Electrical Union News, 1949 April 8

4

‘

ELECTRICAL ‘UNION NEWS

April 1, 1949

301 Donates $1,000
To Blackstone Strike

A $1,000 donation to the UE
strike at the Blackstone Corpora-
tion, Jamestown, wis unanimously
voted by the 301 membership meet-
ing last week. George Kotch, vice-
president of the striking Local 305,
told the meeting that the . 600
Blackstone workers were starting
their seventh week on the picket
line.

A Supreme Court Justice in Buf-
falo recently refused to grant the
company’s request for an injunc-
tion to stop- the picketing. The
company. claimed there was “vio-
lence,” but the mayor of James-
town and the police chief signed
alfidavits that the picketing was
peaceful and orderly.

Labor unions of Jamestown were
responsible for the election of the
mayor, Kotch declared, and for a
labor-minded city administration.

“We have four UE members on
the City Council,” he said.

The strike was called because of
the company’s refusal to grant a
wage increase or to agree to basic
provisions in contract negotiations.
The company insisted on keeping
the right to dock workers for “re-
pairs.” -

More Gems of Wisdom

From GE's Boulware

L, R. Boulware’s piece in defense
of Taft-Hartley in the Works News
of Mar, 25 reached new heights of
gall. He was quoted as telling the
Senate Labor Committee that “the
right to strike should be preserved
except in national emergencies.”

He issued. this gem:

“National paralysis just ought
not to be available as an economic
instrument to any selfish individual
group.”

Boulware never calls it selfish
if a huge corporation profitcers,
pushes prices up, helps bring on a
depression, and forees its employ-
ees to strike by refusing to yield:
up any of its super-profits.

But if 125,000 workers feel that
they have exhausted every peace-
ful means of negotiation and have
no choice but to strike, then they
are a “selfish group” and it is the
president's duty to rush out with
an injunction to break the strike.

Incidentally, it is interesting
that Boulware quite frankly does
not mind small strikes, but wants
the type of injunction that can be
used against strikes in the huge
monopolies that dominate the Am-
erican cconomy.

Describes UE Strike

GEORGE KOTCH

UE Bills Introduced
To Aid Atomic Workers

Through the efforts of UE, two
bills were introduced into the state
legislature this session. to, protect.
the workmen’s compensation rights
and the health of workers in atomic
plants. Both bills, introduced by
Assemblyman Bernard Austin of
Brooklyn, were recommended by
the Albany conference on work-
men’s compensation called by UE
Districts 8 and 4 in February,

One bill provided for placing un-
der the full coverage of the Work-
men’s Compensation law all work-
ers in contact with “fissionable ma-
terials” (all materials used in con-
nection with atomic work). It pro-
vided that if such workers are dis-
abled, their disability shall be pre-
sumed to have been caused by their
work, .

The other bill required that em-
ployers report to the state the
names of all workers in contact
with fissionable materials, and
other facts about their employ-
ment. It directed that such work-
ers be given physical examinations
every six months while working
and for as long afterwards as they
wish, Another provision was that
a medical panel be set up by the
state to supervise the health of
these atomic workers. All physic-
ians involved would be cleared as
to security.

301 Asks Action
Of Public Officials

(Continued from Page 1) ;
dent William Hodges, Business
Agent Leo Jandreau, Board Mem-
bers William Stewart and Joseph
Mangino, and the 301 attorney,
Marshall Perlin, reported:

That Begley “expressed opposi-
tion to the sales tax but did. not
state his position on either the pay-
roll tax or the Taft-Hartley Law in
a manner which the Local 301 com-
mittee could understand,” and that
he failed to keep his promise to
send the committee a letter on both
subjects, :

That Bradshaw “indicated some
opposition to the payroll tax, but
did not take a stand on the sales
tax and pleaded ignorance of the
Taft-Hartley Law, and has failed
to inform us of his position as he
had promised’.

Clear Stand Demanded

The resolution, recommended un-
animously by the committee and by
the Executive Board, declared
“there is room for neither ignor-
ance nor evasion by public officials
on issues so vital to the people.”
It stated “there must be neither a
payroll tax nor sales tax on the
under-paid and over-taxed work-
ing people of Schenectady”

“Tax monies needed by the city
and county must be raised on the
basis of ability to pay, through
state aid and higher income taxes
on the upper brackets, and higher
corporate taxes and a readjustment
of the assessments which now bur-
den the wage earner and favor
General Electric and the American
Locomotive Company,” the resolu-
tion declared.

