Electrical Union News, 1950 August 11

- August 4, 1950

State Orders GE Pay

Award in Death Case

A. state Workmen’s Compensa-

tion referee has ruled that the eye —

ailment» which Franei§. D.° Mul-
downey developed ‘and his. death

‘from a heart attack were both re-.»’
“lated to an accident at the Gen-*

eral’ Electric plant here May 19,
"1948. The claims -of Muldowney, his.
- widow and his estate were handled

- by UE '301 ‘through. its attorney, |:

Marshall Perlin. - :
GE claimed that the éataract. for

which Muldowney had to undergo:

“an operation was not connected
with an injury to his right eye at
the plant. The company “also denied

the eye injury had any connection:
_ with the later heart attacks and

his’ death. May. 28; 194

Hilden case”
closed Dec. 1
‘ceived workmen’s compensation for

being out of. the plant. for about -

a’month after the accident. How-
ever, "he was only able: to work
_from June 21 to Aug. 15 that sum
mer, and. then” was laid up “until h
‘death nearly: a year later. His
widow died recently. °

The referee ordered. GE to pay
Muldowney’s, ‘estate $28-a week .
fron: the ‘date of his accident ‘to

the date of his death, to pay. ‘921 .

” a. week owed to the widow from

‘the time ‘of .her husband’s death:
to."her own. death, and to pay all

* medical bills of Muldowney’, and
$200 funeral expenses. The amount

-comes to over $2;500 without the —

. medical and funeral bills.

Want a Cash Prize?

, Remember, you won't be eligible

for the cash’ prizes to be drawn ,
at the August joint membership .
~ and shop stewards’ meeting unless:

your dues- through July have been
turned in vat the union office by
then.

Because their dues weren't in,

two” members whose membership... ...

book numbers were drawn missed
out. on the $50 prize at the July

meeting and: two sniggad out on

smaller prizes,

ELECTRICAL UNION NEWS

UNITHD ELECTRICAL, RADIO AND
MACHINE WORKERS OF AMMRICA

SCHENECTADY GH LOCAL 301
£ =p :
, Pablished by Tadltorlal Commiites
Mary McCartin, Chairman -
Adam Kolasienski, Secretary
Robert ‘Armstrong Frank D'Amico’ |
Vietor Pasche -Goorgo Quick
George Roode Troy Snipes

Halltorial Offloe

RLECTRICAL UNION NWs
801 Liborty St., Schenectady, N. ¥.
Telephone 8-1886

had been .
1948, after he re-_

‘Ofc course you have freedom of expression. Write.

anything you think our big advertisers will Tike."

Truck Drivers! Cases
Pressed by VE 301

At a grievance session Tuesday
on problems of Building 227 truek-
drivers, GE nianagement ‘agreed
to take seniority into consideration
in upgrading drivers, providing the
man can do the higher rated job.
A.UE‘301 committee at the. meet-
ing with Frank. Schaaff of. the
Works Manager's office complain-
ed of favoritism shown by super-
vision in. hand-picking men for up-
grading. _

The union. also complained that
truck drivers were laid off or
‘transferred to, other work while

trucks were loaned out, without ~

drivers, to other divisions: ‘for long
periods.  - /

-Schaaff said that a driver will be
assigned to any truck loaned out
for more than a short period.

Appeal for.Blood

a Two blood donors.atiswered the.

‘appeal for blood for Mrs. Bugene
, LeMoine, but at least two more

‘«donors are needed. Volunteers

“should contact the union office, |

Mrs. LeMoine is the wife of.

“a. UE 801 member in Building 85
who’ was for many years a shop

~ steward-und: Exedutive Boned men~

open ea a

Have You Paid Your. UE 301 Dues?

- and his family’ s $8, Bene

“UE: Bargaining

Record Cited 7

° The UE's" beellnlen record for
1950 on wages and, insurance and
its fight against -discrimination
won recognition from the Ravional

. sigaiization, sponsored by employ

‘ers. Herie’s what the institute’s
Employees - ‘Relations Bulletin. of
July 19 had to say about the UE
bargaining: .

“Wages:
agreements. signed between Jan-

tiary and July granted direct wage.

hikes of 7 cents an hour average.

“Health and Welfare: Worked
hard on getting company-paid
benefits for worker's family, worl.
‘er’s daily hospital fee apt to be $10
it period
likely to run up to 70 days, Other
benefits include up to $250 surgical
benefits, doctor’s visits at-$5 each
for 70 days for the worker, and
almost as much for his dependents.
Weekly sickness and accident bene-
fits for a year’s duration have been
gained in some contracts.

“Other Issues: Specialized in the
spectacular such as, hiring Negro
apprentices, in skilled trades where

they had not been allowed: before -

and striking for elimination of dif

ferertials in :women's pay, both: :

good issues in. themselves, but re-
ceived out of proportion emphasis
by this union,”

“has. the right. to spend . its, a
union funds ‘without interferences“ "t

15 per cent of the

UE 301 Again Free
To Spend Own Noney

The UE 301 membership again

Supreme - Court Justice John

‘Alexander, on ‘Tuesday killed ‘the

injunction he issued last Novém-
ber forbidding UE ° 301: to. spend
more: than $3,500 a. week.

