Electrical Union News, 1946 January 14

“RHE VOICE OF THE UNITED ELECTRICAL RADIO

ct

MACHINE WORKERS OF AMERICA—LOCAL 301 CIO

—

Of Low Wages

The newspapers are attompt-

“< living ‘wage look like a purely
local © affair. The Union-Star .
has taken the Jead in Schenec-
tady. It speaks of being “‘pro-
community.” It fears that Sche-.
nectady will slip into an “econ-
omic valley,” and calls for a
“sensible compromise by both
sides,” .

This struggle for a decent life
reaches around the world. Gen-
eral Electric, for instance, ia an”
international, concern, with
heavy interests in many coun-
tries, including Germany and
Japan. As Veterans of this war
we have come. to understand

‘what that means. -

‘The soldiers who are still
sweating it-out in Europe and
Asia understand it, too. There
are G.I. moss meetings and
picket lines all over the world:
in Manila, Honolulu, Japan and
in a dozen other places. As one
colonel put it, they are “forget-
ting that they are not working.

for General Motors.” It is easy to

they ARE working for General
Motors, and for General Elec-
. tric, too. |

‘Danger: From Greed.

We fought in the war because
we realized that the right to a
decent life was in donger.. it
is still in danger from the greed
of corporations which value
their profits above the people,:
ant=<ere the community.

We know a strike is no fun.
Our war for survival was no
picnic, either. Do you remember
the stories of the men who were
torpedoed and shot down at sea?
Remember what they ate and
drank? Do you remember the
boys surrounded at Bastogne?
It was a, hard and bitter strug-
gle. The enemy dropped leaf-
lets which told ows men they
would be better off if they gave
up: Do you remember their an-
swer? It was one word “NUTS!”

That's our answor to those
who advise us to accapt a lifes
_ time of low wages and privation
for our familics, “Nuts” to all
who say we should surrender ine
definitely, our prospects for a
decent, standard: of . living, in
order to avoid a few days of
eating beans.

The Union-Star says labor
fears that “some of their fol-
lowers: might be awakened.”
Our only fear is that the work+
ing people, to whom we belong,
may awaken too Jate to the
danger of losing the victory
which was so dearly bought with
sweat and blood.

Wo united on December 7,
1941, to. defeat a foreign cnemy
who threatened us ‘with political
and economic slavery. et us

| wnite now, on January 15, 1946,
' ta repel the threat of slavery at

home and to insure our rights
to LIFE, LIBERTY AND THE
PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS.

Signed: Sanford Archer, Ar-
thur Barletto, Frank Bergamini,
Siestan-Gampbell, Joseph Domi-
nelli, Albert DuPont, H. D. Felt-
housen, William Wackert, Eu-
gene LeMoine, William Roth.

_ Veterans Committee

Local 301 - UERS&MWA

_ union contract,

ding differ

forget. As—a—matter_of _fact,—______.. Concern _For.Publie_____..

_ JANUARY 14, 1946

_ In an all-out bid for public and employee sympathy;~the-company
misrepresentation of.facts. The concern which it now expresses for the welfare of its employees

. 8¢ per copy

omorrow
*s Excuses

has-resorted—to--dalibarate

and the public is so thin-veiled it has:fallen flat and sharpened more than éver, the determination of

For the purpose of showing how
far astray the GE publicists have
gone, their own statements as given
in their costly ads of January 10 are
repeated here.

Under the heading “Who wants a
strike at General Electric’, the com-
.pany.says “We don’t want it”. .

The record .is that ‘the company’
has not once in 6 months of negotia-

tion, bargained in good faith on the

It has cancelled the

It has already tried
to cut prices as they have notified
the union they intend to do. It has
laid food and other stores in depart-
ments so their stooges might hold
out in the plant for a long seige. It
has had deputized, many foremen for
what purpose? Because the Com-
pany WANTS AND EXPECTS a
strike . ... its actions prove noth-
mtly. :

wage issue.

