Electrical Union News, 1952 April 11

ELECTRICAL

Bridgeport, | Goan,2 nek to UE
was the verdict of GE powerhouse
workers in an.NLRB election. The
vote was 32 for UE,
CIO’ and 8 for neither union. It
was the first election in this Gli
plant since IUE-CIO split the local
two year's ago.

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Berkeley, Cal, — International
“Longshoremen’'s.& Warehousemen’s
Union members in Cutter Labora-
tories defeated CIO Oil. Union raid-
ers by a yote of 301to 111.

kok ok

Fort Wayne, Ind.—Another eight
cent increase on top of a general
inerease won Jan. 1, has been won
by) maintenance workers at Mag-
navox, members of UE Local 910.

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San Francisco—A raid by, CIO
Oil Workers was defeated by mem-
bers of the. AFL Electrical Union
among linemen ‘and outside em-
ployces of the Pacific Gas & Elec-
tric Co. in northern California, The
AFL got 5,072 votes to the CIO's
3,158.

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‘Pittsburgh—UE Local 624 ‘mem-

bers have completed their quota of,

$5 each for theit Fighting Fund.

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Newark, N; J. — Inereases of
"$3.50 to $6.50.a week for plant de-
partment workers and. $3.50 to $5
in the aceounting department was
won by 6,000 members of the New
Jersey Telephone Workers after a
one day strike against the New
Jersey Telephone Co.

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Ashtabula, Ohio—UE Local 783
members at Ward Products Corp.
have won a 11,cent an hour in-
crease retroactive to Jan. 7 in their
newly won two year contract.

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New York--A three day strike
against the Isbrandtsen Steamship
Co. in four ports resulted in a new
two year contract for members of
the AFL Masters, Mates & Pilots.

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Tonawanda, N. Y.—UE Local 306
members at Spaulding Fibre, Inc.,
after 10 weeks of negotiations, cli-
maxed by a week of shop action,
have won a 7% cent wage package
in a new. one year contract.

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Wi shington—Wage Stabilization ,

Board approval was given for a 19
eent an hour raise for 36,000 mem-
bers of AFL Teamsters.

1 for IUE-

Congress Urged
By UE To End
Wage Control

The Defense Production Act, on
the basis of economic data for 1950
1, is taking from those who

have tou little and giving to those ,

who have much, Uly Pres, Albert J.
Fitzgerald has asserted in  testi-
* "mony submitted to the U. S. Sen-
ate and House Banking und Cur-
rency committees, which uré now
considering | legislation to
the act whiel!’ sect up the wage
freeze. : E

Fitzgerald called: for an end to
‘wie control,
the beginning of
effective price
control and a re-
turn“to free col-
lective barguin-*
ing between la-
bor and manage.
ment in any new
legislation en
8 aeted.
FITZGERALD The UE lead-
er quoted government figures to
slow that avernge. corporate profs.
its rose '7.5 pereent from 1950 to
-1951 to am annual rate of $44%
billion before taxes, while at ‘the
same time, he added:

“The spendable average
weekly earnings of production
workers in 1939 dollars show
a decided drop from Decem-
ber, 1950 to December, 1951.
A worker with three depend-
ents, whose take-home pay in
December of 1950 was worth
$33.77 in 1939 dollars, by De-
cember of 1951 had suffered a
loss, of 1.7 pereent to $3.19,

He asserted that “n yenr and a
half of experience under the De-
fense Production Act has given in-
disputable evidence of the fact that
the act has operated to the detri-
ment of the welfare of the Amer-
ican people and that a program of
absorbing “excess purchasing pow-
er” is absurb ‘in the face of the
fact there is growing unemploy-
ment in consumer industries be--
cause the workers don't have
enough purchasing power to buy
essentials for living,

renew |

SETTING A COURSE. UE lender who™ addressed the ‘301? Stewards
Ware Conference last Monday, are seen. above in an exchange of views
following the main report delivered by UE Genl. Seey.-Treas. Julius

Emspak. Seen

1. tor. are: Leo Jandreau, ‘301’ business agent; James

J. Matles, UE Director of Organization and Emspak. ,

Stewards Chart Program |
To Change GE's 1% Tune

Continued from Page 1

explaining the facts and ‘getting

ready for the fight ahead. |

Jandreau termed GE’s offer an
iuittempt “to seuttle collective bar-
gaining” and “there’s no limit as
to how

Leading Senator Hits:
Humphrey Hearings

Sen. Hubert H. Humphrey (D,
Minn.), who has been urging legis-
lation that would have the govern-
ment “select” unions. for workers
on the ground of barring so-called
“communist unions,” has been
urged to drop his witch-hunt by 2
man who outranks ‘him, on his own
Senate committee,

Humphrey is chairman of a ‘sub-
committee -of the Senate Labor
Committee, of which Sen. James EB,
Murray (D, Mont.) is chairman.

