_ ELECTRICAL UNION NEW
Swollen |
ut
lions of
their belts because the end of the war has cut huge chunks out of their take-
home pay?
~—~-—Don't-look. for the answer in the editorial columns of the gommercial
press where workers are handed stern lectures daily about how they are
holding up free enterprise's re-e-
conversion program by asking for
a living wage. The place to look
is in the documented government
reports which set out irrefutable
proof that American industry has
emerged from this war with a
staggering load of profits—great-
est in its history. i -
11 BILLIONAIRE FIRMS
The truth about how industry
fared during the war, told in the
Oct. 1 issue of In Fact, weekly
newsletter, can be gleaned from
these government figures, For ex-
ample, despite the much-touted ex.
cess profits tax, 11 new billionaire
firms were. created during the
war, making a total of 43. A WPB
report, issued July 20, 1945, says:
“Net profits after taxes increased
from $38 ‘billion (1989) to $6.4
pillion,”” :
According to the same report:
“Industry's profits before taxes.
jfile
a 5
me
pF) =_
NEW YORK (FP)—Can industry afford to pay wage increases to mil-
American workers now being foreed. to pinch: pennies.andtighten.
ad at)
lages
*
nn hot up from $a8 billion an 1839
__...figclined to 10.3% in 1944.”
to nearly $17.2 billion in 1944...
The rise in profits before taxes
was even sharper. than the increase
jn sales; hence the margin of
profit rose from 6.3% in 1939 to a
high of 11.6% in 1941, then slowly
Another report, ‘issied by OPA
in March 1945, concludes: “Amer.
jean industry made far more protit
during the war than in peace... .
The vast majority of the corpora-
tions at least doubled their pre-
war earnings and many realized
five, 10 and even 50 times as large
a profit in 1942 as in the base
years. Durable goods producers
achieved the sharpest of the gains
but no segment of the industrial
economy failed to share substan-
tially in the rapid profits expan-
sion engendered by the war.”
NO REINVESTMENT
Not only the profits but the gen-
eral financial position of all -»-
porations has been vastly improved
during the war, In Fact reveals,
Very little of the profits made dur-
ing the war have been reinvested
“Corporate financial policy during i
the war,” the WPB report says,
“has been extremely conservative.
This is evidenced by the inerens-
ing percentage of: profits retained
in the business. As a result about
$15 billion’ has been added to the
net worth of industrial eorpora-
tions, thus increasing its prewar
“ Jevel about one-third.” |
The leaders of free enterprise.
who have been denouncing the full
employment bill’ as unwarranted
government intervention in their
affairs, were able to-seale. these
new heights of wealth only with
® substantial boost from the goy-
erument,
‘weleome to all” i
to come into the meetings which
are being held every Wednesday
avening at 7:30 and to participate
PITTSBURGH (FP)—Wage ne-
gotiations between United Steel-
workers (CIO) and subsidiaries of
the U.S. Steel Corp. opened here
Oct, 10.
Pres, Philip Murray heads the
Steelworkers.Seek- Raise
union negotiators, who are de-
manding $2 daily wage increases
for more than 800,000‘members in
some 500 companies. Affected by
the outcome of the sessions will
be approximately 180,000 steel-
workers employed by Big Steel.
According to latest information
Kearney Has Not Signed
the release petition to bring the
Kilgore-Forand Unemployment Compensation
Bill to the floor ofthe House for action.
WRITE AND URGE HIM TO DO SO NOW!
Comumitteeman......ccenxes
NAME (Print)
Fave lecneewesnreene
im the proceedings,
Pte eee ee ee ce ee See ere eer rs
apnea
ATTENTION COMMITTEEMEN
With the large number of transfers being made daily
in the plant, all committeemen are requested to check
the new people who come into their department with the
objective in mind that the union maimtain as. cluse to
100% membership as possible,
For the purpose of checking against the record of
union membership, the following form is priuted which
may be filled cut and submitied to the union office which
will promptly mail the information back:
ARE THESE PEOPLE MEMBERS OF LOCAL 301?
Bldg....... GE Phone...
