ELECTRICAL
UNION: NEWS.
«May 6, 1949
Good Fishing! ©
Lynn GE Workers
Protest Speed-up
The members of the big GE Lynn
. Local"201 continue to voice com-
plaints of the same company trou-
ble as experienced in Schenectady.
The principal story in the Lynu
UE paper of April22 features the
fact that the motor department
there met on a Saturday morning
to protest company attempts at
“speed-ups which would prove haz-
ardous and impossible.” Says the
union paper:
“Group 536 pointed out that no
matter how much work they turned
in the premium remains the same,
therefore the group maintains that
the company is getting piece work
effort for day work earnings,
“People in the group maintained
that they are working under sweat-
snop- conditions and the company
maintains that they are loafing,
“".. women are being forced to do
men’s work.
“Service men are being let go and
the operators are expected to serv-
ice themselves,” ;
The paper also reports a case of
two men with 22 and 25 years’
service having to wait six weeks
for a transfer to a new job, and
in the meantime being put on low-
rated jobs. . .
Magician Boulware
Still at Old Tricks
Boulware’s magic with figures
continues, even while the hardships
of lay-offs are debunking the
magic,
The first quarter of 1949 showed
a net profit 5 per cent over the
first quarter of 1948, and 1948 was
a record profit year, This was sup-
posed to be explained away in the
“Where the Money Goes” adver-
tisement which appeared in the
Works News of April 22 and the
following week in newspapers.
Then at the end of the week came
the announcement of lay-offs in
Control.
From the Boulware magic it
seems GE is just giving away
money — to its employees, to the
government, It seems employces
“took” 39.5 cents out of every $1
received, :
The workers know that in fact
they made stupendous profits for
the company through increased
production, and in return they are
being laid off. Those not laid-off
now are asked to speed-up some
more so the company can lay off
still more.
Is Your Shop 100% UR?
Lay-off Situation
Gets Worse Here
Increased temporary lay-offs im-
posed severe hardships and con-
siderable confusion on workers in
many parts of the Control Division
indicated that the actual perman-
ent lay-offs would be more exten-
sive than the 200 to 250 announced
‘last week, Other divisions also
were hit.
In addition to the Mondays off
for 900 on “contributing opera-
tions”, hundreds on assembly in
Buildings 53 and 69 were given a
week or more off, pending actual
lay-offs. Included in the moves
were the new Magnetic Switch line
in 69, which had been expected to
grow and to make up for some of
the drop in Control work. Ten
workers were laid.off in 69,
he past week. It also was _
- Look What Got In
Bocas
_fompany’s explanation for
“the large amount of “rotation” was
that considerable stock-taking and
checking of personnel was neces- ‘
sary before the definite lay-off lists
eculd be issued.
In Bldg. 85, Cable, an additional
' 21 were given lay-off notices this
week, There was additional lost
time.
In Building 29, Mica, eleven were
laid-off. Two were laid off in Build-
ing, 64, Varnish Cloth, and about
21 there were put on a four-day
week, .
While there was no lack of work
in the Turbine Division, at least six
men were given lay-off notices as
a result of a speed-up in assembly
(see separate story). :
An Expert Prowls
To Check the Towels
_In the Industrial Control Divis-
ion a special assistant to the super-
intendent has been assigned to
Building 89 to find out why the
overhead is too high,
So far he has counted the number
of paper towels in the men’s wash
room, looked under benches for lost
items, and sniffed the air for illeg-
‘ally cooked coffee. There’s a rumor
that he is preparing to send a fem-
inine agent into the women’s rest
room to investigate the towel situ-
ation there,
10 Cent Increases ©
’ Wage raises of 10 cents across-
the-board were won by UE recent-
ly at the Allied Gymnasium Equip-
ment Company and the Formica
Company, both in New York City,
JOHN E. O’CONNOR
John .E. O2Connor, who led an
attempted back-to-work movement
during the UE strike at the Rem-
ington Rand plant at Ilion in 1947,
is working as an assembler in the
Campbell Ave. plant. He was a
member of the Executive Board of
UE Local 384 when the strike
started." “ ee .
O’Connor joined Local 801 dur-
ing the past winter. His identity
was not known at the time. The
matter will be taken up by the 801
Executive Board.
Children Can Ride
Ponies at Field Day
Pony vides for children will be a
feature again this year at the 801
field day, June 19 at Hans Grell’s
Grove, 2890 Albany St. There are
plenty of other amusements plan-
ned for the youngsters too.
