Farm Equipment 7
Workers Plan ‘Save
Our Job’ Campaign
Layofls continued unabated in
the farm implement “industry as
the unions it the stvi
hegin, developing new “sive eur
Jobs progranis.
An additional 2,000 workers were
laid off the week of Oct26 by the
Caterpillar Tractor Co. at its l'e-
oria pliant, a
The International Harvester Co,
unnouneed that 19 of its 21 plants
will he shut down for what is ealled
“inventory? Same 40,000 workers
still employed in these plints will
be out of work for a period of two
weeks and possibly longer,
Harvester has already laid off
14,000 workers in its Mlinois plants, |
according to the United Auto
Workers. (CIO).
The UAW will deal with the
Harvester unemployment situation
at a confeernce in Washington Dee.
6-7, which has been called to re-
view the job crisis that has taken
n huge toll among UAW members.
The United Flectricnl Radio &
Machine Workers, which repre-
“sents workers in 10 Hirvester
plants, annotineed a de
would be in Washington Oct. 28-
to demand action by various, gov-
ernment departments, :
The farm equipment workers
were planning visits to the State
Dept, Agriculture Dept. and Tne
terior Dept. to present the UN's
unti-depression program. — High-
lights of that) program include:
Goverment aid to farmers in the
purchase oof farm machinery,
launching oa program of road-
building and publie works, and op-
ening of trade with countries which
ave potential markets for farm
implements,
Bldg. 269 Steward
Wins Case
Through the efforts of Shop
Steward, Edward Knack, Bldg. 269,
one of our members is $97.00 .rich-
eras a result of taking his case up
through the Union,
S. Stage, a set-up man in the
Electronic Tube Department, has
not heen receiving the proper rate
for the work he is required to do.
He brought it to the attention of
the ‘shop steward who contacted
the foreman, His rate was increas-
ed Tie an hour to the job rate
with a retroactive adjustment.
ASK YOUR SHOP
STEWARD ABOUT
UE. LOCAL 307 >
OPTICAL PLAN
Friday, October 30, 1953
UE. Local 301 Team
Wins Pennant
ULE. Local 301 Team wins pen-
nant in Bellevue Little League.
Jog Alois, Vice-President of UIE.
Local 801, received the trophy on
behalf of ULE. Local 801.) It was
presented by. Dan Nicholas, presi-
‘dent of the Bellevue Little League
at a banquet held Sunday, October
25th, at the Town Tavern,
UE, Local 801 ‘sponsored two
teams in the Little Leagues this
year, the second team winning: se¢-
ond place in the Northside League.
The trophy will be on displiiy at
S01 Headquarters:
Airport Steward Wins Case
dwar Barannuskas, Shop
Steward at. the GE. Aippert, ean
he credited for winning increases
affecting several mechanies asa
result of filing a grievanee for an
upgrade for one of the Class “C”
Mechanics, ,
While the ease wis filed on Ta,
Kaminski to upgrade him from
Class “C” to Class “BY, the: in-
vestigation showed that four oth-
ers were entitled to the same con-
sideration,
Veterans Entitled to
Education and Training
- At Government Expense
Veterans who have the following
qualifications can look to the Gove
ernment for education and train-
ings:
“Hligibility — Fligibility require.
ments include: (1) active military
ov naval service at any time be-
tween June 27, 1960, and a date
yet to be estublished either by
Presidential Proclamation or by a
concurrent resolution of Congress;
(2) at least 90 days of total serv.
ice, or a discharge for disability in-
curred on active duty if the service
was for less than 90 days; (3) a
discharge under other than . dis-
‘honorable conditions, All three
conditions must. be met.
‘Subsistence ANowanees—Veter-
ang will reecive an edu vation and
ceralning ~ atlowanees exeh> month
from the Government to meet part
af the expenses of their training
and living costs,
Cash Payments to Injured
Provided with Limitations
Although the Workmen's Com-
pensation Law requires ain employ-
er to provide his injured employees
with ail necessary: medical treat-
meat and to compensate such
workers for lost time or reduced
exrnin not all injured workers
are entitled to cash settlements for
their injuries.