New Check Old Check
Number Number
OO Ce ee
er er ec ee fie ee © eccrine © rar nears
ee eee eS ee 2 errr rer rn
DCU e eee eee Uae ERA Pent e ee eH eater ceneteenasees
ee ree re ern are
Po ee ee er rere © rrr
Oe ce er er Wrenn ie
eee ee eee eee ce er ee ee ener © re
in X city, so ‘they say, there ave
200 on unemployment. insurance
roles and 225 jobs available, In
Y city, more job openings than
unemployed. In Z city it’s. the
same condition. The people are
just lazy bums, don’t want to take
jobs and so ate responsible for.
any economic flop:that may occur.
That’s the line being feed the
people by the Committee for
Economie Development and others,
EVIL PROPAGANDA
This publicity is purely eyil
propaganda. It’s evil because it
deals with the matter of employ-
ment which is the only means of
earning the right to,.keep body
and soul together and because it
is based on half-truths—using the
half which suits the purpose of its
propagators.
-The other half of the story: is
kept under the wraps least the
general public learn to know the
yeal truth and put the.overwhelm-
ing power of public opinion behind
labor's objective of higher wages
and a satisfactory minimum wage
Jaw,
Impartial surveys’ have proven
Pp ately “a
standard wages, Also that in cer-
tain cities where there are a large
number of jobs available they are
not being taken because the peo-
ple on the unemployment insur-
ance roles can not qualify because
of physical: or experience and
training requirements,
‘Joseph O'Connor, regianal di-
reetor of the United States Em-
ployment Service stated very re-
cently, “The fact that a jok is
open means nothing until you
know what the job is, where it is,
what the wages and working con-
ditions are, and what qualifica-
lions a worker needs to fill it.
“Although many former war
workers are accepting the offered
jobs,” O’Connor said, “many more
are understandably reluctant to
accept a reduction in income that
would drastically reduce their
standard of living and, in the case
of many men with family respon-
sibilities reduce their income ‘e-
low a reasonable subsistenc- level
in the face of the high cost of
living.”
Where are those jobs the ex-
war workers are expected to take?
In the low pay retail trade where
many jobs pay no lower than they
do because of the existing 40¢
minimum wage law and in open
shops, low wage industries,
A typical example of the latter
is found in a ense being handled
at the present time by the Local
301 Unemployment Committee of-
fie. A Local 301 member, em-
ployed during the war in the Gen-
eral Blectrie plant- as a ‘cutter
grinder was laid off because of
lack of Work according to seniority
procedure, The job rate was 95e
an hour ‘and with the 10% second
shift premium, this wage earner
had a take home pay of $1.05 cn
hour,
A resident of Albany, this per-
son applied for uneraployment. in-
“jatitaiice benefits at the Albany of-
fice and was referred to a “job”
at a tool company in that city.
The work was identical with the
work performed at GE but the
rate offered was 52 cents an hour!
It was the legitimate reasoning
= Procl?-Oh-sure=they-have its
Of Jobless Insurance
Ex-war-workers who are now unemployed due to the
lack of industrial and governmental planning to meet: re-
conversion, are lazy and don’t wawnt to work, S¢ say news
releases in the press and on’
the radio.
ployment insurance benefits were
denied. An appeal was made to the
Local 301 office which hag assisted
the person in making an appeal
through the proper channels
the case at the Albany insurance
‘office,
If this job had been taken at
the rate offered, this ise. what
would have happened. Working
six days a week during the war
week, With the loss of. overtima
this wage earner's Pay dropped to
$42.00, a sizeable reduction.
Now at the offered job, this
wage earner’s pay would he only
$20.80. A cut of $33.80 or. ap.
proximately 61%, This is not only
one example, it is typical. of thous
sands of cases throughout’ this
state and there are “plenty in
Schenectady ‘and
organized shops, retail trade and
even trained office help which are
unorganized in the GE were nod
considered worth as much,.by-the
employers, as common labor be-
cause they were paid in most
cases, considerably less than the
common labor’s rate.
