ELECTRICAL UNION NEWS.
May 7, 1948
Shop Stewards Ask Public Hearings
On Un-American Committee's Bill -
The shop stewards’ meeting
Tuesday night voted to send tele-
grams urging that the House of
Representatives hold public hear-
: the so-called “Subversive
Activities* Control” bill. The Un-
American’ Committee is trying to
rush this legislation through Con-
gress.
Marshall Perlin, 301 attorney,
analyzed the bill at the union’s re-
quest. He told the meeting that
while the bill is supposedly aimed ~
at Communists it “actually goes
after everybody.”
He warned that a strike could be
called “a dangerous and criminal
conspiracy” under ‘its terms. The
bill’s definition of a Communist
political organization is so loose,
he said, that there is “hardly a de-
cent organization that wouldn't
Good Score Achieved
In Membership Drive
During the 301 membership
drive which closed May 1 a total
of 1,187 workers joined the un-
ion, There were 84 resignations
during the 10 day withdrawal
period in March. That leaves.a
net gain of 1053 for the mem-
bership drive period, the best
record in years.
’ Benefits Won
For GE Guards
Improvement has been obtained
in Patrol Department working con-
ditions as a result of meetings a
-union...committee_..conducted_..with.
““Gome under the definition.” ror
instance, it could be applied to any
organization advocating price con-
trol, wage increases or: the par-
tition of Palestine. *
“Back in 1803 Congress passed
similar laws, the Alien and Sedi-
tion Laws,” Perlin said. ‘These
laws were repealed and the authors
of them were voted out of office.”
Thé real conspirators “against
America ave those people who are
plotting to put over this bill, the
union attorney charged.
David Scribner, national UE at-
torney, has sent a warning to all
locals that the bill threatens “every
militant, effective labor union” and
“ovary progressive, independent
political organization.” *
Known as the Mundt bill, the
measure went to the Rules Com-
mittee of the House last week. The
shop stewards voted to send tele-
vrams to Representative Leo Allen,
chairman of the Rules Committee,
to Congressman Bernard -Kearney
and U.S. Senators Robert Wagner
and Irving Ives.
Stewards Kept Busy
. ss
Enforcing Seniority
Enforcement of seniority has be-
come an increasingly important job
for Local 801 shop stewards and
officers in recent weeks, because
of the greater number of lay-offs.
From Apr. 1 to May 3, lay-offs
reported by the company totaled
288, including well over 200 women.
They were mainly in Industrial
Control. Some were temporary and
some indefinite. ;
In addition to the usual explana-
tions of “lack of work” and “lack
of materials", the cxplanation
“over-supply” was given by the
company for ‘some lay-oll's.
management. On the committee
were three shop stewards, Emil
Voris, George W. Gardner and J.
V. Brown, and another guard,
Thomas McDowell.
Management agreed to restore
the old 15-minute relief period for
guards. It had been cut to eight
minutes by written orders of an
assistant chief. Management claim-
ed that Patrol Chief Collins didn’t
know the period had been short-
ened.
The company agreed to locate
permanent men at the No, 69 and
85 gates, as requested by the un-
ion,
Outlying Posts
Guards at all outlying posts, in-
cluding’ Peek St, Airport, Malta
and Sacandaga Rd., will be allow-.
ed six minutes for changing
clothes, at time-and-a-half pay. Up
to. now they had to do it on their
own time, without pay.
In the past, when guards have .
been assigned to relief duty at out-
lying posts, they had to furnish
their own transportation, without
mileage payment. The union mem-
bers pointed out that GE guards
are already underpaid, without
having to incur expenses that GE
should bear. Guards get only $1.26
an hour, in contrast to $1.87 paid
for common labor in Schenectady
outside the GE plant.
The company conceded that no
man should be required to drive
his own car to the outposts for re-
lief duty. Instead, the company
will in the future send relief
guards'in a Patrol car or in a taxi
paid for. by GE.
No More Khaki
Another complaint made by the
union involved the khaki uniform
provided for the second and third
Why UE Won't File.
With T-H Board
‘One shop steward at °. Tuesday
night’s stewards’ meeting suggest-
ed that the officers should “comply
with the law of the land and sign
the non-Communist affidavits,”
while one other steward read a pe-
tition from his group asking them
to do so, he said, “to take away the
company’s main argument in nego-
tiations.”