Copies of the resolution were
sent to all members of the City
Council and County Board of Sup-
ervisors,

Workers Top Quota
In Red Cross Drive

Hourly rated workers at the
plant gave $86,970 to the Red
Cross drive. Their quota was $25,.
000. In the entire plant $56,000
was raised.

801 Vice-President William
Hodges, co-chairman of the cam-
paign at the plant and representa-
tive of the union, issued the fol-
lowing statement at the close of
the drive:

"In behalf of Local 801 I wish
to thank all persons who contrib-
uted so generously to the 1949 Red
Cross fund.”

On Honer Roll “

Simpson

Lasher. Borovicka

A dozen new names were added
recently.to the’ list’ of shop stew-
ards with 100 per cent UE mem-
bership in their groups. They are:

Building 16—Stanley L. Fisher
and David Bambury. .

Bldg. 46—Arthur Chevalier and
Wilbur Germain.

Bldg. 49—Frank Ford.

Bldg. 52—Earl H. Smith,

Bldg. 538--Addison Miller and
Virginia Murphy.

Bldg. 60—Joseph H. Alois.

Bldg. 64—Vernon J. Millington.

Bldg. 66—-Donald D. Murphy.

Bldg. 7i—Frank Palmo.

The pictures are of stewards
previously reported on the honor
list: Harold D. Simpson, Bldg. 28;
S. J. Borovicka, Bldg. 105; Ralph
Lasher, Bldg. 109, and George G.
Farr, Bldg. 2738.

GE Presses Fight

Against Pensioner

_ The General Electric Company is
carrying still further its fight to
have the state suspend for seven
weeks the unemployment insurance
benefits of Orresto Lazarro, pen-
sioner. GE has filed notice it will

. appeal from a state referec’s rul-

ing that Lazarro is entitled to full
jobless benefits without penalty
delay.

Lazarro, who contracted silicosis
as a malder in ceramics, retired be-
eause of the effect of the job o
his health, The union is handling)
his case.

WIN A WAGE INCREASE TO PROTECT YOUR

JOB

<CTRICAL

THE VOICE OF LOCAL 301 =...

Vol. 7 — No. 14

SCHENECTADY, NEW YORK

~ April 8, 1949

In Memoriam -

-- April 12, 1945

(Next Tuesday will be the fourth anniversary of the death

of Franklin

D. Roosevelt.)

Engine-Lathe
Job Is Open

In spite of recent layoffs man-
agement reports that a high pay-
ing engine-lathe job in Motor Gen-
erator, third shift, is going beg-
ging.

A. C, Stevens, assistant to the
works manager, told Business
Agent Leo Jandreau this week that
workers laid-off from other jobs
and qualified to fill the engine-lathe
job have refused to take it,

As a result, Stevens said, the
company has hired a man from out-
side the plant. However there
still are several other openings on
the same job.

Jandreau last week sent a let-
ter to Stevens challenging some
recent new hirings after lay-offs
out of the plant.

Stevens this week told Jandreau
that for all practical purposes hir-
ing has stopped, except in rare in-
‘\nces where jobs can’t be filled
by laid-off workers. He mentioned
the engine-lathe job in this con-
nection,.

In one case Stevens admitted a
mistake had been made in hiring.

Meeting Planned
On Work Transfer

A meeting of Building 53 shop
stewards whose groups are affected
by the coming transfer af work to
Morrison, Tl, will be called short-
ly at the union hall to discuss the
situation. There will be special
emphasis on placement of workers
so they can maintain carnings.

The transfer announcement by
the company said manufacture of
appliance controls would go to 2
new small plant in Morrison, which
would, be “nearer the center of
their market.” Actually this is part
of the program which GE has

been following sinee the war, of -

moving operations to new areas
where it expects to pay lower wag-
es, <A large part of the small con-
trols and relays made in Building
53 are for refrigerators. The Erie
GE refrigerator plant is closer to
Schenectady than to Illinois.

The move is expected to affect
between 800 and 400 workers, most
of them women. The company
said the transfer would be made
gradually within a year, No date
was set for the start of the move

Stewards Declare Company >

Responsible for Stoppages

Local 801 shop stewards at*a big meeting Tuesday night voted un-"

animously to advise General Electric that supervision’s conduct, partic-
ularly in the speed-up drive and contract violations, was responsible

for occasional work stoppages.

The stewards acted on a letter
from A. C, Stevens, assistant to
the works manager, suggesting
“disciplinary action” and warning
of “more positive’ action” in case
of future stoppages,

Jandreau Sends Answer

A reply from Business Agent
Leo Jandreau, authorized by the
stewards, declared that what was
needed was “joint efforts of the
company and the union in expedit-
ing complaints and reaching settle-
ments satisfactory to the employ-
ees.”