What is actually happening now
is that employer interests expect
workers to accept pre-war peace
time wages even though the cost
of living remains at high war-time
prices, Lo
To carry out this. squeeze play
against the war workers, these
groups are using many local USES
offices the national and state gove
ernments such as some locaZ
USES offices which are, in effect,
black-mailing many people. into
unsatisfactory
threatening withholding unem-
ployment insurance henefits,
The only answer to this proba
lem is the intensified support of
every worker, employed or un=
employed, behind the liberal legis-
lation now pending in congress
and for Local 801 members, to
consult the Local 801 Unemploy-
ment Committee on any problem
regarding jobs and wages,
Printed in U.8.As
LETTERS
ARE LIKE.
A VISIT
HOME
TOA
SOLDIER.
WRITE:
HIM
TODAY!
fo4
i
iv paig
373 Na5
ivy
IBID
cy
that the job was turned down, but
nevertheless, the. Person’s unem=—
which will call for a hearing on.
gave this wage earner $54.60 a -
employment by .
GE WORKERS as they turned out in front of the plant to add emphasis to their’demands for the $2 increase.
Vol. 1I—No. 36
\
ee
| Committeemen
The November Committeemen’s meeting will be held on
Wednesday, November 7th at
November Gih. This is in accordance with the practice fol='
lowed in thg past years, Tuesday, © = :
ng Election. Day. ! officers.rwill: sbe. installed .during.
November..6th.h
The meeting will be a joint
meeting of first, second, and third
shifts, to enable all committeemen
to:,participate in the nomination
re) ndidues for officers of 1946,
Te Election Committee will also
be elected at this meeting.
For the membership’s informa-
tion Article XVIII of the Constitu-
tion is quoted beléw:
“ARTICLE XVIII
Nomination and Election of Officers
SECTION A — Nominations of
eandidates for general offices shall
be made at a General Meeting of
Shop Representatives, subject to
the approval of a membership
meeting called for that purpose.
(Notifications of the election shall
be posted in the plant at Jenst
seven days prior to the general
election).
The meeting for nominations will
take place during the month of
November, elections will take place
ov. 7
7:80’ p.m. instead of Tuesday,
January “as stated in Article 1V
ef the Constitution. :
SECTION B — ‘Tellers and an
election committee shail be ap-
pointed by the General Meeting of
Shop Representatives, who will, in
conjunction with the Business
Agent, make arrangements for
election.
PRA ET RT
To Elect Delegates
To National Convention
Election ot the important
delegation to the UE National
Convention January 21, will take
place at: the General Memher- |
ship meeting November 20, it
was decided by the ' October
meeting.
The delegation which will
represent Local 301 al the an-
nual meeting will consist of one
person representing the Fort
Edward plant and five from
Dodging and unwillingness to meet the real i
sues of the union’s #2 a day
wage inerease demand was evidenced by the General Eleetrie Company in
the first formal session of the union and conmrpatiy as this, paper went to press.
The union representatives presented the case to the company and in-
elnded in it, not onfy the justifieation and ueed of an increase at the present
time but also undeniable proo
that the company was able
to meet the demands,
The company spokesmen told the
union committee that it was “sym-
pathetic” but due to the fuet that
the wage question was an issue
of national’ scope affecting all
branches of industry throughout
the country, it could not move be-
fore a national wage policy was
arrived ab,
The company’s position on the
wage question was scheduled to be
considered by the UL national
during the month of December and
Schenectady.
exceutive board which was called
hat the Govt. Can Do About Jobs
; By SEN, JAMES MURRAY
f Democrat, Mont,
The Full Employment Bill re-
flects the faith of its sponsors in
the producers of the nation, and
their conviction that through con-
-@erted expansion, our vast — re-
sources can be mobilized in pence
for a stendily rising standard of
living that will,provide jobs for
all who -are willing and able to
work. At the same time it recog-
nizes that only the government is
ina position to underwrite such
concerted expansion, because only
tt) government has a broad
enicagh “in8uence, and ~“otly the
government can assume the risks
involved,
The central feature of the Lill
in its declaration of the right to
work, It constitutes a promise
that the number of woukdl-be
workers in this country will: be
accepted as a goal, and that total
purchasing power will be kept
large enough to employ this num-
ber, 8 ,
Fears and misapprehensions are
rampant as to how the measure
would work,
Not "by Decree
Some anticipate that it would
operate by deeree, To these it
should be made clear that this is
not a plan for directing the econ-
omy from a Washington blueprint,
As members of Congress we would
hardly impose upon ourselves such
‘a heavy and impossible responsi-
bility, There need be no guarantee
of -spécifie jobs or of individual
profits; no government allocation
of materials or equipment or pro-
duction quotas; no bureaucratic
determination of prices or output.
