Electrical Union News, 1949 January 14

4

ELECTRICAL UNION NEWS

January 7, 1949 ©

Fitzgerald Urges
Unity in Union

There’s room for honest differ-
ences of opinion.in UE, President
Albert Fitzgerald told the 301
stewards’ meeting in Schenectady
Tuesday night.

“Your international officers won’t

quarrel with people who differ from
us honestly. As long as they stick
to facts and debate on the issues
we will respect their opinions, the
way we expect them to respect
ours. This is a democratic organi-
zation and an American one.” ;
_ Fitzgerald said, he had congratu-
lated the new cfficers’ and will co-
operate 100 per cent with them,
and “will expect the same from
them.”

“The national office tries to keep
its nose out of local elections,” he
said, “though we often bear the
brunt of attacks in leaflets and
pamphlets.”

Condemning the anti-union pub-

licity campaign connected with the -

recent elections here, Fitzgerald
served notice that “if ever. again
the national organization is the
issue in such an election you'll find
the leaders of your national organ-
ization here in Schenectady’ de-
fending ourselves from those un-
just attacks.”

Appeals for Unity

In a plea for unity, Fitzgerald
urged, “Let’s start tonight work-
ing together for the people in the
shops.”

Newspaper pictures, like the
“Stalin” photograph at the Mont
Pleasant “rump” meeting “make
a mockery of a good, honest. trade
union organization,’ Fitzgerald
said. He warned that newspaper

smears in Schenectady are xe-_

printed from coast-to-coast,

He also condemned the so-called
“Freedom Bus” which the “Demo-
cratic Action” group sent through-
out Schenectady this week with
red-baiting anti-union propaganda.

“Ask the people responsible for
it why they didn’t have a Freedom
Bus going through Schenectady
pointing out the GE dealings with
the Nazis,” he demanded.

“Ask them why they don’t spend
the same time and effort fighting
the manufacturers who are trying

. to destroy us as they do in attack-
ing this union organization.”

Newspaper Anti-Labor

Fitzgerald warned that union
members who “run to a newspaper”
with union disagreements are go-
ing “to the natural born enemy of
the labor _ movement”? and ave
“trnitors to their oath of office.”

He deplored that the stewards’
meeting had to spend time “on such

Elected to Board

William

Quirini Mastriani

301 Presses Cases
On Holiday Pay

A discussion of holiday pay
grievances on behalf of members
who have been working Saturdays
is continuing between Local 801
and Building 41.

New quirks in foremen’s judg-
ments as to who would have been
called in last Saturday .if it had
not been New Year’s day have been
reported.

The union is arguing that a fore-
man’s judgment cannot be accepted
arbitrarily. Building 41 is taking
considerable time investigating un-
ion claims,

tripe” when it should be discussing
a wage reopening program, repeal
of. the Taft-Hartley Law, exten-
sion of social security and other
vital matters,

There’s “a lot of bunk” spread
about the Atomic Energy situation,
Fitzgerald charged,

“Sure, this business about GE
not recognizing UE ean spread to
other departments,” he said. “It
can spread if you keep yourself so
internally divided that the com-
pany can move in and destroy the
union,”

The union can protect its mem-
bers only if GE fears the union be-
cause of its strength, he pointed
out.

Nailing a Rumor

One of the new forms of the
anti-UE attack, he said, is a rumor
that there’s a rift among the top
three UE officers, There is no
truth in it, he declared.

“I would not want to be an of-
ficer of this organization unless
Jules Emspak and Jim Matles were
officers of this organization,” he
said.

He declared that “none of the
three of us was ever seen taking
off our hat to anyone when it
comes to our loyalty to this union
and to this country.”

Executive Board
Members Elected

William Mastriani, former chief
shop steward, was elected to the
Executive Board Wednesday to re-
present Buildings 73 and 783A.

Helen Quirini, former recording

secretary, was elected woman
Board member at large.

Shop stewards of all sections
elected their Board members that
day at 301 Hall, under supervision
of the Election Committee. Those
elected were:

Henry Kaminski, unopposed, to
represent Bldgs. 68, 72, 76, 80, 84,
205, 227, 238 and 241,

Dewey Brashear, unopposed, re-
elected for Bldgs. 81 and 89.

EK, J. LaBombard, Jr., reelected
from Bldgs, 85, 98, 97 and 109.

Sam Scott, reelected unopposed
from Bldgs. 278 and 285,

Raymond Flanigan,
from Bldg, 49.

William Stewart, reelected from
Bldg. 60.

Willard Kuschel, reelected from
Bldgs. 42, 46, 48 and 50.