Julius Emspak, general secre--
tary-treasurer, pointed. out, that
there was nothing in the law re-
quiring the filing of affidavits, and
that this was not the reason for
the deadlock. The reason, he said,
is simply the company’s refusal to
give. ;
Leo Jandreau declared that GE
had been very eager to have UE
file the affidavits, and that those
who circulated petitions asking for
this were, knowingly or not, doing
vor_torthecampany.He_said..
the Auto Workers and Machinists
had filed the affidavits and were in
lots of trouble, while the Miners,
who did not file, had won their pen-
sion fight.
Emspak said the decision not to
file the affidavits was made not by
individual officers, but by the UE
Convention delegates. He said
there were two reasons for not fil-
ing:
One, that as long’ as it was a vol-
untary matter, the union should
not voluntarily lead their mernbers
to slaughter by a law and a board
whieh were set up strictly for the
bosses, and
Second, that the union could not
agree to the establishment of gov-
ernment-controlled company un-
ions. He pointed out that it had
always been a favorite weapon of
employers to accuse union leaders’
of subversive actions, and that the
affidavit business was an invita-
tion to the members to pick weak
leaders,
shift guards, instead of the “blues”
provided.for. the day shift. Guards
aki outfits were misfits
that ‘made ‘them “lool like Key-
stone cops”, and that often the
workers had to have them altered
at their own expense. Management
agreed to serap the khaki uni-
forms. The second and third shifts
will receive lightweight. blue serge
for summer, and the regular
“blues” next fall. The serge trous-
ers are to be worn only at work,
not at home, GE notified the un-
ion,
A. C. Stevens, assistant to the
~General superintendent, and Frank
Schaaff represented the company
at the meetings.
WEAR YOUR UNION BUTTON
‘Dembski, Northrop
~Reelected by CIO
“The Capital District CIO Council
Apr. 28-reelected Vincent -Dembski
of Albany president: and Robert
Northrop, Schenectady, secretary-
treasurer ata meeting at 301 hall.
Dembski is a member of the United
Office and Professional Workers
of America and Northrop of: the
United Steelworkers of America.
Gladys. Dubois,- Amalgamated
Clothing Workers, Troy, was re-
elected first
vice - president
and Dewey
Brashear, Local
801, was chosen
second vice-
president to suc-
ceed Albert
Davis of 301,
who was not a
candidate. The
--t-h.r.e.¢_trustees
were reelected:
Dewey Brashear Schen ectady,
| United Trans-
port Service Employees; Allen Mc-
Cabe, Schenectady, Transport
Workers Union, and John Wright,
Albzany, United Public Workers.
William Hyatt, Fur and Leather
Workers,: Ballston Spa, was’ elected
Sergeant-at-Arms.
The meeting: voted approval of a
protest made by Council officers
against efforts of Harold Garno,
secretary-treasurer of the State
CIO, to split the Capital District
Council into two or more councils.
A resolution was passed support-
ing the United Mine Workers in
their fight for a $100 » month pen-
sion and condemning the strike-
breaking activities of the Truman
Administration against the miners.
Another resolution passed pledged
support to railway workers in their
contract demands and demanded
that President Truman refrain
from taking steps against them.
The Council voted to protest the .
action of the Schenectady Railway
Company in ‘cutting down bus
service.
Westinghouse Workers
Strike at Beaver, Pa.
Workers at the Westinghouse
plant at Beaver, Pa., went on strike
recently when the company refused
to recognize UE as their bargain-
ing agent. UE won an_ election
conducted by the Honest Ballot As-
sociation bya vote of 420 to 13.
A donation of $100 to the strike
fund was voted by the 801 Board
“Apr. 26. ; “ ;
Westinghouse refused to discuss
over 50 grievances, or to make any
‘adjustment in wages or working
conditions,
James Williams, >
'LECTRIC.
THE VOICE OF LOCAL 301 - - - - s WERRAM WA.
Vol. 6 — No. 20
SCHENECTADY, NEW YORK
On Check-off Plan
Agreement has been. reached be-
tween the General Electric Com-
pany and UE on a check-off sys-
tem-to go into effect July 1, the
date when the present check-off is
_killed by a provision of the Taft-
Hartley law. a
Individual authorization cards
are to be signed by UE members
for check-off of their dues, and the
‘initiation fee if it hasn’t been paid.