“The Public Doesn’t Want It” the
company then says adding that the
“public is waiting for the, things
they make”, If’GE had concern for

they laid off 16,000 workers when it
has such a terrific consumer demand
for itssproducts? Why has. the com-
pany moved three of their large sec-

. tions of the Schenectady plant to

other cities. Why have they. HOARD-
ED their products for months hop-
ing to increase their prices and es-
cape payment of taxes? That’s the
record of GE’s concern for the pub-
lie.

‘So They Don’t—-Zh?

“Many of our employees don’t
want it? says the company adding
that few can be happy at a loss in
wages during the strike. Granting
that there are always a small insig-
nificant handful of people who will
sell their friends and themselves
down the river very cheaply, there
isn’t one thinking employee who will
stand for wage cutting and gradual

» (Continued on Page Four)

the public of Schenectady; why havd. ~-planty:

. the workers to settle their differences with Generous Electric once and for all.

Powerhouse & Guards Must

Go |

n To Protect Union

In accordance with general union policy throughout the coun-
try and especially the program of our own international union, the
General Strike Committee of Local 801 has instructed certain
workers to stay on the job throughout the strike. The big reason

for this is that property may be pro-
tected. An that is not so much that
the union is interested in GE proper-
ty but that it is interested in seeing
that its members are able to go back
te work promptly when -the strike
is won.

A mininiinl amount of heat must

Bus Drivers, Others
Pledge Full Backing

“Busses that do run, will termin-
_ate_at lower street”
has been assured by

~be-kept--up-throughout-the—plant—in
order to keep pipes from freezing
and causing damage that might take
months to repair. The fire depart-
ment’must be on duty to protect the

tive unit. Government employees
on the payroll of the United States
will be allowed to enter the plant.

These, with a few others, in the op-
inion of the international union and
the local general strike committee
are important to the future of union
workers and their jobs. Even these
must have passes issuéd by the union
in order. to get through the picket

lines,
Are On. Strike

A spokesman for the powerhouse
‘group said, “We want it distinctly
understood that we are loyal mem-
bers of Local 801 and are on strike.
We are obeying orders in keeping
these departments running for the
protection of thé future jobs of our
fellow union members.
sure that we will see.to it that this
protection is not abused by General
Electric.”

Office Workers Join
Fight For Better Pay

A large group of salaried workers of the GE served notice on
the Company that it has no intention of falling prey to the Com-
pany’s plans of turning them into strike, breakers. or carrying on
bedroom work shops during the strike at a mééting held last week

at their request.

The group, after hearing Leo Jan-.
dreau explain all details of the un-
ion case, voted unanimously to on-
dorse the union's wage fight. As
meats of making their support ef-
fective, a tomporary president and
secretary were elected to lead the
organizing committee and a com-
mittea was selected to publish a
monthly salaried workers bulletin
‘which will be sent to all salaried
workers who have signed an appli-
cation to join the union. ;

A report was given by the union

organizer to the effect that many _

thausand salaried workers now worl
ing. in the Schenectady plant were
alreary members of the UE and re-
ports had been received during the

past weels ‘that they’ had offered to
do their share of picket duty on the
Nnes during the strike,

An old-timer at the meeting point-
ed out that the white collar workers,
which had always been the most ex-
ploited group, had felt the big in-
crease in cost of living the most.
“Let us remember,” he said, “in 1938
the GE cut our wages 10% but the
factory help which were protected
by the UE did not take the cut be-
eause they had an organization to
fight for their interests.”

It is planned bythe office workers

to organize a U.E. local which’ will”

work with but be entirely separate
from Local 801. us

ns + on R cement a

‘Tho: patrol- is also .a-protec-.--

You may be.

president of Local” 169, Transport
Workers Union. Full text of the of-
fer of cooperation to striking GB
workers which was received follows:
“Local 159, Transport Workers Un
ht on ‘record at'a*spedial“meet-" ©
ing tonight, January 9, 1946; to sup-
port the G.E, workers to the fullest
extent, in event of strike and as-
sure them’ that THERE WILL BE
NO BUSSES. RUNNING TO THE
G.E| plants for any’workers, Busses
that do run will. terminate at lower
State street. Signed Lewis Benedict,
president Local 159.”".:

AFL Pledges Support

Meanwhile, Richard Carmichacel,
president of the Schenectady Trades
Assembly, AFL, made public the po-
sition of his organization by stating
that no member of his organization
would attempt to pass ‘any picket’
ine. ,

Local 70, UOPWA, which is the
bargaining unit for office employees
including those employed by Local
801, voted fullest support of that
organization behind the GE workers.