James Cognetta, reelected unop-
posed to represent Bldgs. 52, 64, 66
and.49 Annex,

Joseph A. Mangino, reelected un-
opposed to represent Bldgs. 29, 64,

reelected

67, 71, 75, 77, 79 and 284,

Anthony Villano, reelected ‘from
Bldgs. 5, 387, CAP, Peek St. and
Knolls.

Leland Sisto, reelected unopposed
from Bldgs. 59 and 269.

A. J. Spears, reelected from
Bidg. 107,

Stanley Bishop, reelected unop-
posed from Bldgs. 65 and 69.

Robert Phillips, elected from
Bldgs, 57, 87, 91, 95, 98A, B, C, D,
99A, B, 101 and 105.

Anthony J. Espositio, reelected
from Bldg. 58.

Sidney Friedlander, reelected
from Bldgs. 15, 17 and 19,

William Tempieton, elected from
Bldgs. 18, 138F, 61, 68, 258, 259,
265, 49 Patrol, i Test Mainten-
ance,

Albert E. Davis, selected from
Bldgs. 1, 2, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 22,
28, 24, 25, 26 and 28,

John. Brauneisen, reelected from
Bldgs. 18, 18A, 40, 40B and 41.

Joseph Kelly, elected from Bldgs.
12, 14 and 16,

Fred Pacelli, reelected for seco}

shift at large.

UE Broadcast

Tune in on the Arthur Gaeth
broadeast, sponsored by the na-
tional UH, at 10 p.m, Monday on
WXKW, Albany (850 on vour dial),

CONGRESSMAN DRIPP

“eur, PARE ING ,

ONE SHOTSUN CAN'T Nike
ALE YOUR” ENEMIES. «

‘BY YOMEN

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(LECTRICAL UNION:

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THE VOICE OF LOCAL 301 - - es

UE R. & MW. A.

Vol. 7 — No. 2

SCHENECTADY, NEW YORK

January 14, 1949

Workmen's Compensation Conference
Called by UE at Albany February 16

UE Districts 8 and 4 have asked other trade unions and civic, social
and professional organizations to join in a statewide conference on im-
proving the Workmen’s Compensation Law at 1 p.m. Feb. 16 at the

Hotel Ten Eyck, Albany.

The 301 Executive Board voted
Monday night to recommend to the
membership that Helen Quirini and
James Cognetta be sent as dele-
gates from 301. The recommenda-
tion will be presented to the mem-
bership meeting next week.

Since the law was passed in 1914
it has been improved very little.
In almost every respect it fails to
meet the need of injured workers,
but has saved employers large
sums by drastic limits on their lia-
bility for accidents.

Need for changes in the law
were shown clearly in the UE in-
vestigation of silicosis at the El-

“mira GE foundry. The union found
Coho workers suffering from’ this
dreaded lung disease, rising direct.
ly out of the work they perform.
Under the present law only 12 of
them are eligible for any benefits,
Symptoms of mereury poisoning

were recently revealed in a group
of Schenectady workers. The men
and women employed on atomic
energy and, other classified jobs
face new and obscure diseases.
Throughout the state thousands of
workers receive no compensation
for injuries or illness resulting
from their work, or get ridiculous-
ly low payments.

Midnight Party
For Second Shift

Second shift workers will have
a social at the union hall at mid-
night Jan. 28, directly after
work. There will be darts, cards.
ping pong, beer and“hot dogs.
Tickets are 50 cents and can be
bought from the second shift
stewards.

Membership Meeting
Will Be Next Week

Election of delegates to the GE
Conference Board of UE will be
one of the most important pieces
of business at 301’s first member-
ship meeting of the new year next
week,

First and third shift members
will meet at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday,
Jan. 18,'at Mort Pleasant High
School. The second part of the
meeting will be at 1 p.m. Wednes-
day, Jan. 19, for second shift mem-
bers at 801 hall.

The new 801 Executive Board,
which had its first meeting Mon-
day night, voted to recommend that
the 301 membership this year elect
six delegates, instead of the cus-
tomary three delegates, to the GE
Conference Board. The serious-
ness of the problems facing the un-
ion in connection with GE negotia-
tions warrants the larger repre-
sentation, the Board felt.

The agenda recommended by the
Board for the meeting is as fol-
lows:

Pledge of allegiance to the flag.

Reading of minutes,

Swearing in of new stewards.

Election Committee report.

Induction of officers and Execu-

tive Board by a national officer.

Recommendations of Executive

Board,

Action of shop stewards.

GE Conference Board delegates

election,

New business,

Good and welfare.