The company will print the cards
by Monday, according to present
plans, and will turn them over to
nen_to_give_the.shop_stewards,
“The cards will bear the names and
check numbers ofthe members.
During the 10 day period start-
ing Thursday, stewards at every
GE plant in the country are ex-
pected to concentrate on collecting’
the check-off signatures from the
‘members in their group. The can-
vass will also be a good opportun-
ity to sign up new members.
The signed authorization cards
are to be returned by the stewards
to the union office. The local will
make duplicate lists of the signa-
tures. ‘When notice is received
from the national UE office, the
loeal will turn the cards and a list
of signatures over to the company.
The company will check. the cards
against the list and then sign the
list and return it as the local’s
receipt for the cards.
GE Gymnastics
About Boston
GE turned handsprings this week
in an effort to back up its state-
ment, made in the Howell letter
and in a newspaper advertisement,
that the Boston Appliance Service
Center strike accomplished noth-
ing for the workers.
Local. 801 had placed an adver-
tisement listing the specific gains
made by the strikers, on both wag-
es and working conditions.
GE came back with a full-page
ad abusing the union, The ad gave
its game away by trying to explain
that the gains won by the strikers
‘had been in preparation for some
time before, and were generously
given by the company, .
Local 801 is obtaining additional
facts from Boston.
BACK THE NEGOTIATIONS
WITH A,100% UE SHOP
EAT LESS.
PRODUCE MORE=
SEE,THE PRICES
ARE GOING DOWN!
COST OF LIVING
o
Atomic Commission Changes lis Mind
Management notified the union
office Wednesday that the Atomic
Energy Commission has reversed a
previous ruling that the Executive
Board member for the Peek St.
plant couldn’t visit the building on
union business, but only on com-
pany business. Atomic work is
done in Peek St.
The day before, the company in-
formed Business Agent Leo Jan-
dreau that the Commission had for-
bidden it to admit Board Member
Anthony Villano to the Peek St.
plant- to talk with shop stewards.
Villano holds a Q card from the
company which was issued after
his name was okayed by the FBI.
The Commission didn’t have any
objection to his being sent into the
building on company business, just
on union business!
The union was preparing to pro-
vess the case to the proper federal
authorities, and to the courts, if
necessary, when the reversal was
announced,
UE on the Job
Over 1400 grievances were hand-
led and settled last year by UE Lo-
cal 255 at the GE plant at Pitts.
field, Mass.
Win Contract Gains
Victory in a two-week strike
brought UE workers of Accurate
Machine Tool Company at Cleve-
land Ohio, a wage inerease of 10
cents an hour,
7 Cent Increase
The 5,000 workers of the Fed-
eral Telephone and Radio plants at
Clifton, N. J., get a raise of seven
cents an hour under their new UE
contract, A further inerease is
possible after July 1.
UE Radio Program
Tune in on the Arthur Gaeth
broadeust, sponsored by the nation-
al UE, at 10 p.m, Monday.
pport
To Be Sought.
By GE Locals
An intensive community cam-
paign to enlist support for the
UE’s contract proposals and wage
demands was started by the GE
Conference Board last week. The
delegates from more than 90 plants
met in New York to act on the bar-
gaining deadlock.
The campaign will include radio
time and newspaper advertising, of
Which ..thecost—awill_he-shared_ by.
the locals and the national union.
The conference board also re-
quested a joint meeting with the
conference boards of UH in’ West-
inghouse and General Motors Elec-
trical Division, to consider the next
steps in the fight,
The negotiations remained in re-
cess, with the union and the com-
pany in disagreement on wages and
all the major issues. Agreement
was reached on the form of the
check-off (see separate story); and
also a compromise on the question
of continuous process. The com-
pany is willing to pay time-and-
one-half for Saturday and Sunday
on continuous process jobs.
The Conference Board plans also
called for shop gate meetings and
other means of discussion of the
negotiations directly with the mem-
bership. In Local 801, shop stew-
ards were called ‘to meetings in
small groups beginning this week.