Murray last week,:in a letter to
a Mine, Mill & Smelter Worker
Union member stated he had urged

-Humphrcy to drop his hearings and

pledged he would “contniue my ef-
forts. to prevent this unnecessary
course.”

far they’ll attempt to go

The UE Steward's Dream

A man knocked at the Heavenly Gate,
His face was scarred and old:;
He stood-before the man of fate,
For admission to the fold.

“What have you done,” St. Peter asked,-~
“To gain admission here”

“Vve been a UE Steward,” he said,
“For many and many a year.”

The pearly gates swung open: wide,
St. Peter touched the bell—
“Come in and*choose your harp,” he said,
“You've had your share of hell.”

—From the UE STEWARD

‘if we don’t halt them.” He blamed
ITUE-C10's “escalator” approach to
general wage increases, based on
BLS figures, as, playing into GE's
hands and urged continued UE ip-
peals. to all GI. workers for a coms;
mon fight against GE. He laud
the skilled craftsmen’s demonstra=
tion’ in a xeeent snowstorm as
showing the fighting spirit needed
by, all GE workers.

Emspak called GE’s offer “ac-
tually an attack on this Union and
ull unions in-the GI chain,” and
termed GE's “super-exploitation”
of women, with a 389 cent gap in
average wages between women and
men, a threat to every male work
er in GE,

He urged visits to congressmen
during the Easter recess to ask re-
peal of the Defense Production
Act, which set up the wage freeze.
Hesaid Sen. Humphrey’s attempt
to have the government “select”
unions for workers, regardless of

their choice, wasn’t a far step from

trying to set up “a one party gov-
ernment.”

Matles declared that events have
confirmed UE’s position that the
wage freeze was anti-labor and
would eliminate coilective bargain-
ing—while the labor leaders who’ve
participated with the bosses and

_politicians on the freeze are now

‘after two years just “to the aD

that it won't work. “fo the
tent we now make progress,” he
said, “is the extent to which we
unitedly fiwht every day to achieve
our objectives,” and “UE members

know, that» their Union’ won't? en-,

gage in ‘any skullduggery : with
bosses or politicians, but will be
an organization in which they can
conduct.such a fight all the time.”

ELECT!

IcAL UNio1

IN

. Nev Ss.

‘THE VOICE OF THE UNITED ELECTRICAL, RADIO &. MACHINE WORKERS OF AMERICA — LOCAL 301, UE

Vol. 10 — No. 14

SCHENECTADY, NEW YORK

Tobe Ie
From Heres,

ROME, N. Y=—Workers ‘at GLF
Cooperative Service Inc. have vot=
ed for UE to represent them. The
NLRB election margin was 8 to 2.

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Portland, Ore—Charging that
employers are trying to provoke a
lumber strike by. refusing to even
meet with the union, the CIO.
Woodworkers announced’ “they’ll
get strike action if that’s what they
want. Early returns on the strike
vote ..... show a 98 percent senti-
ment in favor of strike if no rea-
sonable offers are “made.”

: kK ke Ok
New York, N. Y.—UE Local 1227
members working ‘at Wades-Koh-
inoor Co. have won art 11% cent
an hour package increase.
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‘San Franciseo—15,000 AFL ¢
penters in this area went on strike
® win a 15 cent increase, which

fould bring them to the $2.60 an”

hour level already approved by the
wage freeze board. for other build-
ing trades workers.

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Philadelphia — UE Local 155

“members, working at F. GC. Castelli

Co., conducted a three week strike
and won a 20 cent an hour increase
for tool makers, 8 to 19 cents for
all time workers, 5 cent base rate
increase for piece workers, with
old piece work vates incrensed by
the same amount,
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Cineinnati—Hugo Ernst, presi-
dent of the Hotel & Restaurant
Workers, the AFL’s fourth largest
union, has asserted that “nobody,
but NOBODY can ‘win’ an atomic
war”? and urged “collective | bar-
gaining” among nations to prevent
a third world war.