To receive cash settlements for
their injuries, injured workers
must meet certain conditions,
First and foremost, the injury
must be one which is permanent—
that is to say, the worker must
have lost the use of a limb in part
or in a whole on a permanent not
temporary basis.
Secondly, the injury must have
been to 2 specified part of the
body, such as the arm, the hand, a
Less Than $2,000
Income for 23%
Of Families in'50
The Commerce Dept. published
figures on income of U. S. consum-
er units, consisting of families and
“unattached individuals,’ which
show that 239. of these units re-
eeived less than $2,000-in gross in-
come in 1950.) Since much of the
income was subjects to taxes, the
actual spending power of these
units was even lower.
Two-thirds of the total before-
tux income of $217 billion went to
units which received more than the
national average income of $4,460.
The 66 of total spending units
which received incomes of $10,000
or over got more than. 20¢7 of the
total Income, The 286 of total
family units which received less
than $2,000 each gota total of only
no of the national income. The
top 20 of family groups, graded
by size of income,’ got 46% of the
invome,
The Census) Burenu published
figures showing the average in-
come of all persons over 14 who
received any income in 1952 was
$2,300, about $100 higher than in
1951. The averuge income of men
was $3,250, an inerease of $150
over the previous year, The pro-
portion of men with incomes of
$5,000 ov more rose from 14% to
16%.
“The avers wwe income for women
in 1952 was $1,147, an inerease of
$LO0 above 1951.
The average income for persons
“in “ities ahd ii the eolinttty, but
not on farms was $2,472 in 1952
The average for farm dwellers was
$L,114, rf
_ lows:
lee, a foot, any finger or too, an
eve, the ability to hear or a dis-
figurement to the face. :
The Taw provides as
(hence these type of inju
known as scheduled types.
juries) of weeks for each of these
‘injured members which is used ag
a basis for computing the cash set-
tlement.
Number of Weeks
Member Lost of Compensation
Index finger oc...
Middle finger
Ring finger .
Small finger
Great toe
Other toes
Loss of henving,
one ‘ear
Both ears
The maximum amount for loss of
hearing is 150° weeks and for a
facial disfigurement, $3.5
Sinee the maximum — for
any worker is $82.00 per week, the
worker who loses an arm rezeives
812 times $82 or $9,984.00, Tf the
worker has’ a 60¢¢ loss of use of
the arm as a result of an accident,
he receives 156 weeks of compen-
sation or $4,992.00
A worker with a permanent ine
jury receives this cash award no
matter how little or how much
time from work he has lost. For
this reason, it is to the worker's
interest to return to work with this
type of injury as soon as he is
physically able to do so. Vary
often we find the very serious in-
justice under'the law of a warker
who has, for example, a 10°. -per-
manent loss of a foot which would
entitle the worker to 2014 weeks of
compensution at $32.00 a Weak or
$656.00, except for the fuet that
the worker was forced to stay
way [rom work due to the injury,
with the result that he has drawn
all or almost all of this money hy
way of weekly payments of $32
each while away from his work,
Kven if the worker has returned
to work, but whs drawing’ reduced
earnings, the sum. for redueed
earnings is also deducted. from the
cash settlement leaving little, if
“anythin #, to the injured worker
for the crippling ‘effect. of his in-
Jury. This is one of the short.
comings of the law which needs
immediate correction,
ELECTRICAL UNION NEWS,
ees SONA AAR UDI RTEAONUSN DD HEN aN eon,
The schedule is as fol-
11 — No. 44
SCHENECTADY, NEW YORK
Friday, November 6, 1953
Shop Stewards Sworn j in at Nov. 2nd Meeting ©
Stewards sworn in. were: Donald Oliver, Fran
. Leow Smith, Bldy. 273; Gouri De -Cresee,
seo Campis
&
in
ry
3
Bldg. 69; Harold West, Bldg. “22;
Bldg.. 28; Robert t ‘Templeton, Blde. 60-W.