. By agreement. of UB and. UE
attorneys’ all:

Other ‘legal actions
connected © with’ the Schenectady
fight between. UE and IUE. were
also wiped off the slate’.at’ ‘the
.same time. These included the

. contempt of court proceedings: IUE

started against UE 3801 ‘officers. :
The dropping of all law ~suits

was the outcome. of a meetingin—:

Schenectady ° Tuesday va atl ded. by
David: Seribner, national UE attor-
ney; Leon: Novak,. UE” District 3
attorney; Marshall, Perlin, UE 801

attorney, Samuel Levy, Schenec- .° :

tady attorney. retained by UE 301
in connection with the contempt

case, and by IUE attorneys. After- _

ward the group visited-Judge Alex- :
ander who at once vacated” “all or-
ders- he had issued.. -

“The. only” “anfinished business Ye-

. “ maining’ on the. hands of: UE. 301.
* now,- dn. -connection with the lat

cases, is paying the bills of out
side auditors the union had to -hire
and outside legal fees, . - ;

These unnecessary and heavy ex-

_Betises, running into: thousands of

ver of the IUE in getting the in-
‘junction to interfere with the UE
B01 membership in spending their
own money. The. intention. of the
move was to hamper the union in,
processing grievances, condueting
contract negotiations and. provid.
‘ing its usual service to its. mem-
bers.

Union Wins Increases ©
For Group in Bldg. 24

UB 801 has obtained.-a- ofie-step
inerease’ for ‘eight Class A and
Class B machinists in Building: 24,
Prank Schaaff of the Works Man-
ager’s office told a union commit-:
tee Tuesday the raise would | be’
granted because of special, skills -
“involved on the jobs. —

The Class A men in the ero
are raised from $1.67 an hour ue
$1.725, as of July 31, and the Class
B men from $1.555 to $1.61, There -
will. be individual: reviews of the”
cases- of» two--men-“below™ the job
rate, Schantf said, .

Unite Behind the Contrac emands

itt he union members and Hyler Con- -
The lawyers

‘

are to file briefs later.

THE VOICE OF LOCAL 301 7t

U. ER. & M. W. A.

SCH ENECTADY, NEW. YORK

Agus He 1950

ontract Negotiations Still Continue

How GE Used Strike of Steamfitters

To Deprive Workers. of Jobless. Pay ©

Proof. that ‘the General Electric Company misused the recent AFL

" Steamfitter’s strike to make it an
’ getting unemployment insurance’ was presented at a hearing this week

before a state referee.

‘UE Loyal 801 obtained'the hear-
ing in-its fight against a state rul-
ing that’ Turbine and Motor and
Generator workers laid off during

the steamfitters’ strike had to wait’

seven weeks before being eligible
for jobless pay. The*state made
the ruling because GE claimed the
wholesale layoffs were caused by.
the strike;-which started, May 15.
Referee Anthony J..Saceo heard
testimony Monday afternoon and
all day Tuesday: at ‘Schenectady
City Hall, with Marshall Perlin;
pst 304 attorney, appearing for

Pas GE attorney.

- Production Manager Testifies
First witness was Daniel J. Mac-
Lane, Jy, production manager of
the Turbine Division. He testified
that it takes 42 weeks to produce
the average turbine and that..40
to 60 turbines are usually in the

“ process of being built. at one time

in Building 278, The final testing;
» for which steamfitters are re.
quired,. takes place at the end of
the 42 weeks.

Early in the strike. there were
few layoffs, MacLane said. But in
the week ending June 11 there
were 2,029 workers laid off and in

; the, week ending June 18 there
were 2,202. He said the 1,531 out

during the, week ended June 25

included a number: of. people on

_ vacation. ,
Vacation Shutdown Advanced

* MacLane. admitted GE cancelled
the annual two-week « shutdown

scheduled for July in Turbine,

UB claims that the two weeks of
uass. layoffs were really just the
con vacation shutdown - period

Cre, up for Gl’s own purposes,

. with some of the layoffs. running
winto the third week, Attorney Pey-
‘lin’ pointed ‘out that: many” ofthe”

workers took their vacation in the
layoff period, ‘rather than be with
out, pay.

MacLane also admitted. that at

the start of the strike GE was two

excuse to keep other workers from

turbines behind in nroduetiany nd
“that by the end of the strike it
‘was cight turbines “behind: ‘The®
company did not keep on enough
workers to’ keep” tlie production
(before assembling) up to normal

but could have done so, “he ‘ac. -

knowledged.

According to’ MacLane, the com-
pany “saw no sense’! in continuing

UE- 301 Membership

Will Meet Tuesday

: Leo Jandreau will report on GE.
.cortract. negotiations .at the ‘UE

301° combined membership and.
shop stewards’ ineeting * Tuesday,
Aug. 15, at the union. hall.