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Wausau, Wise.-—The CIO Coun-
cil, APL Trades Council and Parm-
ers Union have all taken news-
paper advertisements. to express

heir support of UIE Local 1113

pmbers who are out on strike
rainst the Marathon Electric Co.
Hundreds of townspeople have
turned out on the UE pieketlines.
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--Detroit—Members: of UAW-E10
Local 3 at the Dodge plant have
authorized the taking. of: a strike
yote: ‘by 18,000, mnie to fight
speed-up.

Setting the Pace

Leading the way in building: a
801° Fighting Fund to have in
readiness for any future fights
with GE and defend the Union
from: any attacks are the follow-
ing sections: o

‘301 Chief Shop Stew ard Wil-
liam Mastrianni reports 95. per-
cent of his own group of 34
welders, spot welders and.as-
semblymen in Bldg. 73A have
paid up $5 in full.

Steward Charles 5S. Scott,
welded: products in Bldg.. 46, re-
ports everyone but one is con-
tributing towards. his $5 pledge.

‘Steward Julius Rispoli, spray
and assemblying in, Bldg. TBA,
reports’ 90 percent ‘paid up in
full out of a group of over 20.

Steward Vincent DeLorenzo, a
301’ board member in Bldg. 69,
milling machine, reports | 90 per-
cent paid out of 15.

Sidney Friedlander, 801
board member, reports Bldgs. |
15;.17.and.19 have upped their
total from $365 to $454...

Friday, April It, 1952"

Electrician Stoppage Hits

GE ‘Outside Work’ Abuses

Electricians stopped work - Thursday afternoon, April 3,
and stayed out the entire.next day in protest’ over GE’ Ss -vio-°
lation of a local agreement on utilization of its skilled building

Elect ‘301’ Delegates
To UE Wage Parley

The 01’ membership meéting on

April 7 elected its delegates to’ at-
‘tend the National UE

Wage -Con-
ference in Buffalo, N. Y. on April
19, 20, Those elected were: ,

John Smith, Bldg. 273. (second —

shift); William Mastrianni, 734;
Ray Ellis, 278; Vincent Palazeke,
60; Charles Ferris, 63 and Helen
Quirini, 81. © i

Also serving as delegates willbe
GE Conference Board members Leo

Jaundreau, business agent;.James J.-

Copnetta, president and Fred Pac-

“elti, second shift board member.

NEW STEWARI Newly
elected shop stewards to re-
place vacaneies are seen be-
ing sworn in at the ‘301’
membership meeting, April 7;
by 01’ Chie! Shop Steward
William) Mastrianni (right).
New stewards are sworn in
at each monthly membership
meeting.

Ask Kearney
To Wage Freeze Law |

UE Local 301 is planning a visit to Congr. Patrick Kear-
ney, at his Gloversville home, during the congressional Haster
recess to urge his opposition to renewal of the Defense Produc-

tion Act. ‘801’ members have been
urged to personally write like mes-
suges to Kearney,

The 301’ membership meeting,
April 7, approved such action, aft- ~
er Business Agent Leo Jundreau
»pointed out that this law is the ,
source of the problem: of the wage
Treeze. .

“T believe in defiant anal Hadad
our country «strong and self-sus-

taining,” declared Jandveau, “but

“this law in the name of ‘defense’

\

Opposition

sives the country for the few and ;
not the many. While prices, profits. '

and taxes go up—this law not only
freezes Wages, but eliminates free
collective bargaining.”

‘Pointing out that the law per-
mits armament costs ‘to be “taken
out of the hides of the people,”

~ Jandroau said: GE takes advantage

of ‘this law to offer only a one per-

“vont inereuse, Which only proves

“its the source of our present bar-
guining troubles.”

trades craftsmen.

Displaying the. same’ spirit of
militancy that toolmakers and
building trades craftsmen showed
on March 19 whem they staged an
hour-long demonstration in a driv-
ing snowstorm in support of the
skilled workers’ demand fora 45
cent increase, the nearly 300 elee-
tricians only “temporarily” called
off their action when top level

‘meetings were scheduled at the

Works Manager's level.

