Electrical Union News, 1950 August 18

ELECTRICAL UNION. NEWS.

‘Friday, Aikide I, 1950"

Boulware Distorts
Facts on Contract.

. For the ;past two months GE.
has fought for contract changes
which would seriously weaken . the
old UE contract.
, working conditions. But GE’s Vice-
President L. R. Boulware came out
in: last. Friday’s. “Works News”

“with a. statement that GE wants a
““ywood - contract”,

and a’ contract
that is “clear, workable, and fair
to all concerned.”

That‘is a ptize exaniple of dis-...
tortion of the facts. |

-'The nub. of .Boulware’s long
statement is as follows. He says’

that during .the last year of the

old contract. new interpretations
were. advanced. by_union, represen-,
tabives
enuse “two groups of union lead-
ers” were looking for “political ‘ad-

-vantage.”

The truth is, as GE workers:
know. from..their own. experience,
that for the past: four years GE

has’ been trying, to whittle down.

and evade the contract protection,

“open

work and

particularly on™ piece
seniority. vi
No-amount of talk about inter-
pretations: changes the fact that
the company this year has tried to
remove the basie piece work: pro-
tective guarantee, make a_ big

cchange in the seniority provision,

the “way to discriniinate
against shop stewards for union
activity, take away the right to
negotiate changes in wage-rates,
weaken the prievance procedure
and refuse to let the union take
cases to arbitration. °

And ontop of trying ‘to destroy |

the’ ‘contract, GE has.made a very
poor offer on wages, pensions and
insurance, when GE workers. are
entitled toe substantial gains to.
cover ‘1949 and-1950 negotiations,
in the light of company profits

: ee go higher every year.

Did You Know? ==>

Since January,’ 1945, the General |
Electric Company: has raised divi-

dends per share of stock by 71 per’
cent, us compared to an inerease |

in weekly ‘wages of 14 percent.

ELECTRICAL UNION NEWS,
UNLTED' ELECTRICAL, RADIO AND
“MACHINE WORKERS OF AMBRICA

SCHENECTADY. GE LOCAL 801.

<>

Published by Udlterlat Committee
Mary MeCuruin, Chairman
Adam Kolnaiensk!, Seerotary
~Robert..Armatrong......... Rrank..Dt Amico
Victor: Pischa ~ ~~ “George Qulck
Quorge Roode , Tray -Sninas’

Udltorial Office

RLECTRICAL UNION NEWS
461 Liberty St., Schenectady, N.Y.

“protection of»:

against the. company bes

Telephone 38-1886

GE. Wats to Deprive Workers of Jobless Pay

(Continued from Page 1).

to take turbines nihout final test,
and that this was. the only reason
workers were brought back’ before
the strike ended..

Strike 1s Phony Excuse

UE, takes the: position | that GE
brought people back because it was

“ thé end of the substitute two-week

shutdown period. ‘The union
charges that GE deliberately uséd
_the strike as an excuse. for lay-
offs ‘for several reasons: °

“1, To’ save money on. unemploy-
“ment insurance and. quality for a
» big rebate,

2, To, weaken contract negotia-
tions by having latge numbers of
workers --out.” without * unemploy-.
ment -insuraned and- in pressing
need of cash:

3. To put heat on the steamfit-.
ters. -

Could Have Kept Workers:.....

GE representatives acknowl-
edged they ‘could have kept people
Working, but thoweht it would’
“throw things out of “balance.” “e

The GE attorney accused UE of
trying to. tell the company when it
should work and. “infringing ow
the rights and. pterogatives of
management, 301 Attorney. Per.
‘lin ‘said the union isn’t trying to
figure out -the GE production
Behedule, but to keep the company
from blaming layoffs on -a strike,
and cheating: workers out of their
jobless pay. UE claims the only
workers actually affected by the
strike were about 100 to 180 on fi-

nal, assembly, who couldn’t atk

without steamfitters,

Union Witnesses. included Presi-
dent William J. Kelly, who out-
» Hned the production steps. in mak-
ing a turbine. , ;

Executive Board Member Teddy
Whiceler said that over 1,000 work-
ers in his jurisdiction didn’t depend
on the presence of steamfitters to
do their work. He told of one

“mai who’ was’ told before the strike .

that he’d ‘have to be out for ‘a
couple of ‘weeks because the com-
pany wanted to repair his’ machine,

Later GE blamed his layoff on the ~
~strike—but his machine was re-

paired by the time he réturned.
Stewart Testifies

Executive Board Member Wil-’

liam Stewart ‘testified that the
work of. the 1,700 people in his
jurisdiction didn’t depend ‘on
steamfitters,. except for the few on
_final, assembly. THe. said. “workers...
“laid off-are nov working overtime,
six and seven days a week, to make
up for the ‘lag in production,

Roy' Hamilton, inspector, testi.’
__fied that__inspectors could have

kept on / working on sub- setary
« jobs.