Producers’ would still faee edm-
petition and: the ordinary risks of
enterprise, Private property rights
would not be affected, and the
authority of the central goyern-
ment would not be expanded,
Others think the measure is of-
fered as a gap-filler, They regard
it as a proposal for the govern-
ment to ,take. over whenever and
to the extent thut private business
fails to generite enough demand.
To these it should be emphasized
that the aim is to prevent gaps,
not ta 4] them, This is precisely
why the bill instructs the Presi-
(Continued on page 4)
re
vi
in session to hear the negotiating
committee’s report and to decide
on the future course of action,
DOESN’? JIBE WITH FACTS
The argument of the company
spokesmen that GH could not
“move” until a tangible national
wage policy ic set is not-consistent
with the facts, according to Busi-
ness Agent Leo Jandrexu, who as
Internationai Vice-President of the
UR, is a member of the negotiating
committee, ,
Actually, the General Electric
Company is by far the largest man-
ufactureer and employer in the
electrical industry, It is also one of
the largest and most powerful cor-
porations in the country, The com-
pany’s position raises the question
that if the leaders of industry
such as-GE can-not set industry's
policy, wha else should do it, a
small employer?
Referenee by the company to the
fact that the wage question is
pending in ali industry throughout
the gountry and therefore it can
do nothing now is also another
thin veil to camouflage the real
issue, :
It ic granted that workers in
other industries throughowt the
country are after increases. also,
but that does not change in any
way the basie facts of the union's
ease before GE which are:
_ 1—The cost of living has risen
fay beyond what it was before the
war production program with long
hours of overtime got underway, *
2—The wages paid were xaised
to thei» present point, not because
of any increase in basic wage rates
but because of overtime carnings.
38—Overtime is now a thing of
the past and workers take-home |
pay has dropped to or below pres
war levels, while prices remain at
the same high, ~
CAN AFFORD RAISE
4—The company's financial pos
sition is such that it can casily
afford to grant the $2 a day wage
inerease without necessity of rais=
ing prices, and it could still opere
ate at a fair profit,
It was reported, as this paper
went to press, that some company
spokestien, faced with the unions
proof that the company could well
afford to pay: the inerease, passed
the information off ag irrelevant to ~
the ease. ; .
This also raises a point whieh
eati be correctly questioned. It
would not ba the policy of this or
any other fair opinioned labor or
ganization to foree an employer
to ‘do the impossible if price coms
petition was such thot increases in
production cost would cause the
employer to lose his market or
operate at a loss, The abilily to
pay does save a very definite beats
ing on the wage question.
OL
New Commitieemen
The following new committees
men were sworn in at
tober 15 general member!
meeting: Mary A. Gee, 28; CB.
Rogers, 63 and R. BE. O'Brien, 57,
LECTRICAL
November 3,
Workers Demonstrate | Solidarity
Behind Union on Hot Wage issue
When yeu touch a man’s pockethook, one of the most esseutial eonipo-
nents of existence outside of life itself, you’re calling for action—and it’s ac-
tion GI got from the thousands of Local, 301, members recently. ©
Originally a | spontaneous?
demonstration in. support. of
the electricians and steam-
fitters, tt developed into a power-
fal warning bo the General. Elec-
teie Company that the GE Sche-
nectudy workers expect und de-
mand that the company ‘grant ‘the
wenernal $2 a day wage increase.