The point at isue is GE's
agreement that electricians
will be fully utilized before any
workers are brought in’ on
work let out to outside con-
tractors. Purpose of _ this,

“agreement was to create suf.
ficient work for cleetricians so
that lower rated workers could
move to the top of their elass
in grade progression,

Electricians also point owt that
they have to maintain any new
work that’s installed. A lack of
knowledge by outside workers who
install, such. work miuny — times
nukes it more dificult for them to
maintain it,

Also au burning issue is that hir-
ing outside workers “to save
money” by preventing overtime for
Gk’s own electricians is a fallacy
since, because their rates are low-
er than outside electrici inns, over-
time would only amount to about
the regular rate of the outside elec-
tricians. ;

The issuehas been nearing a
boiling point in reeent months
because GE has been letting
more and more outside con-
tracts. ‘The GE “captive” elec.
tricians point out there's more
than enough manpower among
them for any work done to
date—and that hiring outside
electricians is a clear violation

of the focal agreentent.

A meeting was held with A.C.

Stevens, ussistant to the Works
Manager on Monday, April 7 A

~full--investigation — is ~-being eon=

ducted, with another meeting’ set
within a week with John Alexund-
er, superintendent oof grounds,
buildings and general maintenance,

A LOOK AT THE RECORD ;

ith GE, It’s Spelled PAYtriotism

General Electric hus Just printed a pamphlet, written ‘by Vice
President Lemuel R. Boulware. In it Boulware tries to convince
the government, through Sen. Hubert H. Humphrey (D, Minn.)—
an uvowed foe of UlM—that federal legislation should be passed
that would “select” unions for workers reyardless of their own
personal choice.

Boulware and GE are unhappy that GE workers ‘in - govern-
ment supervised elections continue to vote for UB as their bargain-
ingg agent—hecause they know that UIE has won conditions that far
excel conditions in many other major industzies.

What it adds up to is that on one hand GE is digsntished with

“government” supervised democratic elections and ‘on the other
hand wants’to-use the “government” to help it get rid of a militant
union that it would prefer not to bargain. with.

This is nothing new for GE. it record on many issues indi-
cates itis willing to cynically use the government as a convenience
to: further its ends—a dollars and: cents peer er lonisn For in-
stance—

Take the Question of Pay Increases

discrimination against women, What's the picture today?

Avg. straight time pay— —all hourly. women. $1.349 per hour
Avi. earnings of women incentive worke . 1.403 per hour
Ave. earnings, of women day workers. 1-271 per hour

The gap between women and mén’s rates is ightly under 5
cents. On the one hand GE says it doesn’t discriminate pean
women on rates: ‘But... on the other hand «.. .’it ignores a
“government” recommendation: Again ... . dollars and cents
PAYtriotism. “ : ae

. + ae .

One Thing GE Doesn't Ignore

The Kentucky Is mployment, Service admits unemployment
around Louisville is the highest since November, _1950, with no
immediate prospects,of solution. ‘

That's where GE is building a new plant .. a where it intends
.to build all appliances eventually that “are too heavy. to carry.”
GE intends to create 16,000 jobs here at the low prevailing wage
rate, with lots of unemployed ... jobs that are now done, else-
where at much higher rates of pay. The “government” built this

¥or skilled woilers: it’s like this: oe plant for jet engines, with allocations of material for the building

GE. PAYS
Toolmakers

$2.21

U. S. Government
Recommended

* $2.65

What does Gls do? . It ignores this recommendation based on *

n strvey bya Wage Stabilization Board panel last fall’ GE-won’t
even talk about it. But... on the other hand; .. when it-comes
to a demand for a general increase for its workers, GI tells the
Union that it is sticking strictly to the government’s wage freeze
cost-of-living formula and offers“a 1.36 percent increase, and will
make it less if the government figure drops in April. Again...
it’s dollars and eents PAYtriotism.

Does the Same Apply to Profits?

There’s no freeze on profits, as these figures show:

. : After faster:

$138,117,000
173,400,000

. 1939 1951
ASSETS ° $433,680,000 $1,460,000,000

GIS screams that net profits went down because of taxes, but
the worker’s “take-home” also went down “alter? taxes. But GIs
Pres. Ralph J. Cordiner urges less taxes on corporations and more
on the wage earner, Not mentioned is the f that taxes pay Gl
plenty in its status ‘ns the largést holder of armaments contracts
outside the aireraft industry. GE wants the “government” con-

Profits « Before Taxes

1951 $415,617,000
1950 370,424,000.

tracts but doesn’t want to pay so much taxes to the government.