Anyone interested in setting up
a booth or concession at the out-
ing should get in touch with union
headquarters. :
Shop stewards are selling field
day tickets throughout the plant,
The big prize is a 1949 Studebaker.
Did You Know?
Dividends in American corpora-
tions are the property of a handful
of stockholders. 61,000 stockhold-
ers receive one-half of the divi-
dends. Very few working people
have any stock at all and those wh!
do have only a few shaves.
HEAD OFF LAY-OFFS BY A GENERAL WAGE RAISE
NION
ULE. R. & M. WA,
SCHENECTADY, NEW YORK
May 13, 1949
GE Locals Voting
On Wage Program
The GE Conference Board of UE
has unanimously recommended that
the national contract with GE be
reopened to negotiate an over-all
increase of $500 a year per em-
ployee. The benefits to be covered
by this were stated by the Board in
the following language:
“The living standards of our peo-
ple must be improved. Jobs must
be provided for every GE employee.
Improvement in living standards
are needed in higher wages and
salaries, better pensions, improved
health programs and other econ-
omic benefits, including shorter
hours of work without cuts in take-
home pay,”
GE locals are to act on this pro-
posal not later than next Wednes-
day. The 301 membership will. vote
on it Tuesday night (first and third
shift members} and Wednesday
afternoon (second shift), The 801
Executive Board Monday night
voted unanimously to recommend
hat the membership approve the
Jandrean on Committee
The meeting of the Conference
Board May 4 also elected a nine-
man negotiating committee of
which Leo Jandveau, 301 business
Special Called |
Meeting of 301
A special called meeting of the
301 membership is scheduled for
7:30 p.m. Tuesday for first and
third shift workers and 1 p.m,
Wednesday for second shift
workers at 801 hall.
Delegates to the GE Confer-
ence Board of UE will report on
contract reopening proposals.
Proposed amendments to the
801 constitution will be pre-
sented,
agent and District 8 president, is
senior member. GE locals at
Bridgeport, Cleveland, Erie, Fort
Wayne, Philadelphia, Pittsfield and
Lynn are also represented on the
committee,
The Conference Board. endorsed
the position of the UE General
Executive Board in recommending
seeking the $500 increase per em-
ployee, The statement of the Con-
ference Board pointed out that
GI's record breaking profits have
brought unemployment and inse-
curity for its workers,
Closed Plants, uay-offs «
“Phe company “has closed six
plants in the,last few months and
has laid off large numbers in 17
others. Altogether 14,500 employ-
ees of GE are out of work. Thous-
ands more of GE employees are
working short weeks, with substan-
tial wage reductions.”
Since the war GE productivity has
increased 25 per cent compared
with a general industry increase of
9 per cent, the statement said,
The Conference Board warned
that there will be difficulties in-
volved in the fight to improve the
workers’ standards of living and
security.
“The big corporations like: GE
are jealous of every penny which
they have reaped during the post-
war profiteering orgy.”
Locals must organize all their
resources to win the union’s de-
mands, the Conference Board
pointed out. They must take their
story to the community and de-
velop popular support.
Need Blood Donors
Blood donors are still needed to
help the widow of a 801 member
repay Ellis Hospital for blood used
in transfusions for her husband,
Paul Grass, Building 278. He died
March 14, Volunteers should con~
tact the union office or Executive
Board Member Sam Scott, Bldg.
285, Extension 3456.
MAKE JUNE 19
A FAMILY OUTING
IT’S FIELD DAY
Board Fights
Lay-offs at —
Male Meeting
GE workers are being laid-off
because the company has produced
too much that the workers cannot
alford to buy with their present
wages, 801 Business Agent Leo
Jandreau told Works Manager
"Lewis J. Male Wednesday. Because
of this, the company will be faced
this year with a demand by the
workers for shorter hours,
The entire 801 Executive Board
met with Male to go over the lay-
off picture, which the company ad-
mits is more serious than predicted
by Male two months ago.
Jandreau also told Male the un-
ion would take higher up in the
grievance procedure the union
protest against farming out work
when people are being laid-off here,
Lay-off Predictions
Male placed the probable ‘lay-off
figure at 500 to 550 in May and
about 300 in June.
Answering rumors circulated in
the plant, Male said that the lay-
offs had nothing whatever to do
with pending negotiations. He said
they were caused by the drop in
demand.