Like the denionstration just prior
to the war that won the 10-cent
an hour wage inerease needed. at
the time, this one stirred the com-
pany into coming to terms of
settlement for the electricians and
steamfitters.: 16 won for them an
increase of de an hour retroactive
to January .1, 1945 und an addi-
tional Be an hour beginning Jan-
uary 1, 1946, ‘ _ -
Shunderous applause and enthusi-
asm displayed by the thousands at
the demonstration at the main gate
of the plant when rank and file
speakers raised the UE demands
forthe general inerease of $2. a
day, proved beyond all doubt that
the .entive membership is solidly,
behind: the union negotiators who
“met. with the company Odteber 25
to present the formal demands and
attempt nepolation of he. issue,
o You Want Action? |
Prepared by Education Dept., Local 301
Do you want more effective ac-
tion on the grievances arising in
your department? Do you want
your perievances, handled correct+
ly, so thut by the proper appoach,
and by skillful carrying-through,
your problems are more tapidly
und more satisfactorily adjusted?
Of course you do, and there is
something you, the union member
on the job, ean do about it
All Union Committcemen are re-
quested by Lhe membership to. ats
tend the new leadership classes bo
be given by thé Education Depart+
ment this fall These classes ave
planned to give each Shop Repre-
Sentative the Inowledge of the
Union Contract, of, our Grievanee
Procedure, and the aetual handling
of all kinds of>enses; required for
gorrect performance of his job.
Surely, a man, elected) by this
. yong : mut
Published weakly, tho first three
30] Liberty St,
fellow-workers to represent them.
should feel enough responsibility
to his group to learn the funda-
mentals of his job, And. the best
place to learn [hat job is at the
Union Training Classes,
Your job is to see that your
‘Committeeman ablends thege class-
es, Check up on his ot ber ablend-
ance, and turn on the heat if he
ov she fails to abtend regularly.
Better yet, get your Group to al-
tend with your Representative. In
any event, insist on your Commit-
teaman learning his jobi- :
Then, wibk the scivntific op-
proach Co job problents, he learns
understanding of his -funetion fn
the Grievance’ Procedure, © your
Committeeman can really go to
United Electrical Radio & Machine Workers of America, Local 301 ClO
Schanoctady.G E Local 301 "
Union Sorvice, Inc. 17 Murray Stroct, New York 7, N. Y. Subscrip-
tien $1,00 a year, Entai ed as second class'matter August’ 8, 1944, at
the Post Office of New York, N.Y., undor tho act of March 3, 1879.
AUSTIN J, CASE, Editar
RAYMOND D. FLANIGAN, Co-editor ‘
Editorial. Committee: Frank Emspak, “Sidney Filediander;” Chet Cook,
“Jayne Starke, Troy Snipes, ‘Blanchard Mowers
Editertal Office, Electrical Union News - ot
‘Schenectady, N. Y,-
work on your Group’s grievances.
Don't: Forget: to consult your
weeks of cach month, by Trade
re
in class, together with the clearet |
Committeenian frequently. Discuss
Union affairs and legislation af-
Fecting labor. Above all, buck him
up 100% all the time
e
VUnien Member
is Candidate
Tee Thomas, a Local 801 member
of long: stunding and a former 2nd
shift, committeeman, is a candi-
date for Justice of the Peace, in
the town cof Rotterdam, on the
Party and Dem-
oeratie tickets.
/An employee of
the Gk for 29
years, he. hus
worked In
LC, department,
A building -78, for
THOMAS, 27 yours, Ac-
cording to John Boyle; LC, board
member, Lee has been very active
in the community where he has
served as on deputy sheriff for
five department, district 2 and in
the Intter nvovation, filled “many
posts of leadership and responsi-
bility, "
editor's Nofer . News of
Neal. atteae is edinien, 5 (*
“gervtod: to thecmembership GkE™
ld noe a eonste
won and wot the editors of thie
. paper, . — ,
ih Ris
American Labor | :
LS years, an-active member of the :
anan) : , whavdt
Before “Manageme
“S. Lesuire & Co.
doe TMurling .