Beware of Rumors

Thie is to caution our members”
that there will be many wild rumors®
spread, throughout the community on
offers ‘that the General Electric Com-
pany is supposed to have made to
your union. There no doubt will be
stories in the local press. condemn-
ing the union on the way that they
are conducting the strike, and there
will be’ people who will be telliig
you that your-leadership is making
a serious mistake and that you should
take whatever offer the company
makes regardless of the strings that
are attached.

The officers and executive board
of Local 801 for these reasons have
arranged to keep you fully.and truth.

. fully informed on tho progress of
the strike by the use of Strike Bul-

letins, The Electrical Union News
and the radio,

Hall Always Open

Furthermore Union Headquarters
will be open at all times and there
will always be people available who
can answer any..questions. that you
>may have, | - . ’

You are requested before passing
on information concerning the strike
“that you be sure that it is’ trueand
has cleared through the General
Strike Committee.

ELECTRICAL UNION NEWS i

ELECTRICAL UNION NEWS

United Electrical Radio & Machine Workers of America, CIO
8 _Sshonestady GE hocal 30!

= EO

“ Editorial Office”
301 LIBERTY ST. «=

= Drateredl and Published by the ©. ;
~ PUBLICITY ‘AND PUBLIC RELATIONS COMMITTEE

Electrical Union News
“SCHENECTADY, N. Y.

Co_Provokes Battle -

a

By Daily Injustices

77

speaking about when they talk ‘about
strikes, must. know first hand, the
actual conditions inside industry. To
some people and much of the press,
strikes are something decided upon
by union leaders, and followed out
by the general run of: the member-
‘ship. Nothing is further from: the
truth. Strikes are the result of de-
cisions in the minds of the majority
of workers which are unified into the
» channel of ‘common action by the
union leadership.
What influences those decisions?

They are the everyday occurances in’

the shop, the little things that-happen

daily which would never in: them-

selves make a newspaper headline or
even slightest mention. Such things
for instance as a man seeing his
amount of: pension being: drastically
eut by being downgraded by the
company after many years of servies
to the company;: or not having
enough money left over at the end of
the week to replenish that coal sup-
ply that is running low; the refusal

~“immediate;supervision-or-perhaps —

management to correct inequalitics
on the job; in other words the failure
by ordinary methods of obtaining the
things. of life of which a worker is
deserving. in return for his toil,

Cooling Off Over

When the ‘stored up dissatisfac-
tions of the majority reach the point
where mind and body can no longer
stand the strain, we have strikes.
Did someone say cooling-off period?
The members of thie union, lil
others, have gone through months of
cooling off—-and in return got a

-qdo- +--+ cold shoulder from manage-
ment for it. Did someone say “Think
of what a strike will do to our city,
its people, its merchants”. Who are
the people of this city if they ave not
the workers who-must force a
settlement of a just grievance by
using the last method at their dis-
‘posal. Who are the consumers wha
buy the merchant's goods if they are
not the workers in GE and Aleo who
draw their pay on Thursday or Fri-
day and spread it the length of State
street and from Rexford to Rotter.
dam among the merchants.

Heroes Now Devils?

Just who are these workers: who
are demanding a just wage settle.
“ment. Did, the Union-Star or others
who share their opinion ever hear of
them? Perhaps not by the names
they are now calling the workers un-
der their breath but a few months

_ ago they were the patriotic Ameri-

cans about whom even the General
Electric’ Company joined in praise
for their magnificant war production
record, along with the leaders of
military, national and local civic life,
Many “of them were, GI Joes who
stormed the beaches in the Pacific or
sweat it out in a foxhole in Europe
whom ‘everyone promised “we will
never fotpet. your deeds and -sacri'-
fice.” They are John: Jones who
lives the ‘second house down the
street, Bill: and his wife who live up
stairs, ‘they; are Dad, Mom, your
cousin, ‘But now they" Ye something
else... or are they?