Again... dollars and cents PAYtriotism.

Then Take The Women

The government in 1945 ruled that GE “exploited” women in
its plants and proposed that GE increase their rates to eliminate

given by the “government.”

GE is building and buying plants all over the country with big
tax concessions it gets from the government and then gets work
done in low wage areas that takes away: higher paid jobs elsewhere
or threatens higher rates.

On. the one hand GE. refused to barg ain on eliminating ‘geo.
graphical differentials, saying it isn’t in The “government” wage
fr eeze formula... but... on the other hand itis eligible for con-
cessions on taxes to make. passible the creation of geographical dif-
ferentials to the tune. of: Pew

. $74, 261 000
Again ... dollars and cents “PAYtviotism.

Then There's Charles E. Wilson

Charles E. Wilson resigned as GE president to take over as
“assistant” president as Defense Mobilizer.. He was in charge.of
handing out all the “government” contracts to big business, in-
cluding Gi. But... 6n the other hand... the minute the cor-
porations—the steel industry... refuse to go along with the
government freeze policies ... Wilson resigns from the “govern-
ment.) Again... a dollar sind cents PAYtriotism. :

Another Kind of Patriotism

GE workers aren’t, fooled by this kind of PAYtriotism, where
patriotism is something twisted to suit the company’s convenience,
They know, too, that true patriotism consists of achieving an ever
richer life in a democratic society, with an ever-increasingly better
standard of living.

That’s why they aven’t going to accept a GE standard of PAY-
triotism that twists and.uses the government only to feather its
nest ,while expecting its workers to carry the burden.

GE will find that out in the weeks and months ahead as the
militant actions of its workers compel it to‘change its tune on no
bargaining for increases its workers have earned and deserved —
ane | demand!

Thousands of grievances are handled by UE Local 301

Biden 18: James Cantore, S&M
motor, demands average earnings
Tor rk hours spent reworking. a
job under the ‘specific instruction
‘of AGF Marshall. Cantore did the
job originally, hexing 36 bolts, on
March 5 in 5% hours and ‘the job
was spoiled because of lack of
proper information and had to be
serapped.’

Bldg. 26: Dominick Fratine, A&
OS, requests that porters be re-
classified as material movemen,
since supervision utilizes them for
this work: and only pays common
laborer rate for the work.

Bldg. 28: Henry Antonelli, a B
test operator, was promised by
foreman that he’d receive his first
~~ glep in elissification within’ three
-months. Foreman denies this
agreement. Adherence to _ the
agreement and retroactive adjust-

2 © Friday; April [1 1952

each year at'all levels from the steward up to final appeal

in New York City, To keep members posted, we shall
each week list some of the grievances that have not been
settled at the steward-foreman level and have been re
ferred to the executive board-management level,

ment of pay is demanded.

Bldg. 29: Sylvia A. Satas, mica,
demands restoration of service
date from date she was hired, min-
us usual deductions. Forelady Do-
berneck has intimated she will only
do this. when she considers her
work satisfactory.

A group on the 40.inch mica tape
machine, which has been in oper-
ation for more than six months, de-
mands a time study to set up piece

‘work prices.

Bldg. 50: . Battery truck oper-
utors demand a correction of the
situation where handymen are be-
ing loaned to other buildings, which
compels them to do: handymen’s

worl, No handymien at all are on
“second” shift, with battery ~ truck

operators doing both jobs.’ 'The con-
yalen has prevailed since Jan, 15,
952.

Bldg. 52: The tool room in Bldg.
52 demands the same hours of work
as the groups they service. They
serviee welded products and large
motor and, generator in Bldgs. 52,

66, and 60 with jigs, fixtures, tem-,
plates, tools, parts and all machine’

repairs. These groups work a con-

ELECTRICAL UNION NEWS

UNITED ELECTRICAL, RADIO & MACHINE
WORKERS OF AMERICA (UE)
Local 30)

Published by the Editorlal Committoo

Aas't Rocording Secretary-..—Frank D'Amico
Treasurer... -- Halen Quirini
Vico-Prosidont —. . Roy Schaffer
Recording Secretary-__.....-Rudy: Rissland.
~-Prosident
Chief Shop Steward ....William Mastrtannl
* Business Agont-nennnn-----bao Jandrequ

301 LIDERTY ST «= SCHENECTADY 5, N. Y.

Jamos- Cognotta-|-

siderable amount of overtime, while
the-tool room stays on 40 hours.
Bidg. 68: A group in porcelain
demands piece work vouchers for
each job. Failure to do this has
resulted in workers not knowing -

their rates and if and when they

make out on a job,

Bldg. 68: D. Testado demands
1% hours pay for hours lost on
a special price job through no
fault of-his. The planning’ card
specified it-be done with a parallel
and: vise and he was given instead
a pair of vice jaws.