Cleaning. Group
Group Complaint
Mrs, Mary Kramer
6558 i Group Complaint
5593 bo Jusepiiine Romac-
5543 q Croup. Complaint
b5TO oo DD. A, Burger
BALG Packing Group
5530 4 J. Santora
S545 WwW. Ay
BGT J. Bot
B574 Group Complaint
iy Croup Complaint
6530 » ‘Group Complaint Wallhousen
5046 Lucy Fredericks Seigler —
GOa9 E Wysontialei
S541 f Erte Sehlieht Tasher
4400- Group Complaint Ragueci
. Prepare for Ship-
, nent
GAT David C. Morey
G71 Group Conplaing
KGL: ‘ Jack Mabie ‘
Hous : Ge Leone
. D. O'Neil
Cecile Greene
Helen Quirtnh and
Croup
aL i A, Jackewtiea
5504 Sarah 1, Tucker
5505 Antoine rngioug
B02 a. Slareiale
Rddie FBiech
Harry Ciaquincto,
Punch Press
Forest Manning
dolin Miller
Jd Ganthier
Dewitt Cole
Flore Olechowski
J, Lanthier
Group Complaint
Tucille Kennedy
Rose Dolau
Pawine Palka
SHAS 2s Charles CG. Hyde
SONT a Ruth Reid
foos 4 Marton Waytho.
G00 A J, Ganthter
$462 2 Group Complaint
ROOST ii Croup Complaint
G581, § William Wharton
G5R4 B Genevieve Carling
TLiltian Webster
Virginia Bertram
HOR . Thomas Severa
foo BT Edgar Histed
6508 (2,. .Anthony: Clramelto:
5608 uo BR, Lash, aie APL
‘BHES ete Group Complaint |
GHSH iY Joe: Windowski-
‘om, Pelkovie °,
2H. Group Complaint,
13 William | Chlopecke
ft CL Becker ors oe
Ceneml Tnspectors Classifi- .
. vations & Rates » fa
Fuchs
-. Busse
Buciewles
tiarrelt,
Tsposito
Ryan --
Kelty
Bender
Arcand
Bowen
Lamoureaux
o'Connell ¢
Waterhouse
Ragucel
Whitaker
Mohyde
Case
Cause
Giaqulnto
Knowlton
Peterson
Mangino
Manning .
Roberts
Roberts
Parleer
Svott
Roberts
Scott
Seoltt
Rie
o50n
G572
5578
HOT
HERS
GG8T
is ists
‘
Hyde
Scott
Scolt
Roberts
Gardocki
Boyden
Franklin
Villano
Severa
Villa no
Tash
Tash
Malegn
Pannone
Rollo
Baran
g2n8 2 lat Ralph Rlectardt
272 a RMilen Maes
rere J, Rispoll
fog ii Group Complaint
O68 James Mangino
Sau u Mach, Room Group
Pagel
Rtspoll
Westbury
Ramroth
Sheehy
CASUS UP FOR JOINT INVESTIGATION a
§- 1-45
9-27-45
9-10-45
10- 8-15
8-11-45
Q-12-45
10-15-45
19-154
g-24- Fr
Te 4-4
88TH
a1
10-1
10- 1-45
10-11-45
G- 7-45
8-27-45
8-27-15
"10-10-45
“10-12-18
“1M 12F
8. 0-48
O-)1-48
D-11-45
Cases in Advanced Stages
Of Collective Bargaining
CASES BEFORE MR, HOWELL, WORKS MGR,
hai x Group Complatat :
Bly Av John We Parhart
hAsa us WoT Lela
as Frank Shay
ts 0 ADfred t4 dulinaon
Cenerak Bales Pald Women
. on subs Rutog Over
MWolimes
Taunstie
Wilkinson
Auibul
We
Rudeshoion
White
Petrosky
Wrysomskt
HO0 hewik Armateang
have : Ateoup Compliatiat
hae a rancfollow
Bou tag Mra, MM. Cerere
Alra, 2, Triest
Annan Perone
Huey Mottalo
Allee (astilis
HS. Group Con laine
ii Jo Spanbiyst
dd Croup Couphat
cA MW. OW. Buell
Wysouisk |
Walllugtord
DeCuerne
Buell
7-30-15
* 8-80-08
3-20-15
Sede
10-15
“10- 8-1
10. 8-10
10. XN.
fe 2445
bo-th-dd
SES BEVORE AR. SPICER, VICE-PRESIDENT
Croup Complatue
278, 00, Welders
Clarhing Dept)
» Die Rabloes
Ceoup -Complatat Wy somskl
Bann : CGeoup Complatot Peert
Hite dohu ty Chsoy oth
Gait Croup Camphuut ‘Wassell
Ry plad
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\ ‘Fell
To Sito
Mc. Chailes E. Wilson, President
General Electric Company
™ Lexington Avenue
New York, N.Y,
Dear Mr, Wilson:
- Last month you sent a “strictly per-
sonal” le:ter to the home of each G, E.