_ The people; themselves know what _

they aro striking for... its merely
the right to a decent life and secur-
ity. They are’ woll. aware of the im-

plications involved in a’ strike dnd”

are aware of the fav worse implica-
tions, if they should lose, not otily
for themselves but their future, their,
community, and thoir nation, They

-know__what_they_ate._=

“pany gives 4 cents,

vA Wag

January 14, 1946 9

|] State Street Gossip

The following are common remarks heard along State street
in public meeting places, and even in the shop among certai

management-ized émployees.

That ‘this ty

of -rumor-gossip|

* un-accidental goes without saying ..... it’s one ‘of the company’ 's
. ehoicest wapons in its battle for public sympathy. “y

Those who want to strike are radicals.
Yes, and rightfully so.

Answer:

- Who are they? They are your

neighbors,: friends and relatives who are ambitious enough to desire and
expect to enjoy a decent living, in return for their toil.

Answer: They will not.

nerease will make prices go-up.--~ - _
Labor -will not enter into a conspiracy with

Jatiuary 14, 1946

ELECTRICAL UNION “NEWS

gF , 3

Open Letter Protests No One Is Exempted

_ To The Schenectady County

Board of Supervisors
County Court House
Schenectady, N. Y.

Attention: . Mr.
Gentlemen: ‘

Kenneth C. McKee

Our organization is en a recent action of the Sdiensotaily Coun-
ty Sheriff in deputizing 20 foremen of the'General Electric Company. This

industry against the general public by agreeing to a wage increase which
was dependant upon inereased consumer prices «and eventually lead to a

spiral of inflation.
ntial, wage. ine

are fighting for a chance.
things they need, which in. turn and
not indirectly means to insure our

city that taxes, can be met, that mer- -

chants will have a good market and
demand for their goods, so the Union
Star can sel ladvertising spas to the
merchants,

It is the workers who bring the
wealth into Schenectady through
their toil and still certain elements of
the press would advocate KILLING

“THE GOOSE THAT LAYS THE

GREENBACKS ON THE LINE.

Women Exploited
By General Electric

The War Labor Board ordered the
General Electric Company to bring
the rates for women into line with
the rates for men doing similar work.
The chairman of the WLB made a
personal investigation-of conditions
in the Schenectady plant and stated
_flatly_that_women were being ‘ex:
ploited’ by the Company. The Wil
said the Company should inerease
women’s wages by 6 cents an hour.
GE refused to comply: Why?

They didn’t comply, because they
were already plotting to come out
with a 10 pereent offer to avoid pay-
ing what was ordered by the govern-
ment. The 10-cent raise might he fig-
ured like this: 6 cents for exploita-
tion and 4 cents to cover. increases in
the cost of living. Now, how far
would 4 cents go toward biying food
at present prices?
amounts to is a 4-cent offer,

The great General Electric Com-
Can you imag-
ine it? You don’t have to.
fact.

| Every member must be

What this really .

It’s a

prices,

The government agrees with labor that there can and
t_any_need_of_an_ increase_in.... =

The union should have agreed to the 10% offer of the company.

Answer:
justice to its membership.

By accepting it, the union would be guilty of a gross in-
The offer itself fails far short from the actual

needs it’s ‘pointed out in the union's case as presented before the company
to balanee earnings against the increased living costs and of equal imi.
portance is. the fact that the lower-wage-bracket groups, those ‘on jobs
from 71¢ to a dollar who comprise the bulk of the GE employees, would
yeceive much less of an increase than the skilled worker who also needs

an inerease.

The union insists.that all employees. be treated alike and that

ean only be done through a flat cents-per-hour increase.

The union should not strike now.

The fight between the union and management goes much deeper than

only the wage increase,

The Company, by numerous actions such as GE's

cancelation of the union contract; are wagiig an undeclared war on or-
ganized labor in an effort to break the unions or at least make: them in-

effective.

The union’s position if it did ayoid the showdown, would be

best illustrated by the man who waited until his house was burned to the

ground before he tried to pour water on the fire and put it out.
: id

NOTE

From Picket Captains

at his assigned post
Tuesday, 6 A. M. for
MASS PICKETING—
Would-be Sceabs MUST
NOT PASS our lines.