Bldg. 73A: A full time tool erib
keeper is demanded fox the second *
shift. The attendant was laid off,
with his duties. assigned to
leader of the machine floor’ 2,
maintenance, men on machine re-
pair, in addition to their duties.

Bldg. 77: A--group in ‘chemical
protests Forernan K. Sharke show-
ing partiality to E, Oleschak, The
foreman gives special consideration
to Oleschak to make up’ lost time,
while no other employee is given
such speeial privileges,

ELECTRICAL UNION NEWS

Membership Cards

Quarterly membership cards for
January,’ February and March were
mailed to all Local 301 members
this week, Anyone not receiving
one has an incorrect address on
record and should see his steward.

FAIR EMPLOYMENT. © Local
301’s Pair Employment Practices
Committee is seen above at a
recent session ..discussing meas-
ures to ensure fair émployment
and root out discrimination. «L.
to r. are: Rudy Ellis, Bldg. 101;
Charles E. Gibson, 50 (not a
committee member, but present-
ed a case to the committee);
Frank D'Amico, 40; Helen Quir-
ini, 81; Rudy Rissland, 273; Sadie
Jovinelli, 81; Chairman Floyd
Thomas, Campbell Ave.; ‘and
Sepretary Sidney Friedlander, 17.

Cmpill. Ave.— Race Track

‘Moves Grievance Log-Jam

The united action of Camphell Ave. - Race Track workers
in “taming” their “horsewhip”’ General ‘Foreman-R. ‘Robinson
a couple of weeks ago has started healing a whole log-jam

of grievances that division super--
vision has. consistently refused: to
recognize,

Following months of run-a-round

hat stewards got, with all sorts of

hnicalities to stall settlement at
he first step, the workers had a
prolonged lunch. hour and started

-work an hour late one morning, so,

they could “discuss” the problem.
Following this, Union leaders in-
structed’ stewards to advance all
outstanding grievances to the next
level for action. .

Among grievances that were set-
tled-this last week were:

A. EX Boeaci, reclassified to A on
March 3 with no inerease in pay,
got a boost from $1.8714 to $1.92
effective March 31. TheUnion is

still pressing for three week’s back -

pay.

Louis Passikoff and, Raymond
Van Allen, machinists, received re-
classification to A and inereased
‘ates from $1.82 to $1.87, with re-
trouctive pay to March 3.

Jack Hogle, performing B ma-
chinist work, received a reclassi-
fication to B from C effective as of
March 31. The Union is now seek-
ing a one step increase to po with
it.

Norman Wentworth, doing elec-

eal work on test and wiring’ pro-

btion machines, got a revaluation °

hat changed his rate from $1.55
to an established job rate of $1.79,
effective March 31.

Stewards are now conducting a

* survey, with ‘the “aint of ending all
chiselling on

‘ates that has taken
place in this division.’

ELECTRICAL UNION NEWS

U.S. Bureau Spurs

Equal Pay Drive

The drive to ‘achieve equal pay
for_equal work for women, a ma-
jor UE ‘demand in negotiations
with ‘Gi, gota. shot in the arm
from the UY. §. Department of La-
bor’s Women Bureau when it spon-
sored a conference in Washington
on April 1 for that objective.

Congresswomun Edna F. Kelly
(D,NY) has since introduced a bill
in congress to make it a federal re-
quirement. Retired Congresswoman
Mary TT. Norton, 1 New Dealer,
who was for 10 years. head of the
House Labor Committee, advised
all women workers to put pressure
on their congressmen to get action:
from the committee. She said its
present southern chairman ‘is and
always was anti-labor,”

The conference also called for
such legislation in the states so
that women in intra-state work,
not covered by federal legislation,
would also be guaranteed equal pay
for equal work.