, Second. shift: members will meet
At 12:45 ‘a.in., Tuesday- (immedi-
ately after work Monday night),

First and third shift members :

will meet at’ 7:30, pam. Tuesday.
Delegates. to the national UE
convention Sept. 18-22

to make turbines as long as it— mittee will report.

éouldn’t ship them out because the

--final tests=could not be made with. ‘
out.-steamfitters, :

He testified also, that dintele the

- strike: several. contractors apreed

(Continued on page two).-

nthe

8. Cent Package~ .

A pack kage- setae

Company, ‘Camden, Ny J,

in New
_ York City" will) be elected.
' The UE 801 Constitution Com-

amounting
1 § cents:nn:hour was won" ‘by. UL
Local 184..at-Cutler"Metal Produets'

Union Wins Rate Raises for Inspectors,.
Welders; Inspectors to Meet August 16

Job rate raises for the top three groups of  speekra and for day

work’ welders were offered by A. GC. Stevens, assistant A the works
manager, to. UE‘301 committees last week.

The one-step. ate increase for.
welders was accepted by the elect- .,
ed welders’. cotimittee and went
into, effect last week.’ ‘The con
mittee‘reserved the right: to ‘press

further ‘the demand that about 23°

men already receiving the higher

“ yaté also be raised.

The inspectors’ committee called
a meeting of all Class : AA, A, B,
and C inspectors throughout the -
works to consider the company’s

offer. The meeting will be held at
the union hall Wednesday, “Auge
16, at 1:30 p.m, for the “second

shift and at 7: 30 p.m. for the first
and- third shifts.”

The practice of the company has
been. to pay ” varyirig individual
rates above the job rates to inspec-
tors “in the’ top groups. Stevens

. offered to. raise wthe AA rate by
three steps; the. A rate by two
steps, and the B rate by. one step,

There would be an immediate one-

~ step raise’ for all AAfmand “Amen;

and all-B men’ except six already
receiving above the*rate, This to-
tals 218 men who would be raised,,

‘However, Stevens “refused to
yaise the C rate. The committee

‘AA, Avand B

«in the other.

pointed*

sclaims’of the C-men,
The> three welders’ job tates

were raised. one step each, but as
raft" adjustments,

Stevens refused to- raise those at
the “preferential rate,” above.the

top. He agréed that the union had -

the. right to take ‘this issue fur-.
ther. “The raise went to about 200 |
welders, The ‘committee » pointed.
out that “the mén-receiving: the
“preferential” rate were. actually
meeting the requirements of a
higher-skilled job, but Stevens .in-
sisted he wanted to eliminate pref-
erential mee when job rates are
raised. ‘

The — union committees also

pointed out: that in, considering the’

“one-step” raises “offered, “they: still’
feel that’ all the skilled eraft rates

“are still out of line and need cor-

‘reetion on an over-all basis, : as ‘pro-
posed by UE in the national nego-

Mic Ncid.

out, that the four “top
“groups, ineluding C, had’ joined in,
‘asking for a’ ‘raise, feeling that all.
‘four should be raised,-and that
men support, the

GE Drop S

A Few Bad
Proposals —

A little progress . was épérbed
this ~ week by -the - national UE
“negotiating committee dn contract
provisions’ covering transfers and
‘a: few other tninor points at ses-
sions. with GE Monday,. Tuesday
and Wednesday in New York: City.

The- “company , ‘indicated that
starting next Monday it may agree
to the union’s request to mect

. More often and for longer sessions. :=

Since’ the negotiations started.
June 18, the union has made.
progress -in.its proposals - to” im-
prove the old contract, It ‘has had,
, to concentrate “on fighting efforts |
of ‘the company to weaken or de-
stroy.- contract protections, gather
_ in the past. riot

' However, the company hair with!

* drawn some of the damaging pro-
posals it made this year.

For instance, GE has withdrawn
its proposals for compulsory over-
time, for forced holiday: work, and
for declaring the « union has no.
vight to: negotiate’ wage rates, Leo-
“Jandreau reported, . ‘

GE also has withdrawn its pro-
_posal to classify as a change of
method ‘the switching of a man
from oné machine to-another, or

» adding or removing a penion from | ‘
“acgroup.. - :

. The union and ‘the company are
“still at loggerheads, however, on
key issues, including seniority and
, biece work guarantees. 4
The membership. of; 801 ‘and’ of

the big Brie local have called on
the’ national UE negotiating com-
mittee, te take a ‘strike vote
throughout: the UE locals. in the
GE system. Several smaller locals
have asked similar ‘action and in-
dications point to similar requests:
from other, locals,

is

. Because so. many, workers-are-
-on vacation, the UE‘801 Editor.
ial Committee decided to econ-.,
omize again this week by hay-
ing. this week's EU News half-

I size, a single sheet of paper,