° John W. Winslow, bucket asseni-
bly man, said: there was ‘work for
men to do on rotors, instead of be-
ing laid off.- ee

John Farry, crane operator, tes-

fied. that crane operators were:
“put,.on-Fotation during the strike.
“Those ‘working had to double up
and do two men’s work.

Work Piled Up ©
-Jack Roses, milling. machine,
“said he fell so mueli behind in his
“work owing to the layoff that he
has to bé’ given priority lists on’
rush jobs now,

“Lee Maguire,- armature winder,
suid his. foreman told-him he was
gut’ because “of ‘lack of material.
But’ GE. changed.-its mind and told. |
the unemployment insurance office *
not: to” give: him jobless pay on ‘the
grounds he was laid “off because’

not the strike.:

' Bor lack of time, the union did

_nbt put-on other witnesses: present,
But: Attorney Pertin cited the case:
of a woman worker who wag out
on..rotation for’ a year. Now the

UE 301 Tries to Speed
Toolmaker Certification —

JA confeience ‘of representatives
of UE 301 and the Internationa
Association . of: Machinists | wit:
the:.éompany was.,arranged for _
yesterday. afternoon after this
' paper was written): in an effort
by UE. 301 to work out means of’
speeding ‘action ‘on. challenged bal-
lots in the toolmaker run-off.“

The question’ of the 54 Salles:
ed votes is holding up certification
of, the UE 301 election victory
July 28. ; :

The, 54 challenged ballets include
those. of 42° apprentices. whose’
ight to vote under the NLRB or-
der is very doubtful; and 12 oth-
er men, at: least nine vf whom are
“neither BPDEEMLINES nor toolmak- zt
ers.

A careful survey by the UE. 801 ©
toolmakers” committee shows, that
no matter how the NLRB: rules ‘on

doubtful votes; UE 301-has more

han: ‘enough votes to insure vic-
-torysAll ‘that the IAM can do is
to stall off the formal UE -vietory
and prevent the toolmakers from

company claims her. lack of work = participating in contract negotia- -

én May: and June was caused by =

the strike»

bane

Westinghouse Workers. ;
Adopt Action Program

The UE National Westinghouse
Conference Board has unanimously
adopted a six-point. program of ac-
tion to marshal the fullest possible
strength behind the Westinghouse
-eontract negotiations.’ © ;

The first point calls for UE: lo-

cals at, Westinghouse plants to-

back the.contract negotiations with:
* plant gate meetings, protest ace
‘tions: and a strike vote. a

UE certified shops are ‘to as-
sume the responsibility of devel-
oping similar activities in IUE
Westinghouse shops in their com-
munity. or area,

Other points on. the« program
call for UE Westinghouse. locals
to do the following:

Inform their members regularly
_ on all issues concerning négotia-
ting the national contract or local
supplements.

- Organize publicity campaigns in
their. community to get the maxi-
mum support of the public for the
fight of Westinghouse. workers, « .
: Undertake: negotiations immedi-
“ately. to complete local Suplements _
on seniority, in line with provisions
of the national agreement,

Start. a campaign for a union
shop election,

During, the “past few .

tions. and regular grievance hand-
ling: But either the IAM. or ine
company can hold up formal ¢ert’-

* fication of UE for weéeks ot month.

by .insisting on a’ NLRB. ruling
on every challenged vote,

The conference was. arranged in
-an effort to avoid the necd for
formal ruling. .UE 301 was to. be
represented at the meeting by Shop’
Stewards Andrew Bufano, Bldg.
17, and Neil Dube, Bldg. 24, Victor .
Pasche, assistant to the business.
“agent, and Marshal Perlin, 301
attorney,

$100 ih Prizes

_ Gash prizes totaling $100 will be
awarded to UE 301 members at the
‘combined membership and shop
stewards’ meeting next Tuesday at
union hall. Winners will be drawn
by lot, at, the meeting. Only mem-
-bers whose dues payments through
July have been recorded in the
union office are eligible. - They
need not be present to “receive a
prize, however.

The first prize will be: $50; the
second prize $25; the third,

par
and the fourth, $10, The mont: *) os

drawings started at the July meet»
ing. rg oe .

- there ‘have ‘been ‘a, ‘series “of ‘stop-
pages and ‘slowdowns, both at UE
and [UE Westinghouse plants, ov-
er grievances and SpnAeS negotia-

weeks). tions,

C

ICAL

JHE VOICE OF LOCAL 401 .

“UE REM.W.A

SCHENECTADY, :

NEW YORK

E Ups Pension | Offer to

UL News StRVICE

“WWOOMES OVER $1,000,000

$3000-$5000 INCOMES

Dewey Brashear, Joseph. Kelly,
Rossiter ‘Lighthall and William
Mastriani. Business Agent ' Leo
Jandreau telegraphed Attorney
General J. Howard McGrath Wed-
nesday ‘asking him to meet with
the: four as soon as possible,

The decision as to what further
steps will be taken on the con-
tempt ‘citations rests. with the at-
torney general. UE President Al-
bert J. Fitzgerald in a message to
“McGrath declared that the’ fact
that the House of Representatives
“Nas sanctioned unconsitutional pro-

ty Jedure, does not absolve the at-
‘torney general's office of its duty
to péotect constitutional rights.