Later on various. groups of mem-
bers will be called to meetings on
contract questions of special inter-
est to them. :
UE Wins Pay Raises
From 100 Companies
While the biggest electrical
corporations are still balking at
granting their workers the sub-
stantial pay increases they need,
more than 100 smaller companies
have reached partial wage settle-
ments with UE, running from five
cents to 14 cents an hour,
Most of the raises, except for a
few in the higher brackets, are
down payments pending final de-
termination of the wage pattern
for the industry.
) MELE UNION
rare!
ao
VNIWD
UE Wins Strike
At Seeger Plant
The 29 day UE strike at Seeger
Refrigerator Company, Evansville,
Ind., was settled Apr. 80 with a
general wage increase: of six cents:
an_hour_and.additional—raises--of—-howers,.President_Truman._ seized...
Tour to 16 cents for 1,005 workers.
The contract provides also that
if GE and Frigidaire grant in-
creases of more than six cents,
Seeger will automatically increase
wages to the same total.
The strikers won six paid holi.
days instead of two, and obtained
improvements in vacations. The
“package” settlement equals about
11 cents an Hour, the union estim-
ates. The settlement provides for |
' time studies and for an increase in
“down-time” allowance,
UE. is recognized as exclusive
bargaining agent, and won an irre-
vocable check-off of UE dues and _
aPC POTTS
government’s strike-breaking,
Government Breaks
Railway Strike Again
For the second time’ since the
death of President Roosevelt, the
government this week broke a_rail-
road strike. ; Under “wartime”
the railroads Monday, - put the
Army in charge, and. obtained a
federal court injunction forbidding
the railroad workers from striking.
The Army “running” the’ trains
was simply on paper. The railroad
companies remained in control with
government protection against
their employees, ‘©
The Brotherhood of Locomotive
Engineers, the Brotherhood of
Firemen and Enginemen and the
Switchmen’s Union-had voted to go
on strike Tuesday morning. The
strikers were called off after the
injunction was issued, Union lead-
ers expressed bitterness at the
—a
“initiations
When the workers walked out
Apr. 1, at the expiration of the old
contract, the company was still in-
sisting on union-smashing provis-
ions. It demanded that the union
give’ management the exclusive
right. to discipline or discharge
workers and to set or change rates.
During the strike the company
tried the usual newspaper and
radio attack on UE charging “left-
wing plots” and “leadership irre-
sponsibility’, The AFL was
brought into the picture to disrupt
and sow confusion. They offered
Taft-Hartley Board “law and or-
der” as their method of getting
things done. The UAW tried to
horn in too. But the UE strikers
stood firm.
The Local 301 Executive Board
voted $100 to the strikers Apr. 26.
Seeger makes the Sears Roebuck
“Coldspot” refrigerator.
Workers Reinstated
The new UE local at the West-
ern Electric plants at Allentown,
Pa,, recently foreed the reinstate-
ment of a group of fired workers.
For a few hours after the firings,
until the men were back at their
jobs, work at both plants was
virtually at a standstill.
ELECTRICAL UNION NEWS
United Electrical, Radio & Machine
Workers of America, CIO
Scnrnrctrapvy GE Locar 301
<p>
Published by Editorial Committee
William Templeton, Chairman
Mary McCartin, Secretary
--layton Pudney Victor Pasche
Editorial Office
EvectricAL Union News |
301 Liberty St., Schenectady, N. Y.
Telephone 3-1386
repetition of the 1946 action.
These railway unions missed out
on a wage increase last year. They
don't get overtime for Sundays and
holidays, like other unions. They
have only a week’s vacation.
The government’s interference on
the side of the railroad owners,
ought to be of interest to any UE
member who thinks bowing down
to the Taft-Hartley Board would
help get a wage raise.
Railway unions had gone through
all the months of red tape required
by the Railway Mediation Act.
They have been praised by em-
ployers as “conservative” © and.
“respectable.” But in the dollar-
and cents show-down, the govern-
ment broke their strike. The Army
commissioned railway executives
as “colonels” to run the railways,
as soon as they came under federal
control! ;
UE Can Suggest
Some More Steps
Charles BE. Wilson’s annual re-
port to the GE stockholders stated:
“In 1947, however, definite steps
were taken’ to enable management
to learn how to become as success-
ful in providing jobs which satisfy
the employees as the company has
been in supplying products which
satisfy its customers.”