-Steamfitters’
ave Group
eniority
The Steamfitters, who have their
own bargaining . unit, -can. apply
their seniority to their unit only.
Some reduction of forces have
affected workers who are members ?
of the Steamfitters’ Union. They
are not permitted under our eon-
tract to apply their service against
any jobs covered by the UE, con-
tract; therefore, some workers
having long service with the Com-
pany may find themselves unem-
ployed. This applies to any em-
ployees in the Scheneetady plant
who are in a bargaining’ unit not
certified to U.E, Local 301,
In the past, when we had only
one Union in’ Schenectady, all em-
ployees regardless of where they
‘worked could apply their seniority
rights on a plunt-wide basis, Now
that certain groups have chosen
to have a separate Union, their
seniority is confined to the juris-
diction of that Union, _
dg. 17 Steward
ns Case
Shop Steward Robert Northrup,
who represents the members un-
der Foreman Mualiszewski in Bldg.
17, processed a grievance request-
ing’ an increase in job re ate for Set
Up Index Punch Press Operators
working on circular and sexmental
punchings. The job rate was in-
ereased from. $1785 to $1.85 an
hour.
NOTICE:
-» Meeting of
Executive Board
Monday, Nov. 9,
7:30 P.M.
Union Headquarters
Schenectady and Lynn
Turbine Unite
Plans ure under way for closer
working relationship between the
Turbine workers in Schenectady
and Lynn. -
The Schenectady and Lynn
plants are expected to do most of
the Turbine ‘work for the GF.
Company. There will. be an inter.
change of work between the plants,
depending on certain production
requirements; therefore, the U.E.
201 Lynn representatives and the
Schenectady leaders are planning. a
program to have an interchange of
information on job rates, prices
and working conditions, '
Lynn Turbine workers are pre-
paring a series of questions seek-
ing information on Schenectady
standards. A meeting is scheduled
in Lynn for Sunday, November 15
of Lynn Turbine workers who will
Meet with a delegation. fram. Sche-
nectady Turbine for an exchange
of information.
With the Schenectady and Lynn
Turbine workers, united, there will
be Hittle chance of one being pitted
_tentnst the other,
Foreman warded:
Prize of the Week
Foreman S. MeNally, Bldg, 27
Turbine Division, cops this week's
scallions as the prize of the week
for his outstanding efforts in dou-
ble talk.
It seems that Foreman MeNually
assigned a job of removing’ some
covers to Brother P. Mullins. Tt
wns pointed out that from the
standpoint both safety and ef-
ficiency the job should’ have been
done with a chipping hammer in-
stead of by hand with chisel and
hammer. In nddition to a written
grievance rewarding: the efficiency
und safety involved, he didn’t even
bother to mention the efficiency
ingle apparently oblivious of the
fact that Progress is G.T.’s most
important product. Supervision on
the sume job, 2nd shift, must have
had some instructions in the mit-
ter, however, since they assigned
the same job ta be done ‘with a
chipping hammer. Now in the mat-
ter of safety, he further stated,
quote “Normally, this same job. is
performed every day by other peo-
ple working under the same condi-
tions, The only. difference being in
the tools used”, end of quote. Of
course, the tools’ used made the
whole difference in this ease but
that was his: answer regardless.
Anyone finding a,foreman who will
top this double talk and put it in
writing should send in the namie so
that itvcan be acknowledged, Oth-
erwise, the price is Foreman Me-
Nally’s, ,
Send Information
On Employment
To Mayor Wemple
The Union office has sent Mayor
Wemple information on the jobs
that have been transferred from
Schenectady and also details on
other future plans of the Company
to transfer work.
The Mayor agreed with @ Union
committee on Tuesday of last week
to investigate the transfer of work
from Schenectady as a result of
the Company’s decentralization
plan.