The union letter pointed out that

occasionally members take direct
action, despite union advice to the
contrary, “when they fecl them-
selves aggrieved and feel they have
no reason to expect a settlement
through the normal grievance pro-
cedure.” The letter concluded:
. “The stewards want the company
to know that they have every in-
tention of living up to the contract.
They also want you to know that
they “will resist any attempt to
penalize any shop steward or other
members for actions for which
supervision, by its conduct, is pri-
marily responsible. ’ .

“We suggest that when super.

vision proposes departures from
the present practices and condi-
tions in the shop, these proposed
changes be discussed with union
representatives in advance instead
of arbitrarily putting them into
effect.”

The text of Stevens’ letter ara”

Jandreau’s reply. ave carried in full
on page 3 of this paper,

The stoppage yveferred to by
Stevens occurred on the second
shift in the new Turbine Building.
Chippers walked out when ordered
to do assemblers’ work,

Speed-up Drive

The stewards discussed the situ-
ation extensively at the Tuesday
night meeting. From the Turbine
Division, Board Member William
A. Stewart, Chief Steward Stephen
Watts, and Steward Roy Lash gave
examples of the increased speed-up
drive, Stewart declared the com-
pany intended to get out as many
turbines this year as last year, but
without overtime,

“As to safety,” Stewart said, “it
doesn’t mean anything down
there,”

Stewards from other: divisions
said the speed-up drive was pro-
ceeding there also,

GE Safety Campaign
Might Start at Home

Newspapers reported last week
that the General Electric Coinpany
has produced an “electronic narra-
tor” that could be used as a safety
device in factories to shout warn-
ings to workers. ;

For instanee, according to the
Associated Press the “narrator”
might be installed beside a grind-
ing wheel and save a great many
eyes by reminding workers to put
on their safety glasses. “

And speaking of safety, how
about GE heeding the warnings of
UE about the dangers of speed-up?
And what about working conditions
that caused the 90 silicosis cases
at the Elmira foundry?

Of course the “narrator” could
be set to shout “Hat Beans” all day
at the workers.

Approve UE Wage Policy

The 801 shop stewards Tuesday
night unanimously endorsed the
wage policy statement recently is-
sued by the UE General Executive
Board. The stewards specifically
approved the GEB’s action in call-
ing for a national CIO conference
to plan a wage campaign,

470 New Members

Local 801_has:signed up 470
new members“stiice the start of
the organizing drive, the union
offiee reported Wednesday.

Although the campaign is to
continue for the entire year, the
period during which members’
receive a dollar for each new
member they sign up will ond
next Friday, Apr. 15:

2°).

April 8,°1949

Fasy to Figure
What GE Wants

The only labor law which would
satisfy General Electric is one
which would make it impossible for
workers to have.any effective pow-
er in collective bargaining:
is clear from the testimony of GH’s
Charles E. Wilson and L. R. Boul-
ware before the Senate Labor
Committee, now being quoted
weekly in the Works News.

In the issue of March 25, Boul-
ware wanted injunctions against
big strikes, In the April issue he
calls for a federal law against
mass picketing. He declares that
in the 1946 strike salaried employ-
ees “were forcibly prevented by
mass picketing and violence from
engaging in activities of immed-
iate and long-range benefits to the
employees.”

‘ .Now.-Boulware .wasn’t..here dure...

ing the 1946 strike. Most 301 mem-
bers were here. They know that
the only violence was caused by
supervisors trying to force their
way into the plant. Naturally, GE
would like to be able to work the
“Mohawk . Valley” formula. It
would like to have had thousands
of unorganized workers driven in,
and then used its propaganda pow-
er to start a “back-to-work” move-
ment with the hope of breaking the
strike. :

Boulware complains about the
1946 strike because GE could not
break it.

- Boulware’s speech,also complain-
ed of union “super-power over city,
state, and nation.” This from the
company which has been charged
12 times with violations of the na-
tion’s laws, and each time gets
away with fines which are pin
money compared with the price-
gouging profits involved in the vio-
lations of the trust laws.

Which was the “super-power”
which was able to get the Atomic
Energy Commission. to order GE
to violate its union contract?

UE Wins Pay Increase
The first UE contract for Pam
Clock workers in New York City
has brought them a pay raise of
1244 eents an hour, with another
five cents coming in six months.