“employee. At that time you stated that
from time to time you would publish
your thoughts ‘in the “Works News,”
After some consideration, the Execu-
tive Board of our Union hag ° decided
upon a reply inthe name of our mem-
bers. This is not a personal - letter, but
must be shared with our members and’
the public,
During the past several weeks, your
views have come vous through state-
ments cnrried in the newspapers, The
‘most significant of these, we feel, was
your statement read ata mecting in
Potsdam, N. Y., on October 8, in which
you were said to deplove the “fashion-
able” belief that everyone “has a right
_ te a job.” This was the meeting at which
Herbert Hoover,
everybody has tne right to a job sell.
ing apples, was the principle speaker,
_.» Many of ‘our members have also read
»:the Company's views. on national plan-
ning ,in the current issue of the Gen-
eral’ Bleetric “Commentator.” They re-
expressed there
sample of what you, as president of the
General Blectric Company, ‘think about
planning for full employment and alt
the other planning required to. realize
the “personal objectives” referred to in
your letter, For our part, thesa objec.
' tives are: a job at a living wage, ade+
quate unemployment compensation, ‘a de-
cent house to live in, adequate medical,
eare, reasonable prices for necessities—
in a democratic country,
TWISTS HISTORICAL FACTS
Tn the “Commentator” your thinking
is represented by’ a dishonest review of
a deceptive boak, F, A, Hayek’s, “Road
to Serfdom,” which has been vigorously
gard ihe views
mee
other
history.
before
the people.
the ground
have escaped.
who believes that
“freedom” ?-
as oa
“days, nhend,
October 23, 1945 promoted by the Hearst newspapers and
oS ol of like views. The veview is dis-
honest because jit is more reaciionary
than the” book: itself, The book -is de-
ceptive because it twists. the facts of
This GE-sponsored review says that
planning led to dictatorship in Germany
and Italy, That is faking history. The
whole world now knows that it was the
lack of planning in both these couniries,
Hitler
which led to unemployment and hunger,
_ and the breaking down of the spirits of
OFFERS SAD CHOICE
Tn the “Commentator” review, Mr, Wil-
son, your employees ave offered a hard
and sad choice. We are told that plan-,
ning brings dictatorship. From bitter ex-
perience we’ know that no planning
nreants no jobs, Do we have to choose be-
tween eating in chains. or starving in
We deny thal this is’ the choice. You :
will yeeall that it was Herbert Hoover
who said that the only way to bent
‘the Nazis was to imitate their form of
government, That was one of the big-
Best Hes of our time, as you will agree.
A democratic program and planning won
_ the’ war, We shall need’ more democra- -
‘cy and more planning, not less; in the
Last Spring you said that take home
pay must not be reduced with the return
‘to the 40-hour week. You said high wag-
es and low prices was the road to the
future, You got a terrifie: build-up in
the press of the nation as a far-sighted
and progressive employer, Once you fu-
and before Mussolini,
Tn fact, Mr. Wilson, it was opposition
to planning—similar ‘to the job done in
the “Commentator’—that helped. prepare
for -fascism ‘and war’ in
Europe, We would like to remind you,
too, that it was the German industrial-
ists, with whom G.E, was closely con-
nected, who supplied the money and did’
the “planning” for the whole Nazi show.
Some of them are now on trial, Others
surely be necessary to carry out such
a program, . . a
Now, only a few months later, wages
_of G.E, workers, have been reduced, A
worker who received. $52, before taxes,
fur a 48 hour. week now’ receives $40, be-
fore taxes, for a 40 hour week, During
the summer, G.E. demanded OPA per-
mission for a “plan” to raise the price
of home appliances, Now G.E, says that
planning. is “The Road to Serfdom.”
REATL PLANNING NEEDED.