Ralph Cordiner, President of
G.E., claimed in a speech to the
Chamber of Commerce here on Oc-
_tober 6th that the Schenectady
plant would gradually be reduced
in employment to pre-Korea levels,
Mr, Stevens in a letter to the
Union last week claimed the lay-
offs would not be serious; in fact,
he did not contemplate more than
500 to be affected by temporary
‘layofts between now and the first
of the year,
Some jobs not affecting large
numbers of employees: have been
transferred from Schenectady dur.
ing the past 12 months, such as the
‘able work, Special Metals, and.
some vacuum tube work. Most all
employees were ahsorbed in other
departments, Some future plans
involve the T.G, Assembly in Aero-
nauties and the Lighthouse Tubes
in Electronics und also part of the
Control Division. The Union points
out that with the normal reduction:
of work taking effect, which re-
quires some layoff and a eonsider-
uble amount of transferring, we
umot afford to have any trans<
ferring of work away on top of it!
Overtime has been eut drastic-
ally and some rotation has started
in some departments on certain
jobs.
The local office of the New York
State Employment Service has
claimed that applications for Un-
employment Tnsurance have in-
creased. The Union is watching
this: whole situation very closely.
Bldg. 40 Steward
Wins Case
Asoo result of -Shop~ Steward
Dominick Palmer, who works un:
der Foreman, Wukits in Bldg, 40,
processing a complaint for the
Rroup working’ on stack, rotor
punching, the A.G.R. was ‘inetens-
ed from, $1,785. to, $1.85, .
AU ne ARES ob
ee
injured Workers Do Not Lose Compensatien
Protection When Case Is Closed
In the last issue of this paper an
explanation was given-as to how
and when cash settiements are giv-
en to injured workers who suffer
accidents, invalving the parts of
the body ‘listed in that article.
Workers who. have other types of
injuries, such as injuries to their
backs ordinarily do not receive
cash settlements but are protected
in other ways which will be ex-
plained in future articles.
However, when a compensation
ease has heen completed in Com-
pensation Court and the case is
“clased”, even though the worker
has been ‘paid a cash settlement,
this does not. mean that the work-
er loses his right. to make any fur-
ther claims which muy. arise out
of the same accident. d
The worker who. has been in-
jured or who has an “oceupational”
disease is protected for 18 years
after the oceurrence. Although the
case may have been initially closed,
the worker cun have his case re-
Sopened if he can show through a
medical certificute that his condi-
tion has become worse ‘since -the
time his case was closed.
In order to lave such a case re-
opened, the worker should inform
his doetor that the condition came
from an accident and that his com-
pensation cause has’ heen closed.
Most doctors know that ino such
cnses they must file a medical re-
port known as 2 €-27. The doctors
usually have these forms in their
offices, If the ense was previously
handled by the Union’s lawyer, it
is advisable to notify the Union’s
lawyer so that he can prepare -the
ease for further court hearings.
Usually, there are two possible
claims that an injured worker may
have when secking to reopen a
closed cause. The first may be that
his condition again requires medi-
cal treatment after a period when
such treatment was not ‘necessary.
The second may be that, in addi-
tion to the need for such treat-
ment, the worker is again losing
time from work or is earning less
wages because of pain. In such
eases, there will usually be no dif-
ficulty in getting the medical care
at the Company’s expense or of
getting . reimbursement for lost
time or reduced carnings. On the
other hand, the lnwyer’s help is of
great tmportiunee where it is not
perfectly obvious that the new
trouble comes directly from the old
necident and it becomes necessary
to prove that facet.” The lawyers
help is also of importance, where
“the accident took plnece more than
“T years before’ reopening tlie case ~
because after T years it is usually
not the Company but an orpaniza-
tion known as the “Special Fund”
2 © Friday, November 6, 1953
which has to meet the new obliga-
tions and proceedings which in-
volve the Special Fund ure invari-
ably complicated and take a lon
time to iron out.