ELECTRICAL UNION NEWS

Uniteo Enurcrrican, Ramo & Machine
Workers or America, CIO
Scuunecrapy CB Locat 30

ESB Sasa wg hye

Published vy Editorial Comuritice
Mary MeCartin, Chairman
Arthur R, Bertini, Seeretary

William Christinin! Prank D'Amico
Victor Pasche

Editorial Ofice
EnucrricaL UNion News
301 Liberty St., Schenectady, N. Y.
4 Telephone 3-1886

hat

LAM SPEAKING FoR FVERY

WORKER IN MY PLANT
WHEN | URGE CONGRESS
To KEEP THE TATE

But tus -

\S HOW |
BLOWHARD
SPEAKS -
“FoR’ HIS
WORKERS

FORCE AND SPEED uP THE REST

OF THE WORKERS IF WE EXPECT
TO EXCEED LAST YEARS

HIE NEWS SERVICE

$4,685 Award Made
For Injury to Hand .

A workmen’s compensation
award of $4,685 has been made’ to
Richard Baltzer, punch press op-
erator in Building 15, for 60 per
cent permanent loss of the use of
his left hand in an accident last

“July 18, The claim against GE was

handled through the union.

Other recent awards obtained
through the union include:

$3,494 to Stephen Machovic, bat-
tery truck operator of Bldg. 9109,
for 40 per cent loss of the use of
his left arm. He suffers from an
oceupational injury occurring over
a number of years.

$1,866.40 to Anthony Baron,
Bldg. 63 battery truck operator, for
20 per cent loss of the use of his
left hand as the result of an acci-
dent last May 7.

$120 to Anthony Diamante, ma-
chinist in Bldg. 105, for 25 per cent
loss of the use of his right small

-finger in an accident last Aug. 26.

Sworn as Steward

Benjamin
Gabriéle,
Building 40
shop steward
who took
the oath of
office at the
301
membership
meeting
Mar, 22.

Who Gets the Benefit
Of More Productivity?

Between 1939 and 1948 overall
productivity increased almost one-
third.

This means that three workers
now are doing the work that four
turned out in 1989.

In the electrical equipment in-
dustry, the increase in productivity
during the same period was even
preater—89%.

The corporations have not low-
ered prices in response to the in-
creased productivity.

Leon Keyserling of the Presi-
dent's Council of Economic Advis-
ers said:

“The leveling off or softening of
some prices has been exaggerated
or misinterpreted.”

He noted continued price in-
creases on rents, fuels and house
furnishings and metal products.

With prices high, working peo-
ple have not the purchasing power
to absorb the increased production,
As a result, in| December 1948,
700,000 workers were thrown out
of work and the number of work-
ers on part time increased one half
million, In the electrical industry
alone, 80,000 workers lost their
jobs.

Did You Know?

Abraham Lincoln onee said that
whatever harms labor also ‘harms
the whole nation. ;

It is too bad that some members
of Congress have not taken Lin-
coln’s statement to heart. It would
have been helpful, for instance,
when the Taft-Hartley Law was
first being considered,

Stewards Ask Action
Against Taft-Hartley

Local 301 shop steward’ voted
unanimously Tuesday night to ask
CIO President Philip Murray to
call for some form of national
demonstration in’ support of la-
bor’s demand: for repeal of the
Taft-Hartley law.

The motion, which came from
the floor, originally called for a
one-day national work stoppage.
But an-amendment was accepted to
leave the specific form of demon-
stration to Murray. A copy of the
message to Murray is to be sent
to the national UE.

In observance of the anniversary
of Franklin D, Roosevelt's deat
the Arthur Gaeth radio broadcast
next Monday night will be a me-
morial program, It will emphasize
Rooseyelt’s great contribution to
the cause of world peace.

®

April 8, 1949.

ELECTRICAL UNION

Letter to Jandreau_

(See story on page.1)

Stevens

The following letter, dated Mar. 31, was sent by A. C. Stevens,

assistant to the works manager, to Business Agent Leo Jandreau of
Local 301: :

“Dear Mr. Jandreau,

“List wee j ork iy =the ev
Turbine building when a group of chippers left their jobs and went
home, apparently in sympathy with two or three of their number who
had refused to perform work assigned them by their foreman.

; “As you know, we have been very lenient with the Stewards or
others in cases of this sort, of which there have been a namber in recent
months, It had been our hope that by ignoving these ‘irresponsible acts,
the Union officials would appreciate our forbearance and make an

_ earnest attempt to put a stop to this sort of thing rather than condone

* or even promote it. ‘

“This last occurrence, which possibly was entirely due to the irre-
sponsibility of the Steward involved and perhaps was not condoned by
any of the Union officials, raises serious question in our minds as to
whether disciplinary action should be resorted to in order to more
effectively discourage such actions. I feel it only fair to tell you that if
there ave any more instances of this kind we intend to take much more
positive action than in the past. I trust this will not ke necessary,
however, since I feel that you and your Assistants are in a position to
avoid these situations quite effectively.