Jandreau agreed with Male that
the lay-offs were not related to the
negotiations, He said they were
part of the unemployment picture
' now including 5,000,000 in the coun-
try. This, he said, resulted from
Big Business policies of high
prices, high-profits, and low wages,
so the purchasing power was not
there to buy what the people pro-
duce,
Farming Out Work
Male said the company was try-
ing to keep work here, but that it
was making an exception-by giving
at least some work to outside con-
cerns which had “learned how to do
our. work.” He also said some work
would go out to GE plants which
had been opened at the request of
the government, Jandreau said
these exceptions were not satisfac.
tor, and that all farming out-of
Schenectady work should stop.
Jandreau said overtime work
should be cut out when people were
being laid off or “rotated.” Male
(Continued on Page 4)
2
May 13, 1949
Still a Chance
To Repeal T-H
Labor has another chance to
fight for the outright repeal of the
Taft-Hartley Law. But it will take
prompt and vigorous action.
~The Wood bill; whieh would" con=" ~
tinue practically all, Taft-Hartley
provisions, was recommitted to the
Labor Committee of the House of
Representatives May 4 after it was
passed by the House May 38 by a
vote ‘of 217 to 203.
Early last week Truman Admin-
istration leaders in Congress said
it was hopeless to try to pass the
administration Lesinski bill, which
would repeal Taft-Hartley and re-
instate the Wagner Act with a few
amendments. With the consent of
some top CIO and AFL officials
they whipped up a so-called “com-
promise” bill which actually con-
_tained many of the worst T-H_ pro-
visions. ‘
The House voted down this “com-
promise” and passed the Wood bill.
Representative Vito Marcantonio of
New York, only American Labor
Party congressman, used a parlia-
mentary maneuver to win a 24 hour
breathing space for the demoral-
ized group oppesed to the Wood
bill. He moved for an engrossed
copy of the bill, a final copy which
could not be provided until the next
day. Thanks to this delay, there was
time to get’ some Democratic sup-
porters of the Wood bill to shift
their votes. The Wood bill was sent
back to the Labor'Committee by a
vote of 212 to 209.
The previous week the House de-
feated 275 to 87 the Marcantonio
bill for outright repeal of the Taft-
Hartley law and reinstatement of
the Wagner Act,
MBA in Lay-Off Cases
The Mutual Benefit Association
has asked the union to remind 301
members that workers who are laid
off can continue MBA membership
for a year from the date of their
lay-off, by paying the same amount
they did when working. During
this year they are entitled to. hos-
pitalization and all other MBA
benefits, except the $15 a week for
being out of work because of ill-
ness.
ELECTRICAL UNION NEWS
Unitep Enectnican, Ranio & MACHINE:
Wortens OF America, CIO
Scuenecrapy GE Locan 301
Published by Editorial Committee
Mary McCartin, Chairman
Arthur R. Bertini, Secretary
William Christman. Prank D'Amico
Victor Pasche
Editorial Office
Evectrica Union News
301 Liberty St., Schenectady, N. ¥.
Telephone 3-1386
374 -~ELRESS-
“ tnfead & divin you vacations this year we
Are Allowing yout wear bathing suits onthe
gob the last Tio weeks in ‘August...
UE NEWS SERVICE
Memorial Day Pay
Holiday pay for Memorial Day,
Monday, May 80, will be paid to
workers who have been on a Mon-
day-off schedule, on the same basis
as it is paid to the other workers,
management assured the union of-'
fice this week.
Hundreds of workers in the Con-
trol Division who are now on a
Monday-off: schedule are expected
to be back to their normal work
week within two weeks, According
to A, C, Stevens, assistant to the
Works Manager, it is possible, but
not probable, that those not laid
off may’ lose some more time after
Memorial Day.
Lay-off Vacation
Any worker required to take a
full week off in the current re-
shuffling of forces pending lay-offs
will be allowed to take such a week
as one week of his vacation, A. C.
Stevens, assistant- to the works
manager, agreed last week,
The point was taken up by the
union on request of a number of
members in Control.
Any person taking a week’s va-
cation credit now, under this ar-
rangement, may lose a week’s
work if he is in a division which
has a vacation shutdown, Every
worker will have to figure out in-
dividually whether or not it is to-
his advantage to take the vacation
eredit. It depends:on such ques-
tions as recent earnings, unem-
playment waiting period, ete.
_at Dayton meeting.
formation Local 801. did not and
Board Approves Jandreau
Wire on Dayton Meeting
The 301 Executive Board Mon-
day night unanimously approved
a telegram sent by Business Agent
Leo Jandreau Saturday to the
New York Times concerning an
article on the so-called “right wing
_ convention” of some UE members
at Dayton last weekend. The meet-
ing was organized by Carey-Block
followers.