Injured workers, who are mem-
bers of the Union, should always
consult the Union’s lawyer if they
want help in reopening a “closed’
compensation case. —
U.E. 301 Pensioners
Hold Meeting
The U.E. Local 301 Pension Club
held their regular monthly meeting
at Union Headquarters last Wed-
nesday. °
President Albert. Van Der Zee
reported that he “had received Iect-
ters from the Erie G.I. pensioners
notifying him that they in Evie had
met with their Congressman’ re-
garding more liberal Social Secur-
ity. Also, they were interested
in having a joint meeting of pen-
sioners representing Schenectady,
Evie and Lynn, Arrangements for
such a meeting is presently under
way. :
The officers of the.U.E. Local
401 Pension Club reported that
their membership is growing larg-
er.. They are -in the process of
working out their program for
1954, ,
ASK YOUR STEWARD
ABOUT U.E. LOCAL 301
OPTICAL PLAN
Ives Appointed Chairman
Of Labor Subcommittee .
Chairman H. Alexander Smith
(R., Nu.) of the Senate labor com-
mittee Oct. 29 appointed Sen. Irv-
ing M. Ives (R., N.Y.) head of the
group’s subcommittee on labor leg-
islution, a post held by Sen, Robert
A, Taft (R4.0.) until his death.
Smith is planning a trip abroad.
“Since there is still much pre-ses-
sion work being done on proposed
amendments to the Taft-Hartley
act,” he said, “I feel someone showd
be in charge while Tam away.”
-1 in 50 Holds Two Jobs
Two or more jobs at the same
time are held by 1 out of every 50
workers in the Detroit area, ace
cording to state employment of-
ficers,
Known as ,moonlighters in the
UAW-CI1O, they are regarded as a
menace to full employment for O ‘
by the union. Men holding dow”
more than one job say they have to
to get by at present straight time
rates, Those who have only one
job, they add, usually get lots of
overtime.
_ Bldg. 47: J. Coblish is complain-
ing about the rate of his job. He
is classified as'a Stockkeeper at
$1924 an hour, He claims his.
duties entitle him to an increase.
Airport: L. Kilinski is classified
us a Mechanic, Class “C’.. He
claims the work he is required to
ge yiustifies un upgrade to Class
Bldg. 84: The transportation
group is complaining about certain
departments doing their work on
Saturdays. They request the work
be given to their department.
CART: The group of Laborers
under: Foreman O’Brien are coms
plaining about their present classi
fication. They elaim their duties
justify a higher classification,
CART: The Accumulators. un-
der Foreman Metealf are complain-
ing about the refusal on the part
of the fereman to upyrade thers
into existing openings.
CART: The Assemblers under
Foreman O'Brien are requesting a ~
-charige in classifiention’ to justify
the work they are required to do.
Bldg. 269: 0. Oliver is clussified
asa Class “BY? Exhaust Operator.
Thousands, of grievances are handled by UE Local 301
each year at all levels from the steward up to final appeal
in New York City.
To keep members posted, we shall
each weck list some of the grievances that have not been
settled at the steward--foreman level and have been re-
ferred to the executive baard-managemnt level. .
‘He is requesting a Class “A” elass-
ification to justify the work he is
obliged to do. e
Bldg. 273: 'T. McCube, a Class
“B” “Inspector, working’ ‘under
Foreman Hamilton, requests more
help on the job if the supervision
expects to meet their production
schedule. .
' Bldg. 69: The group working un-
der Foreman Jones are complain-
ing because a group leader is be+
ing used to do work that normally
is done by a production operator,
Bldg. 40-Bi The group working
under Foreman Wukits are com-
ELECTRICAL UNION NEWS
UNITED: ELECTRICAL, RADIO & MACHINE
WORKERS OF AMERICA (UE)
* Lecal 30)
a: re
Published by the Editorial Commities
Prosidont... --James J, Cognatin
wearers: Joseph Atos
_Troasuror, -——--~Joseph Whitbeck.