“Fitzgerald heads’ a national UR
Defense Committee to organize
the -defense.. of UE members
againgt those attempting “to de-
stroy the U. §. Constitution and
Bin of Rights *¢ and: Pt hanes

UE-301 Delegation to Protest to MoGrath "
Against Contempt Citations of UE Members —

UE Local 801 voted Tuesday to send four Executive Board mem.’
bers to Washington, D. C., to protest against any further steps on the
contempt citations voted by the House of Representatives against seven
leaders and members of UE, ;

The Board members chosen were

_ of thea

union members.” :
“The Un-American’ Cominittee
obtained the contempt citation
against Julius Empsak, UE gen-
‘eral secretary-treasurer and a
charter member of: 8023. James J,
Matles, UE director of organiza-°
tion; and officers and members of *.

several locals in Pennsylvania and”
Ohio, :

. Jandreau called on the 801 mem-
bership and_ stewards’ meeting to
give full backing to the defense
fight. The Un-American Commit-.
tee: das attacked the seven as part
ttack on.all. fighting .unions .
and fighting union leaders, he said.
He praised the record of Emspak._.

‘in. the. building ‘of Local: 801 and

the work of both Emspak and —

-Matles in their national.offices, It

is significant. that’ the contempt

citations came during * contract

vegoti tions, he

Delegates Elected
To UE Convention

+, SUE Local 301 will be represented
vat the. national “UE convention’
“Sept. .18-22 in New York Ci CAIN,
-the following 10 delegates elected
Tuesday by ,the Joint: membership: .
and shop stewards’ mecting: Pres-
ident. William J. Kelly, Business
Agent Leo Jandreau, Vice-Presi-
. dent Joseph Mangino, Recording
Secretary John * Green (second
‘ahift)“and Executive Board Mem-
bers Williani Christman, Lariy
Gebo (third shift), Joseph Kelly,
William’ Mastriani, Fred Pacelli :

_ (second shift) and Helen Quivini.

Pressure Growing

S For Equal Shifts .

Building 278. shop stewards are -
‘canvassing their groups on a pro-
posal to organize-a fight for three
eight-hour shifts. This would re-
quire payment for a lunch period.
The demand for three cight-hour
shifts is one of the , contr act de-
mands, along. with improved sen-
jority and piece work safeguards:

The stewards will meet Monday
at the union hall to. consider the
results of the canvass. :

The move started with a mect-
ing of third shift workers last #ri-
day called by Board Member Larry |
Gebo, The members decided to
meet at the UE. 301 Hall regular.
ly every Friday at 7:80 a.m., after
the end of the _Phursday night
shift, ,

Prize Winners

The $50 prize was won. by Dyer
M. Utman, Building 53, at. the *
monthly, drawing at the UE 301
“membership ‘and stewards’ meet-
ing Tuesday.

“The other prizes were won as.
- follows: $26, Luella Carter -Luang-
lois, Bldg. 683 $15, John. Shepard,.
Bldg. 78, and $10; Florence Wor-> .
rell, Bldg. 10. , +1 , ’ ‘

Three Aombben missed out on
‘the first prize and three lost out
an the fourth prize_because_their.

See Gains
Aiso Made
‘On Insurance

A few ‘wontesnibrts on Sitisions
and: insurance were- made recently
by the” General Electric Company,
“International UE Representative
Joseph Dermody and . Business
| Agent. Leo Jandreau reported Tues-
day at the UB 301 membership and
shop stewards’ meeting.

For the first time Gh: has offered =-

a $125 minimum -pension (inelud-  *

ing Social Security) for workers
With 25 years ‘service and who are
65 years old. Company represen-
tatives said they would take under
advisement the union’s request
that pension adjustments be made
also for workers already retired.

Disability Pension

GE admitted that its proposed
specific minimum disability pen-
sion of $50 a month-is low and in-
dieated it would raise the figure.’

The company has agreed to the
UE proposal that the insurance
plan be extended to cover. accidents
on, the job. Under this arrange-
ment employees whose workmen’s
compensation payments are. less
than those provided for’in-the plan
will be paid the difference between
the compensation payment andthe
amount provided for in the plan.

Apart on Many-- Issues

Although GE. has withdrawn.
some of its proposals aimed at de-
stvoying or weakening basic con-
tract safeguards, the company and
the union are still far apart on
many important issues. These in-
elude such things’ as no. diserim-
ination -against shop . stewards,
piece work prices where there: has
been a change in- method and a no
strike... clause. --- -Purthermore, - the:
union’s original economic demands
have been met only in part.

» The negotiations continued Mon-
day and Tuesday of this week and
were—to--be. resumed yesterday «

Thursday)...

CONSUL ae

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