“Very truly yours,

‘Ay Cy STEVENS ey meen
Asst. to Works Manager.”

@

Jandreau's Reply to Stevens —

Jandreau sent the following answer to Stevens Wednesday:

“Dear Mr. Stevens:

“We have your letter of March 31, referring to a work stoppage in
the new Turbine building. ;

“You know that it is our policy to live up to the contract and to
make every effort. to settle all disputes amicably and avoid any stoppage
of production. :

“It appears to us that the way to do this is to get at the source of
the trouble, rather than to threaten shop stewards and members with
disciplinary action.

“Tf pood will and smooth relations, which have a direct bearing on!
production, are to prevail, it seems to us that it will require the joint
efforts of the company and the union in expediting complaints and
reaching settlements satisfactory to the employees.

“We find that there is considerable dissitisfaction among our mem-
bers in the plant and specially in the Turbine Division over the speed-up
methods used. by department heads. In the Turbine Division, the changes
proposed and established for speed-up purposes since the new. building
opened have been radical compared to anything done since 1937, These
have brought such complaints as:

1) Machines speeded up, especially in connection with the
use of carboloy tools.

2) Increased work load on service help and other day workers,
and the sudden addition of new duties to the normal pre-
scribed duties of such workers. .

3) Reclassification of material movemen jobs from A to B.

4) Change of 8-hour shifts to 61-hour shifts.

5) Arbitrary transfer of second shift employees to the third
shift, resulting in a cut in earnings. |

6) Reclassification of tool crib keepers from A to C.

“In addition to these specific points relating to the Turbine Division,
we are faced with the increased resistance on the part of supervision in
all divisions to the settlement of complaints, the general speed-up and
so-called cost reduction drive at the expense of the employees, and the
frequent disregard of seniority. To this must be added the company’s
refusal to submit long unsettled grievances to arbitration when re-
quested by the union, This is 2 direct violation of a basic provision of
the contract, and a provocation to trouble.

“Tt is the feeling of our members that the company has been tak-
ing an ‘increasingly tough attitude because it fecls it can rely upon the
Tatt-Hartley law in dviving its employees and refusing to settle their
just complaints. In the face of the company’s record on grievances in
the past twelve months, it is ridiculous to imply, as you do, that union
‘Fieials are not trying to achieve the peaceful settlement of grievances
“ft that they are promoting work stoppages. :

“As a matter of fact, the company’s actions have made it increas-
ingly difficult for the union leadership to induce groups of members to
refrain from talking direct action when they feel themselves aggrieved
and feel they have no reason to expect a settlement through the normal
grievance procedure.

“Your suggestion of disciplinary action does not seem to us to offer

TS

“., And let’s save time hy keeping the Taft-Hartley law as is and
repealing the name.” .

UE Wins Pay Raises
In New York Shops

Wage increases and other gains
ave included in five contract renew-
als recently negotiated by UE Lo-
cal 475 in New York City.

The union obtained a wage raise
of 12% cents an hour and an ad-

ditional paid holiday at Atlantis

Steel Products Company.

Konecky Brothers agreed to an
inerease of 11 cents,an hour, Mod-
ern Carpet Sweeper Corporation
granted a 10 cent raise, plus an
additional paid holiday. Both A.

W. Rosen Company and Transplas-"

tie Company also agreed to 10, cent
pay boosts.

Taft-Hartley Law
Overlooked This

A news item that appeared in the -
Gazette recently ought to give
Tatt-Hartley lobbyists a new argu-
ment to show the law isn’t as
tough as it could be. /

The news story veported that in
Scotland mediaeval laws providing
for people to be hanged, drawn and
quartered have just been abolish-
ed. This sentence was last passed
in Stirling in 1820 on two’ men
found guilty of “advocating strike
action.”

IHowever, the men were granted
clemency. They were only hanged
and beheaded!

a solution, That sort of policy will promote more trouble than it will

stop.

“Your letter was read to our shop stewards’ council last night,

The

stewards want the company to know that they have every intention o°
living up to the contract. They also want you to know that they will
resist any attempt to penalize any shop steward or other members for
actions for which supervision, by its conduct, is primarily responsible.
“We suggest that when supervision proposes departures trom the
present practices and gonditions in the shop, these proposed changes
be discussed with union representatives in advance instead of arbitrartly

putting them into effect.

“Very truly yours,
LEO JANDREAU
Business Agent.”