Steel Seizure Threatens
Tightened Wage Freeze

When President Truman orderéd government seizure of”
the steel industry at midnight last Tuesday, with a well de-
served blast at steel corporations for wanting a price increase

GE Elmira Strike |
in Third Week

GE Elmira Foundry workers, out
on strike since March 25, were still
on sttike at presstime against the
company’s attempts to speed-up
work and cut rates. GE provoked
the strike when it cut the piece

price on an end shield casting for”

a fractional horsepower motor from
$5.76 a hundred to $5.

GE tried to justify the cut on the
basis that a new pattern was in-
troduced, when actually all that
happened was that two small holes
were added and a change in the
shape of a minor projection. Orig-
inally it was cut to $4.60 2 hun-
dred, but Ule Local 310 got it up
to $5 in negotiations before the
strike began. ,

GE also indicated that this is

. just the begitining of a rate-slashing
foundry 7

program in ‘the Elmira
when it told UE negotiators that
‘we must compete ‘with foundries
in“Alabama and, St. Louis.”

_ The company turned down a UB
proposal that the plant resume op-
erations on the basis of average
earnings for one month while ne-
gotiations would continue. GE fail-
ure to settle the strike will af-
feet work in Ft. Wayne, Schenec-
tady, Tvie, Lynn, Pittsfield and
Holyoke GE plants.

Mine-Mill Séeks 25c

Calling for, the “sume ‘kind of
unity and coordination which won
last yeut’s outstunding settlement,
despite the wage freeze,” a na-
tional wage conference of rank and
file delegates of the Mine, Mill &

. Smelter Union set a goal of win-

ning a 25 cent general increase for
the Union’s 90,000 members in
1952, The meeting, in Denver, as-
serted that the wage freeze for-
mula is “geared only to the re-
quirements of corporate profit.”

Scribner To Speak At Conference

‘The Tri-City Civil Liberties. Committee announees that David
Scribner, UE General Counsel, will be the main speaker at a public
conference: they are sponsoring in Schenectady on Sunday, April
27, at the Scottish Hall, 205 Clinton St, at 2 pan. :

‘Theme of the conference is “Labor and Civil Rights.” Panel
sessions will deal with such phases of civil liberties as fair employ-
ment practices, the Humphrey hearings in Washington, housing and
Un-American Committee attacks on orgi anized labor.

The sponsoring committee is a non-partisan organization coms
posed midatly of professional and academic persons in -the area,

“to double nioney on the deal” for
a wage settlement, the wage freeze
on American workers was also
tightened a notch more. ,

The President: stressed that
the CIO Steel Union wants to
“break no ceiling” and just
“ wants to “catch-up,” and men-

tioned that: workers in auto,

rubber, electrical and meat
packing. had already won in-
creases up to 17. cents, while
steel would only. get 1314 cents.

While there is no question, as
the President said, that steel “has
never been: so profitable” and was

. willing to force a strike to get

more than the $8 a ton inerease
permitted—CIO Steel still lags. be-
hind the rest of labor in’ accepting
it proposition that not only doesn’t
“catch up,” but actually will hurt

‘all the rest of CIO, AFL and in-

dependent unions in their efforts to
ae increases over and. beyond the
wage freeze “formula,

Président Truman. also stressed
that the CIO Steel Union is willing
to settle for only a few “extra”
things, such as paid holidays, some,
premium pay and improved vaen-
tions, on which," he said, steel has .
been “lagging behind” for yenrs.

_ That steel corporations de-

‘served the tongue-lashing the

President gave them was re-

vealed in figures showing prof-

its running at a rate of $2144
billion, with a $19.50 profit on.

each ton, in contrast to $11 a

ton in the three high-profit

years previous to the Korean
war. Equally deserved is the
support that the CIO Steel

Union was. getting from all

sections of labor, including UE,

in their efforts to “cately up.”

But with all this, the real danger
is that with the CIO Steel Union
willing to settle for less than a
“gatch up,” and C10 leaving its
members on the wage freeze board
to “enforce” the freeze formula it
didn’t fight, it-will only make more
difficult the fight. of all labor to
get needed increases—while steel is
willing to sign an18 month “closed”
contract to July 1, 1953 for a nickel
more in that time.

GE, ‘nlso»making record profits,
will probably try to use this. to
further cut out free collective bar-
gaining with its workers, giving
added stress to the importance of
the National UE Wage Conference
in Buffalo, April 19, 20, which will

“Map a progranr to “meet the needs

of its members” and “not to fit a
freeze formula.”.

Friday, April 11, 1952 © 3