Apparently, if any planning is‘ to be;
done G.E, wants todo it, The newspa-
bers of October 9th carried the story of
a civil suit by the Anti-trust Division
of the U. S&S. Department of Justice
against the General Electric Company,
Westinghouse Electric Corporation, two
of their subsidiaties and an “expert as-
doctation” jointly controlled by them, The
suit will charge the companies of mono-
polizing the sale of electrical apparatus
und oquipment for export from. this
country and participating in a foreign
eartel, Thal’s what we would call super-
‘duper planning, but not in the public ins
terest. . ,
How about some planning which will
be good for the workers, as well as for
the Company? Why not put that take.
homa@. pay back where it belongs, in the
pay envelope, as you once suggested, so
appliances G.E. will, produce?
vored planning. And planning would that the workers can afford to buy the
LEO JANDREAU, Business Agt.
for the Executive Board, Local
301, UER & Mwa....
Clothing Depot
‘At Union Hall
A used clothing collection .center
will be set up in a_corner of the main
hall at union headquarters as a result
of the general membership approval
of an executive board recommenda-
tion at its October meeting,
The clothing is being collected by
the American Relief Society, for Italy
which is under the local leadership of
Rev. A. Fusen who solicited the
union's support of the worthy cuuse
The used clothing will be sent by the
society to the needy and poorly
clothed: of Italy. -
Tho great need for clothing by the
war victims overseas has been told
by many government leaders -who es-
timate that as many people will per-
ish this winter from lack of clothing
as from Jack of food in the poverty
stricken countries, :
|
MONEY...
‘DUES ARE stow!
LTOOK NO SALARY
THis MONTH !
; [(eilemeers Fousut
3 SFOR UNION RE-
H COGNITION, GETTER
f WORKING CONDITIONS
W HIGHER WAGES
f AN® SHORTER
| HOURS, HE TRA:
JOE WORKER
VELLED ALL OVER THE COUNTRY,
ORGANIZING, MAKING: A SLOGAN
OF THE "8-HOUR DAY. THE
h.. CARPENTERS .WERE..THE. FIRST.
TO WIN SHORTER HOURS; WHILE
THE BREWERY WORKERS OBTAINED
THEIR DEMANDS BECAUSE.
UNIONISTS EVERYWHERE REFUSED
TO DRINK "UNFAIR BEGR, THE
¢ HEAR A NON-UNION
BARBER. SHAVES YOu.
1 DEMAND HIS NAME!
] . BOYCOTT BECAME A REGULAR
WEAPON,
BY (892 THERE WERE yO |
WATIONAL UNIONS, A. “STRIKE®
CHEST AND A WELFARE FUND, ....f
WE UNIONS WERE THE "PRIMARY
SCHOOLS OF THE WORKERS IN
RECENT INIMIGRANTS AND
LNATIVE*BORN JOINED HANDS "1D’
‘KEEP THE UNIONS FREE OF DISS" §
B TINCTIONS, OF RELIGION OR RACE,
“WORK FOR A BETTER DAy"GOMPERSH
TOLD THEM.
“
157 (SIBgTaet
OMPERS WAS PRESIDENT AND PJ. M¢GuiRE
‘SECRETARY OF THE A.F.L, BUT THERE WAS No
THEY'LL. PAY DUES IF
you TAUK TO THEM, MR.
GOMPERS. TRAVEL THE
COUNTRY! ORGANIZE ‘EM!
UNLESS YAU JOIN A UNION,
YOULL NEVER GET AN B-HOUR
OAY, ALONE, YOURE LICKED;
"WE. WANT TO, ARFILIATE.
WE'RE A RELIGIOUS...
WORKERS, NOT ON
A BASIS OF RELI-
GION OR COLOR!
THE DELEGATE
ASKS ME THE
NAME OF MY
BARBER, | Wit
UNION PEOPLE TELL
FOLKS NOT TO. Buy MY
0008? .
[ONE BREWERS UNION HAD A TOUGH
TIME AT FIRST. BUT THEIR FELLOW» WORKERS
: tay WELPED THEM...
HERE'S A GLASS OF
SMITH'S BEER, SIRI
SAB
WON'T DRINK
OON'T You TELL }
YOUR WORKERS
NOT 70 JOIN OUR |i
. UNION, OR THEY'LL -]
BE FIRED?
We