Representatives of the GH em-
ployees have been trying to tell
Wilson’s committee during the past
weeks how to satisfy the workers.
Paid Sick Leave
The contract between Union Oil
Company. and the CIO Oil Workers
International Union provides one
week’s paid sick leave for each
year of service with the company
up to 26 weeks,
Now Let's You AND
Him EAT BEANS TO
LICK INFLATION! Se8P!
ta
Why Prices Keep
Going Right Up
The major corporations in the
electrical manufacturing industry
claim that prices are being stabil-
ized and that wage increases now
would skyrocket prices.
The facts are that the 6 billion
dollar expenditure for the Marshall
plan and proposed total military
expenditures. of 20 billion: dollars
will shoot prices upward whether .
or not there are wage increases.
The President’s Council of Econ-
omic Advisers stated that “... for
such important items as meat and
rent, there is strong reason why it
(prices) may go up.”
(Quarterly Report, April 9, 1948),
The Journal of Commerce, March
19, 1948 reports that “It is difficult
to imagine any serious. (downward)
pressure on prices so long as this
new business prop (the armament
program) is in the making.”
The great monopolistic corpora-
tions will once again use the situ-
ation to force prices upwards and
‘to add to their present exorbitant
profits of 28 billion dollars. Wage
increases at present would merely
cushion the impact of increasing
living costs upon workers and serve
as a check to mounting profits,
100% UE Plant
A card check recently showed the
Preston Electric Co., Scranton, Pa.,
that every worker in the plant had
‘joined UE. Management dropped
its efforts to force the union to use
the anti-labor Taft-Hartley Board
and agreed to recognize UE as
bargaining agent.
Lynn UE Officer Calls
GE Ad ‘Distortion, Lies'
GE’s full page advertisement
stating its version of the deadlock.’
_in negotiations was called “a solid.
mass of distortion, misrepresenta-
tion and delberate lies,” in a state-
ment last week by Frederick M.
Kelley, business agent of Local
201, the UE local in the Lynn
plant of GE.
The advertisement to which Kel-
ley referred was carried in Sche-
nectady as a letter from Works
Manager J. M. Howell. Obviously
it was a piece of publicity prepared
by the national GE office and issu-
ed in each town.as coming from the
local manager. ‘
Kelley’s statement appeared in
the Local 201 paper. He declared
that two of three contract issues
which GE said the UF rated as
most important, were actually
points which UE would be glad to
trade for the UE’s minimum pen-
sion plan.
“Unable to prove their case by
sticking to facts,” Kelley said, “the
General Electric Company has fin-
ally resorted to the lowest tactics
in the book to avoid a just debt to
its employees.”
UE Succeeds, AFL Failed
In 20 years the AFL Sheet
Metal Workers got no wage in-
erease, no security and no im-
provement in working conditions
for the workers at Elkay Manu- ¢ "
+facturing Company, Chicago. The
workers switched to UE about two
years ago. This month UE won a
18 cent raise for the workers,
making a total of 49 cents an hour
obtained by UE,
‘Board Votes to Fight
- and 2 $25 bond will be second and
muchas
oe
OE?
George Walker, 301 guide, at extreme left, swears in a new group of
a :
een CREE Dm BaP Co 5 Oe 1 ne on er ee oa A ea | eee i ey. es |
Op BUSWaTUs Ae ur nae Trontrow, tert to right, Kennetir Quills;
Bldg. 50; Steve Ricci, 40B; Kathleen Haughney, 53; Jim Gaffney, Al-
plaus; Donald Romsiewicez, 60; Woodrow Halterman, 60; John Warren,
oe NO on we 3.
Wlara; 10; ana>
60; Ray Schaffer, 42; Charles Oldorf, 59; Mike Warenda, 79; Andrew
hb see At Pe fon $y een | eS Ye
VICeOL ty GO, OVS
Wood, 18; Andrew Lorenzo, 18; Joseph De Paula, 60; Wilford Vidamor,
77; Paul Clairmont, 10C, and Henry Plourde, 60.
Against Mundt Bill
The Local 301 Executive Board
went on record Monday night con-
demning the Mundt Bill as a threat
to civil liberties and to all unions.