‘soliciting their support.

G. E. POLICY:

Divide’ Em and Rule’ Em

In an effort to divide the ranks, of
the workers, and pit the lower paid
people against those making more
money, GE made a 10 percent offer.
They thought such an offer would
satisfy the workers in the higher
brackets and. leave the majority of
the employees on low-rated jobs
holding ‘the bag. When the people
saw through that one, the manage-
ment came along with a modified of-
fer of 10 percent to not less than 10
cents,

and electricians were trying to get
GE to come through with a raise
which ‘had been ordered by the War
Labor Board, a few months apo,
10,000 lower tated workers came out

of the shop and put on a real dem- .

onstration for them, P.S.:
got the raise.

It will be to the interests of the
higher paid workers to stand  h-
their low-wage brothers and sister:
and help them to get a wage increase

which will really amount to some;

They

—---When—the-plumhers,—steamfitters— thing. They will do. it, too...

PICKET INSTRUCT!

Picket Captains

Every shop Committceman is
a picket Captain. Each Cap-
tain has a picket schedule of.
Union members in his depart-
ment, indicating the days and
hours when the member will be
on the picket line,

Pickets .

Every Union momber is as-

signed to picket duty, and will

receive his schedule of days and

hours from his Picket Captain,
~ Reporting for Duty

Pickets will report to the

, Picket Captain at the post to

which they are assigned. Cap-

Mains at the post to which they

ONS

are assigned. Captains will be
available at all times.

Check-Up-

The Goneral Strike Commit:
tee will check all schedules. of
‘the Picket Captains, The Gen-
eral Picket Committee will cir-
culate on a 24-hour basis, keep-
ing a sanAtint check on all
Bates.

Special Picket Squads

Emergency picket squads will
be on hand at all times at Un-
ion headquarters. .

Passes ;
Picket Captains will reconice
those passes: ONLY which are is-
sued officially by the Union.

Food Committee =

Already Active

The Food Committee, under the
chairmanship of Board Member frene
Patterson, has already begun the
solicitation. of food for picket lines
ana hard-pressed families. . Letters
have been sent to all food merchants
in the city, both retail and wholesale
Teatns from
the committee and from the organi-
zaiton of wives of .members have
started active solicitation and are
getting excellent results. .

‘Coffee, doughnuts and sandwich-
es will be served by the wives of
members at the strike headquarters
opposite the .main gate on Edison
Avenue, at the strike headquarters
near the Subway Gate, strike head-—
quarters at Campbell Avenue and at
Union headquarters. Mobile units
will supply the same service to picket
lines on Rice Road and the Cinder
Path,

Other: members of, ‘the committee
are C, Billie Rogers, William Kelly,
John Boyle, Sadie Tovinella, Jack
vee James Meaney, and. Francis
Etzel.

Speakers’ Bureau
Tells Union Story

A Spenkers’ [Bureau under the
leadership of Sidney Friedlander,
has been organized by the Publicity
and Publie Relation’s Committee.
Its purpose is to offer any and all
groups and. persons. of this vicinity

‘full and accurate information about

the wage and strike questions,
Every business man in Schenec-

tady.as. well as. other civic groups

have been sent personal letters of-

fering the services of the trained

staff who will meet with them in-

dividually or before groups.
Signifying a real interest, a siz-

able number have already responded

and asked fora union speaker. to
call on them.

Any civic, professional or neigh-

_*borhood - -BYOUp... who. would... like - to.
have the issues explained and any

questions they may have answered,
aro invited to call Fay Marvin or
Milo Lathrop and placa their re.
quest,

——

is unwarranted ‘and provocative.

was-done.at.the request_of the eorporation:-—Such-an-action, in our opinion,
The action certainly indicates that the

Company expects to. fight the workers’ with every means at its disposal. As
a further indication of this attitude of the Company, it should be noted
that this action ‘was taken Beer to he announcemen of any strike date.

