulware, had taken a week earlier.

Carey, Who is anxious to pet
dues payments from Local 80t
members but hag been soundly
trounced two yenrs running’ by
S00 members, adopted Boulware’s
position that a super-yovernment
board should be set up that would
bar unions from bargaining. that
neither likes—whieh happens to be
UE.

Carey's propos, us spelled out
by Jhis attorney in a letter to
Humphrey, calls for at committee
whieh would nob wiveceontraets to
vlectriedd employers whe deal with
UE and cancel contracts where UB
is the elected representative,

é

Carey said heeagreed with CLO”

s. Philip) Murray tn. opposing

legislation Such wis Humphrey »
“as” proposing

— bit in the. next
breath came up with a proposal
that he and Humphrey (and Boul-
wire) hope would distupt Ul.

urey not anty doesn't
he keeps company with—but seems
determined to achieve his ends re-
gardless of what. the workers in
democratic elections have voted.

swho. -
» 982et of the

"READY TO} Second shit

demands for GR negotiations and mapped: plans for the.

a
approved
: trent ahead

ne
and membe

it their meeting, above, on Mareh 3.

Phony BLS Index Costs
Workers 12c An Hour

American factory workers are being defrauded of 12 cents
an hour because the U. Ss government: Bureau of Labor Sta-

tistics is hiding
sinee Junuary, 1960 —- the month
when the wage freeze went into ef-
feet.

Fuets to prove this contention
were issued by UN President Al-
bert J. Fitzgerald last week.

Ula yeur ago conducted a ex-
haustive suvey of all. fuetors that
go into vises in living costs and ex-
posed the BLS figures as being
way below the actual advances in
living costs that w orkers have suf-

fered. .

Fitagerald’s announcement last
wiek was bused ‘om a corrected in-
dex for comparison with the fir
wes issued by the BLS fur Janu-
ary, 1962.

“The UE cast of living jndex for
January,” Fitagerald _
cost of living for, Lg,
BLS figures for. the same base per-
jod show the cost of living at only
191.3 percent. ;

saidy Sis

36 percent of the increases in the cost.of living

“The use of these biased fig-
ures from BLS in government
wage freeze programs is de-
frauding American factory
workers of sat least 12 cents
an hour,” the UE leader staled.
The UM index measures federal

tixes, used car prices and: cost of
hame ownership, none of whieh is
invluded in he BLS index, UE alse
measures low priced clothing, food
and other items tastead of expen-
sivu items used by BLA.

Vilzgerald) said these” for-
merly low priced items have
increased in cost more rapidly
than those used by (he puy-
ernment. , ~
Tax inereases, rent. inere: SUS

jumps in the éost of food and ihe
reused cost of medical care caused
the UE index to rise from 2314 in
the “first quarter of 1950 to 282.4
in January of this year.

_ Campbell On Spot
On. Hughes-Brees

The eyes ‘of the labor movement
in the Capitol district were on Re-
publican. State Sen. Thomas F,
Campbell last week, following the
senute’s action in-voting down two

‘bills that would have repealed the

Hughes-Brees amendments that

‘have done so much harm to the:

state unemployment insurance act,

Sen. William Bianchi's bill was
voted down 45 to 1, while Sen. Git!
tleson’s bill was six: votes short of

«a majority as Democrats cooperat-

ed with Republicans by absenting
themselves in’sufficient numbers to
prevent a majority vote,

Sen, Cumpbell voted against both
hills—despite AFL opposition and
the fact that over 12,000 UE Local
SOL members had signed petitions
calling for repeal, Over 60 Repub-
liean.- county committeemen: had
done the sania, :

Campbell is now on the spot to
meet his commitments that he will
press for repeal of some of the
Hughes-Brees amendments. No ac-
tion had been fortheoming early in

>the week by Campbell, whieh led

ta speculation among labor in the
district that they might have to do
the sume to Campbell next Noyon-
ber that they did to ox-Mayor Bop-
ley of Schenectady last year.
Convineed that Begley was..10
friend of theits,.the labor vote re-
tired Begley in the last mayorally
uleetion.

Payment of 1 08

Phe best information available
at presstime was that GE is plun- |
ding to pay wages ‘on the- new
rates with the 1.08 percent increase
on Mareh 14 and. pay retroactive
money on March 21. ‘

A