It voted to recommend to the 301
membership meeting next week a
vigorous campaign against this
legislation, in cooperation with the
Capital District Committee for
Democratic Rights.
This committee, organized re-
cently to fight the Mundt bill, has
a broad membership, including pro- 3.
fessional men, business men .and
clergymen, as well as labor rep-
resentatives.
The national CLO has urged all
CIO unions and councils to join the
fight on the bill, Newspapers have
been giving the false impression penefit,
that the only purpose of the bill is de
to make the Communist Party re-
gister its membership. Actually it
endangers every labor and liberal
group in the country. Strikers
could be imprisoned for 10 years
and fined $10,000.
off within one week or two weeks?
fit immediately after that weck. If
maybe won’t qualify at all. ;
2. How soon should you file a
unemployment insurance?
and holidays) is an “effective” day
How are you credited for a
tive” days.
Then Tuesday, Wednesday and
6. How would you be credited
and two days the second week?
Every Queen Candidate
Gets Gift on Field Day
A gift will be awarded to every
girl who enters the contest for
Field Day queen, the Activities q.
Committee announced this weelk. Yes.
‘he winner will receive a $100
U.S. bond and a cup. A $50 bond
year?
third prizes. Every Executive’
Board member has been asked to
submit the names of the candidates
from his section by the end of next
week.
be no interruption.
check for this waiting period, Each
Unemployment Insurance Question Box
Recent temporary lay-offs caused many questions to be asked of
the union office about unemployment insurance machinery. Here are a
few questions and answers. We suggest you clip and keep this.
1. Does it make any difference whether you take a “rotation” lay-
Yes, A lay-off of a full week at a time makes you eligible for bene-
two or more weeks, you will delay qualifying for the payment and
As soon as you are laid off. The claim starts as of the day it is filed.
How long do you haye to be laid off before you are eligible for
Your first three days of unemployment in any Monday-through-Sun-
day. week do not give you benefit credit.
days, each additional unemployed day in that week (including Sunday
ment benefit.) You have to have four “effective days to qualify for a
If you don’t: work all week, Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday are
qualifying days and Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday are “effec-.
5. Suppose you work ‘only Monday?
and Friday, Saturday and Sunday would be “effective” days,
You would be credited with only one “effective” day for unemploy-
ment insurance the first week and only two the second week. Further-
more, if in one week you earned more than $24, you don’t get any un-
employment insurance benefit credit for that week.
Is there any time limit on these “effective” days?
A new benefit year starts June 7.
“effective” days are wiped out as of that date.
8 Is there a new waiting period at ithe start of the new benefit
If you are receiving checks at the turn of the benefit, year, there will
If you file a new claim, however, then you have to
accumulate four “effective” days, called a waiting period, and you get no
this waiting period will bring you a week's check,
Grievance Case Won
For Bldg. 29 Worker
Union grievance action has won
for a girl in Bldg. 29 the restoy-
ation of 3% years service on her
record, vacation back pay for a
week and three days she didn’t pet
in 1947, and a day’s pay for last
Fourth of July, Next week she is
to receive the “profit-sharing” pay-
ment which should have been given
to her earlier this year, :
The young woman was laid-off
for lack of work in October, 1946.
When she was called back in April,
1947, it was impossible for her to
take the night job offered to her,
‘because of transportation difficul-
ties. The employment office agreed
you spread the unemployment over
elaim for unemployment insurance?
After these three qualifying
(a day credited toward unemploy-
opening,
But when she returned to work
in June, 1947, she was listed as
having broken service.
Shop Steward Arthur De Lucia
recently took up the case. He fol-
lowed it through to Bldg. 41 where
Board Member Joseph Mangino
and a grievance committee took
part, The company agreed a mis-
take had been made,
$100 to GE Strikers
The Executive Board Monday
night voted another $100 to the
strikers at the GE plant at Lex-
ington, Ky.
full week’s lay-off?
Thursday would be qualifying days
if you worked three days one week
Any partial eredits in
“Women Ball Players
The Local 301 Women’s Softball
Team, organized -by Helen Quirini,
has joined the City League. The
team can use some more volun-
teers,
group of four “eflective” days after
a? en en b eet hw Pn. oT ee see
EAT, GEOT FE “DUS, 405" Willian Cs
that she could wait for a suitable