‘tion.

iGiving | Foremen Club From Active

There is a job waiting for every member of Local 801 on the
strike front. ‘This is not a strike of the officers and executive
board of the union but it is a rank and file decision. The member-
ship by an overwhelming vote has authorized a strike to enforce
their demands for a decent. living wage.

Varied Skills Needed

The Executive Board, which is the
General_Strike_Committee,_has_ set. _
up eight committees for strike ac-
There are: Food, picket, vet-
erans, welfare, publicity and public
relations, recreation: and social ac- °
tivities, distribution, and finance. Tha

_-most..of_these_commttees. need_adadi-......

“ment and many other sale who have been deputized for many, years.

We believe that the previous number

should have been’ sufficient.

The exercise of arbitrary powers without consulting other interested
parties is not an action to be condoned. We think that the sheriff should

have arranged an opportunity for a
both sides could have been heard.

full discussion of this problem so that

It would certainly seem that the sheriff
’ is showing partiality in view of the existing’ circumstances.

-We.are requesting your assistance and support in this matter in order
to eliminate any obstacle that might impede a speedy settlement to this

wage dispute.

Very truly yours,
Leo Jandreau, Business Agent

Local 801. . 4

tional help. If any member of the
local feels that he or she has talents
that would be useful to any of these
committees they should call union
headquarters and volunteer their
help. ~ :

Everybody Must Picket

The picket line is, of course, every-
body's job. Every man and,,woman
in the union is expected to put at
least one day on the picket line. But

there are many other jobs, too. If...

you can write news copy or have a
art for digging out ‘news the Pub-

Fort Edward Plans
Effective Strike

The Fort Edward plant of the Gen-
eral Electric Company is well or-
ganized for a strike under the lead-
ership of Harold Boynton, Executive
Board Member. Strike headquart-
ers have been set up across the

“street fiom the” plant in a” garage”

owned -by George Capupos. Coffee
and doughnuts. will be served there
to the picket line and committee.
There will be-cards and other table
games available,

A pep meeting of the Fort Id-
ward membership. was held Friday
evening at which refreshments were
served and entertainment furnished.

Picket Stations

Main: Gate, near Stark's
gas station.

Subway, Bill's Lunch.

Campbell Avenue, Piccolo's
Coffee Shack.

Pay Checks Prove
G. E. Claims Phoney

The General Electric Company’s publicity department is do-
- ing a mighty poor job of trying to convince GE workers that they
-are getting: enough-money-te-live- on-without-the- necessity-of-a-—\To.. weed out—the_roots_of_false-

wage increase.

Using a gag line, which by the |
way, is a quote from Charlie Wilson’ a

statement of December 21, the com-1

pany’s advertisements say “GE aver-
age rates 30% above 1941", Fur-
ther along in the big ads, and GE is
spending. lots of money on them
which would be put to.much better
use in pay-envelopes, the company
says, “Within the past month the
government is the authority for the
statement that the cost-of-living in-
crease is now 83%, which introduces
a new factor for appraising compen-
sation for company employees.

G E Math

To break these statements down
let's analyze what actually are the

To All

t

WSNY

EVERY MONDAY, WEDNESDAY and FRIDAY
7:15 P.M, at-1240 ON YOUR DIAL

ELECTRICAL UNION NEWS

BI-WEEKLY AND OFTENER IF NECESSARY
Distributed at plant gates and other vantage points to be announced.

BULLETINS

. Flash news of importance as fast as the presses will run and distributed
in the same manner as the Electrical Union News.

embers

It is highly important for you to keep fully snformed of all, new
developments as rapidly as they occur.

The following are the three main channels through which the lead-
ership of the union will get their messages to you. Follow them closely.

LOCAL 30! PUBLICITY AND PUBLIC RELATIONS COMMITTEE

-them only. too well.

facts as the workers in the GE know
First of all...
“your rate is up 80%. The union
has won during the time the com-
pany specifies (1941 to 1945) two in.
creases 10c and 5%c a hour respect-
fully. There were no more increases
... in faet there was a very famous
law known as the “Little Steel For.
mula” that prevented any more, For
a man:.on a $1 an hour job, our
mathematics say his increase was
1644%; on a 7c per hour job the in-
crease would amount to 20%, a man
on a $1.80 an hour job, the increase
would amount to about 64%. Still
the company figures the average in-
crease and reports.it to the public
and to YOU as 30%.