Rocording Secratary-——. --Milas” Moon
Ass't Recording Secrafary-..-Rudy Rissland
Chief Shap Stoward-.2--William Mastriani
Susinoss Agont-.—......----leo Jandroau.
201 LIBERTY ST. SCHENECTADY 5, N. ¥
plaining about his refusal to grant
xu price resulting from. a time
study.
Bldg. 269: P, Marotta, a Plater
working under Foreman Woodruff,
is complaining that he cannot
make. his regular earnings since
part of his job has been trans-
ferred. He requests an adjust-
ment’ in prices. :
Bldg. 269: BR. -Hallenbeck is.
classified as Repair Shop Equip-
ment Class’ “B” and is working un-
der Foreman Kehrer, He is .re-
questing the-full rate for this job
classification. .
Bidg. 49: The group working un-
der Foreman Pareene are request-
ing: adequate porter service on the
second shitt, They claim the ches .
on the floor evrente a safety haz ®)
Bldg. 273: EH. Lauritano is can
plaining about a transfer causing:
-a losa of earnings, ‘The transfer
was made in violation of the con-
tract, .
~~ Bide. TG: Ty Honsaker, a mill ops |
erator working under Foreman
Gresens, is complaining about a
warning natice by the foreman be-
vause of faulty equipment,
ELECTRICAL UNION NEWS
Washington — Figures released
by the Labor Department Bureau
of Employment Security reveal
hat initial claims for unemploy-
ment compensation increased
stendily during the six straight’
weeks preceding Oct. 10,
k ok
New ‘York—Charges that the
new bi-state waterfront control
law, requiring registration of dock-
workers by Dec. 1, is a “page out
of Hitler’s book’, drew stormy ap-
plause from members of the AFL-
ousted Longshoremen’s Assn. at a
rally here,
k * OF
Chicago—Layoffs continued un-
abated in the farm implement in-
dustry as the unions in the strick-
en plants began developing “save
our jobs” programs.
kik ok
San Franciseo—The | California
supreme court affirmed the ruling
of lower and appellate courts, or-
dering the San Francisco Housing
Authority (o open its public hous-
ing projects to all eligible tenants
without regard to race.
. Sk ok
Washington — Acting rapidly
after announcement hy new NLRB
Cprairman Guy Farmer of a stiff
new anti-labor program, the board
adopted a formal policy of guilt
by indictment. .
xk *
Columbus, O.—In an unusual
Sunday court session, common
pleas judge Joseph M. Harter up-
held a restraining order limiting
picketing by the UAW-CIO at the
North American Aviation Co. plant
here.
ke ok O*
Washington—Pres. John L, Lew-
is of United Mine Workers, in a
stinging letter to editor and pub-
lisher Robert R. McCormick of the
Washington Times-Herald, New
York Daily News, and Chicago Tri-
bune, «characterized as a “con-
temptible insult” an’ editorial at-
tack on union welfare funds made
in the Times-Herald.
x * *
New York—Pres. A. F. Hartung
of Intl. Woodwerkers (CIO) warn-
ed reeently that injunetions are
replacing scabs as the employers’
favorite strikebreaking weapon.
ek k * |
<"\ New Yovk—The United Steel-
“forkers (CIO) has- disclosed the
modified kind of guaranteed annual
wage it will seek in collective bar-
gaining talks with the steel indus:
try next spring. Main feature o
the plan would have. employers sup-
plement unemployment insurance
which workers receive from the
states, ‘
ELECTRICAL UNION NEWS
Co-Workers Don’t.
Quibble Like G.E.
Brother Union members in Steam
Turbine Division were quick to re-
act last week to the G.E. Com-
pany’s penny-pinching position in
regurd to furnishing the ortho-
pedic spring to Brother Dominick
Friello, a welder in Bldg. 278. Last
Friday’s Electrical Union News
carried an article pointing out the
details of the case in which. he re-
ceived a permanent back injury at
work as a result of which his doc-
tor instructed him to sleep on an
orthopedic mattress. G.E. on in-
struction from the court after pay-
ing for lost time, hospital and doc-
tors bill, operation and mattress,
claims they must now review Com-
pany policy to decide if they will
furnish the necessary ‘spring, a
cost of $79.50, establishing what
seems a new low in Company cal--
lousness.