The telegram
said:
“Your article in today’s paper
says UE Local 301 is represented
For your in-
from Jandreau
will not send a representative to
this meeting. This meeting is. called
for the sole purpose of disruption
within the UE. It is planned to dis-
unite the membership on the eve
of coming negotiations with the
major companies in our industry.
Please print retraction.”
Copies were sent to the Associ-
ated Press and the United Press,
Plan Survey in 53
Building 68 show stewards met
recently to organize a survey of
the experience and qualifications of
the approximately 400 people whose
work on small appliance controls is
scheduled to be moved to Morrison,
Il. during the coming year.. Mast
of the workers who-will be affected
are women. The survey is planned
in order to help place them in the
best possible jobs elsewhere in the
plant,
Sirikebreaker Told
He Can't Join 301
The 301 Executive Board Mon-
day night unanimously rejected: the
membership application of John E.
O’Connor, who led an attempted
back-to-work movement in the UE
strike at the Retiiirigton Rand plant ~
in Ilion in. 1947.
The union has notified O’Connor
that in applying for membership
he misrepresented his eligibility
and that under the UE constitu-
tion he cannot transfer to 301. He
was expelled by Local 334 for his
strike-breaking activities.
O’Connor was a steward and an
Executive Board member when the
-strike started. During the ‘strike
he urged strikers to return to work
on the company’s terms. He spent
large sums on newspaper advertise-
ménts and radio-talks trying to in-
cite the community against the
strikers.. He pretended to be a vet-
eran, but union members forced
‘him to admit that he had never)
been in the armed forces.
Turbine Stewards
To Meet Next Week
Executive Board members in the
Turbine Division have called a
meeting at the union hall next
week of all shop stewards in the
division to consider the many Tur-
bine problems. They will discuss
particularly the speed-up and
downgrading drive and other mat-
ters connected with the move to
the new building.
The first and third shift stew-
ards will meet at 7:30 p.m. Thurs-
day, May 19, and the second shift
stewards at 1 p.m. Friday, May 20.
The meeting was called by Board
Members William Stewart, Ray-
mond Flanigan, Sam Scott and
James J. Cognetta.
For Laid-off Veterans
If a laid-off veteran has not yet
served his waiting period for unem-
ployment insurance, he will do bet-
ter between now and June 7 to
seek a readjustment allowance un-
der the GI bill of rights. June 7 is
the end of the present benefit year,
under unemployment insurance. He
is entitled to a flat $23 a week un-
der the GI bill without watting.
Even if his unemployment insur-
ance benefit is the maximum $26 a
week, he can’t make up the loss
caused by the week’s waiting pez-
iod between before June 7,
UE Broadcast
Tune in on the Arthur Gaeth
broadcast, sponsored by the na-
tional UE, at 10 p.m. every Mon-
day on WXKW.
a)
May 13, 1949
.___ELECTRICAL_UNION_NEWS
3°
Facts for GE Workers
Actual GE Profit
Over $163,000,000
The General Electric Company
- reported. .to stockholders that its. --
profit: for 1948 after taxes was
$123,838,000, the greatest in its 57
years.
But that figure does not'include
millions of additional dollars in
concealed profit which GE did not
report in this profit statement, The
correct figure would bring the net
profit (after taxes) up to $163,300,-
000, a survey by the UE research
deportment shows.
The company prepared two sets
of financial statements, one for its
stockholders and the other for the
government for tax purposes. In
the report to stockholders GE con-
ceals approximately $28,282,000. in
profit by making overcharges for
. Coerreciation and setting up a re-
erve for inventories.’ In the gov-
ernment tax report GE was not al-
lowed to list the $28,282,000 as
costs, . :
GE also failed to count as profit
$2,760,000 obtained from undistrib-
uted profits of subsidiaries, It also
did not include a net profit of $8,-
423,000 on ,the sale of securities.
They bring the total of the conceal-
ed net profit up to $39,465,000,
GE President Charles E, Wilson
was questioned by a Congressional
committee in 1948 about the com-
pany’s depreciation allowances be-
ing larger in a statement for stock-
holders than the allowances per-
mitted by the government for tax
purposes,
Senator Flanders asked, “You
feel that it is perfectly proper to
take these two positions, one of
government accounting and one of
stockholder accounting ?”
Wilson replied, “By all means.
That is just being normally prud-
ent.”