If strikes us that they are trying
to pull the stunt performed by fish-
ermen who catch a fish too small to
be lawful so they break its back.and

“stretch things a bit.

Now to get this 830% increase on a
personal basis, George K. in the
transmitter department received 84
cents an hour in 1941. Then during
the war rush, he stepped on it every
minute of the day and was lucky to
build his take home up to about
$1.20. But on V-J Day those jobs
were gone so he did odds and ends
for 92¢ an: hour but they didn’t last
long so he was transferred to an-
other department. What's he get-
ting now? George is getting 88c an
hour on work of equal calibre as
he had before,.

So iet’s sea “how the GH’s 80%.
stands up for George. He got Sie
in 1941 and is getting 88e now. The
difference is an increase of de or
figured on a percentage basis, ap-
proximately 444%. Again we say
“GE's stretching things a bit?’

No ‘Surprise

As for acknowledging that only
“last month” increase in cost of liv-
ing went up to a total of 88% over
pre-war levels... Every person who
eats, wears clothes or lives in a
dwelling knows the answer to that
even if the-prevaricating figures as
doped up by the Company's public-
ists don’t,

¥

SAYS JANDREAU:

“We do not intend to let anyone :
through ‘that line to take our
jobs.”

licity:Committee can use you. If you
ean sing or tell stories or. entertain
-- volunteer for service--with-tha-Reara.
ation committee. If you are. good
at soliciting or neighborhood activi-
ties, the food or distribution commit-
tee can use you. ‘Veterans, should
contact the veterans committee and
be assigned-to a-jobs-- >

Productivity

Charges by General Electric Com-
pany spokesmen that the productiv-
ity of the workers is as much as 25
to 80% under par has been made pub-
licly and also to union negotiators in
wage meetings.

___This_back-handed slap at the work-

ers who-the company itself a few
months ago-praised for their “splen-
did cooptration which made its out-
standing war production record pos-
sible’, is not only a maneuver to
counter the union’s wage arguments.
It is a wedge designed to be used by
piece-rate and planners to tear apart
piece prices and job rates; to wring
every last ounce of energy from a
human machine for which they are
willing to pay as little as possible
and get away with it. ‘

Gov’t Contradicts.-GE -

hood from the GE fable, one only
has to refer to two volumes prepared
by the Bureau of Labor Statistics for
the Senate Subcommittee on War
Mobilization. It is a source of in-
formation as reliable as any to. be
had.

Says this government agency: “We
have come out of the war knowing
a great deal more about how to pro-
duce efficiently, speedily and cheap-
ly, than we knew when we went in”
. «+ The extent of the wartime in-
erease in productivity has been esti-
mated by the War Production Board
for finished manufacturing goods at
an average rate of 5% per year for
the years 1939 to 1944, or a total for
that period of 25 percent.” For the
period January 112 to duly, the in-
crease at this rate amounts to 22.)
percent,

Need Economie Balance
This means that in July, 1945, the
average manufacturing worker was
turning out each hour 22.9 percent
more product, (measured in physical
units) than he was able to turn out
in January, 1941. Now it is elemen-

‘tary economics that if output per

man hour ‘rises while workers get
paid no more than they did at the
outset, industry will go into a tail-
spin. People can only buy industry's
products if their incomes rise in
proportion to industry's cquaciiy 4 to
produce.’

Simeneeniie

‘Merchants Cooperate

- These friendly merchants are
among these cooperating with
the Strike Food Committée,
Chairman, Mises Irene Patter-
son, reports, —

Frichoffers’ Bakers has prom-
ised that it will duplicate frac,
any amount of bread or dough:
nuts bought from them by the
union.

Friedman’s Market offered a
plenteous supply of stew beef,
beef bones for soup and cold’
cuts,

Other markets such as Was-
aerman and ‘Weiss Pleasant Val-
ley Market were also vary co-
operative,

Waldorf Bakers refused to
cooperate in any way when:
called upon by the Committee,
Miss Patterson reports.