TIndignation ran high among Tur-
bine co-workers as shown by the
fact that on Monday Executive
Board member Joe Sickinger turn- -
ed in a list to Union Headquarters
of 72 fellow workers pledging the
$79.50 that, us they put it, GE.
was too cheap to furnish. This
nyparently was only the beginning
of a spontaneous reaction to the
G.E’s pecuniary policy since there
were eight. or nine similar lists
making the rounds in Bldg, 278 as
of last week. .
Bldg. 285 Steward
Wins Case
As ‘a result of} a grievance pro-
cessed by Shop Steward Charles
Carbin, Bldg, 285, two Class “B”
Machinists were upgraded to Class
“A” The steward brought - the
‘ase to’ Foreman .Konys who ren
fused to grant the request. The
case finally was referred to man-
agement before a settlement could
be reached,
‘Labor Expects Major Attack on Social .
Security at Next Session of Congress
Warned by the reactionary actions of the Republican
party, organized labor is preparing for a major GOP attack
‘on the social security system when Congress reconvenes in
January.
_ Chairman Carl T. Curtis (Repub-
lican, Neb.) of the House ways
and means sub-committee on so-
cial security announced recently it
- is his belief that trained “business
organizations” like insurance com-
panies should handle the entire
setup. This brought such a storm
of protest that Curtis sent a letter
to all newspapers in his district,
District No. 3 Council
Elects Officers
The District Council. elected .of-
ficers at a Distriet No. 3 Council
meeting held in Buffalo last Friday
and Sattiday. ‘The officers elected
for 1954 were:
Louis King, President
William Stewart, Vice-President
Alvin Holeomb, Seeretary-Treas.
Harold Buck, Executive
Secretary
William Mastriani, Signatory
Trustee
: Plorence Hoyle, Mxecutive Bourd
Member (Schenectady Area)
The Council vepresents all ULE.
Locals in upstate’ New York ex-
cluding the, Metropolitan Ares.
R, Nixon, Washington represen-
tative of U.E., gave the’ Council
delegates a report on what is poe
ing on in the Government’s Capitol.
He reported the ‘outlook for em-
ployment is very ‘bad, noting: that
out of 180,000 employed: in the
Farm Equipment Industry, there
are 40,000 laid off. He also report-
ed the large delegation of farmers
going to Washington to protest the
price situation and the fact that’
the small farmer is taking a lick-
ing,
“yanking minority
explaining that the subcommittee
is just investigating. ‘
“All we want is the facts,” he
said. But he admitted the full-
scale hearings next year will go
into every phase of the setup. This,
labor representatives believe, will
give the U. S. Chamber of. Com-
meree an opportunity to advance
its Aght for'the “giveaway” to the
states of the big social security
reserves fund.
Another major attack on the
program is shaping up under the
wuise of tax cutting. Rep. Richard
Simpson (R., Pa.) has prepared a
hill which. would freeze the social
security tax at 144%, the present
rate, instead of allowing it to go
up to 29 Jan. 1 ns scheduled.
Simpson, a high ranking member
of the ways and means committee,
calls the move a tax reduction step.
Sen. Walter F. George (D., Ga.),
member of the
Senate finance canmittee, has
come out in full support of the
Simpson idea, “It would he unfair
to Jet income taxes go down and
the socinl security tax go up,” he
suid; “This would be increasing
the burden on low-income families
while deerensing it on those with
higher incomes.” ‘
AFL social security Dir. Nelson
Cruikshank replied that the social
security levy should not be con-
sidered a tax in the real sense.
“Actually,” he said, “it's an in-
surance contribution to an insur-
ance premium to provide for work-
ers in their old age and to provide
for the family of atworker in case
he dies.”
UE Local 301 Womens’ Meeting.