Worth Investigating
Here is a piece of advice for any
union member who has been judged
permanently partially disabled but
has not received any lump sum
workmen’s compensation settle-
ment, in the event. he should be
laid off. Be sure to consult the
union, office about your case, as.
you may be entitled to workmen’s
compensation.
@Buying Power
- High-profits- aren’t spent in the
stores In Schenectady. What is
spent there is the buying power of
the working people —- wages and
salaries.
Stewards Oppose
Higher Bus Fare
Local 301 shop stewards have
written to the Schenectady City
Council and the State Public Serv-
ice Commission opposing the five |.
tent iicrease in bus fare which the
Schenectady Railway Company
seeks,
The steward’s mecting last week
voted unanimously to notify both
bodies that “this union is unalter-
ably opposed to any further: in-
crease in the bus fares in che-
nectady.” The railway company
has ‘petitioned thé” Publie—Service--
Commission for the fare increase.
In the letter to the Commission
the stewards asked that the bus
company’s petition be turned down
and that the Commission investi-
gate whether the company is abid-
ing by the terms of its franchise.
They. also asked an- opportunity. to
speak at any hearing scheduled.
The stewards called on the City
Council to do everything in its
power to oppose the fare increase
and to refuse to allow the bus com-
pany to reduce present services.
The company claims it will have to
cut service if the fare increase is
not granted. :
A. fare increase would be “an-
other tax on the workers wages, 3
wage cut”, the stewards pointed
out, While it would fall most heav-
ily on GE and ALCO workers, the
increase “would also be a consider-
able burden ipon the rest of the
community.”
Union Asks Management
To Issue Checks Earlier
Because of a number of com-
plaints, Local 301 has taken up
with the company the question of
returning to the practice of issu-
ing checks to the first shift on Fri-
day morning instead of afternoon
and to the second shift on Thurs-
day night,
A. G. Stevens, assistant to the
_ works manager, said this would be
impossible, because the plant was
now making up the payroll in one
day less than at any time before
the pay week was changed. He
said that occasionally issuing the
cheeks earlier in. some buildings
would only make things worse, as
there would be no assurance the
practice could be kept up from one
week to the next.
Some members have asked why
they could not be paid in cash in-
stead of by check. Such a demand
would depend on whether or not a
large number of workers are ser-
iously inconvenienced by the pres-
‘ent practice. Members who have
trouble cashing theix checks should
notify their shop stewards.
—
CONGRESSMAN D
“CHARGE HIM DOUBLE, FOR DOUBLE*CROSSING US IN CONGRESS!"
By YOMEN |
eM wthe vans
Pecnotten soy
Jandreau Appears for UE at Hearing
To Urge Improved Social Security
Industry can well afford to pay the full cost of Social Security bene-
fits and of increasing those benefits, Business Agent. Leo Jandreau de-
clared before the House Ways and Means Committee at’ Washington.
On behalf of UE, Jandreau
-spoke in favor of H.R. Bill 2898 to
improve the Social Security law,
except on one point. He said the
union opposes the provision for in-
creased payments from the earn-
ings. of workers,
“Pyofits of industry have ad-
vanced to such a level that man-
agement can afford not only to pay
the full cost of Social Security,”
he said, “but also can afford to
supplement Social Security with
additional benefits.” 7
He pointed out that profits after
taxes in the electrical manufactur-
ing industry reached $543,000,000
last year. This was 18 per cent
higher than the previous record-
breaking profits of 1947. It was
double the wartime profits of 1943
the boomtime profits of 1929.
Jandyeau described the inade-
quate pension systems of GE,
Westinghouse and other leading
companies in the field. GE made
some small concessions last year,
he reported, “due to union and
community pressure.”
Jandreau filed with the Congres-
sional committee the table of huge
salaries, bonuses and pensions of
top officials of GE nd other elec-
trical companies. (On retirement
GE President Charles E. Wilson
will get $66,000 a year pension.)
Workers cannot be expected to
provide for their old age by sav-
ing from their wages, Jandreau
pointed out,
“Most workers make under $3,-
000 a year, according to govern-
ment figures. Twenty-nine million
family spending units have incomes
below $3,000 a year. Out of these
29 million families, over 11 million
have no personal savings and an
additional 814 million had less than
$500, according to government sur-
veys.
“Of the 10 million people 65
years of age or older, more than
five million are dependent on some
form of charity.”
2,583 Unemployed
There were 2,588 jobless work-
ers registered Apr. 380 with the
Schenectady county office of the
Unemployment Insurance Division.
The figure for Apr, 22 was 2,589.
,
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