Shorter Lunch Hour
Asked for Knolls |

Hourly rated workers at the
Knolls I research laboratory want
a half-hour lunch period like the
vest of the plant.

A formal grievance, filed by
Shop Steward William Weber and
Board Member Anthony Villano,
seeks reduction from the present
hour period to half an hour for the
entire group. This week the case
reached the works manager's level
after several discussions at lower
levels,

The case is a good chance for
GE to show how serious it is about
its New Year’s resolution. The re-
solutioti said GE will do everything
in its power to take into consider-
ation the wishes and feelings of
employees,

UE Delegates
Visit Capitol
To Fight T-H

Delegations from all UE districts
in the nation are in Washington,
D. C, this week giving leaders of
Congress and the Administration
first hand reports
on the demand”
back home for re-
peal of the Taft-

Hartley Law and
return of the
Wagner Act.

Local 801 is re-
presented there
by Board’ Mem-
ber Willard Kus-
chel, who was:
unanimously
selected by the’

Board meeting Kuschel
Monday night. More signatures for

_the UE petition demanding repeal
of the - Taft- -Hartley Law were

gathered in  Kuschel’s section,
Buildings 42, 46, 58 and 50, than in
any other section. In addition to
Kuschel, there are two other delo-:
gates from locals in UE District 3.

Kuschel took with him to Wash-
ington Wednesday the petitions
signed at the Schenectady plant to
add to the thousands upon thous-
ands of signatures gathered from
coast to coast by UE members.

The delegations were to. call on
the Congressmen and Senators
from their states and districts.
Plans also were made for the UE
members to meet with Vice-Presi-
dent Barkley, Senate Majority
Leader Lucas, and Senator Thomas
of Utah, who will be chairman of
the Senate Labor Committee this
year. In the House of Represent-
atives the group had appointments
with Speaker Rayburn, Majority
Leader McCormack and Represent-
ative Lesinski of the House Lubor
Committee. A visit to the White
House was also scheduled.

UE Radio Program

The Arthur “Gaeth broadcast,
sponsored by the national UE, is
at 10 pm. every Monday on
WXKW, Albany (850 on your dial),

ATTEND YOUR UNION
MEETINGS

cA Ray ARN ser ana eee

Zz

January 14, 1949

Stewards Approve
Convention Reports

The report on the State CIO con-'

vention at Syracuse, submitted by
the five delegates from Local 301,
was overwhelmingly approved by
the shop stewards meeting Jan. 4.
So was a supplemental report by
Leo Jandreau, one of the delega-
tion and a member of the State
CIO Executive Board.

“Those who dominated the con-
vention originally had no position
on a wage program,” the delega-
tion reported.

At the CIO Executive Board meet-
ing Jandreau insisted that wages
be put on the agenda. The majority
of the Board then voted to present
to the convention the resolution on
wages adopted by the National CIO
convention. This. resolution bases
any wage increase demand on
“reasonable profits.”

Wage Resolution

The 301 delegation and delegates
from many other unions felt this
resolution wag inadequate. In their
behalf Jandreau introduced to the
convention a resolution calling for
a united CIO.campaign for higher
wages, wage increases without

‘price increases, opposition to the
speed-up, and opposition to any
government plan to freeze wages.

Although this resolution was de-
feated, it gained widespread sup-
port from rank-and-file delegates
of other unions.

Report by Jandreau

Jandreau reported that he left
the convention hall during the
speech by James B. Carey, former
UE president, because Carey has
been condemned by UE for his ac-
tivities against the union. The 1948
UE convention consisting of elect-
ed delegates representing 600,000
UE members, by an overwhelming
vote passed a resolution exposing
and denouncing Carey’s anti-UE
activities,

Other 301 delegates to the CIO
convention were William Temple-
ton, William Stewart, Joseph Sac-
cocio and Fred Pacelli, Jandreau
was reelected to the State Execu-
tive Board.

ELECTRICAL UNION NEWS
United Electrical, Radio & Machine
Workers. of America, CIO
Scuenrctapy GE Loaat 301
<>

Published by Editorial Committee

Mary McCartin, Secretary
Arthur Ry Bertin! Clayton Pudney
John _G. Grasso ” Victor Pasche

Editorial Office
KiearricaL Union News

301 Liberty St., Schenectady, N. Y.
Telephone 3-1386

EMPLOYMENT
OFFICE.

374 -EEPERS-

PERSONNEL Aas

said | want em ti work like h we
not } ik like Norseen ores

TEED
weit

UE NEWS SIRVICE é

—

301 Starts Survey
‘On Vacation Schedule

Shop stewards in Industrial Con-
trol, Induction Motors, Wire and
Cable, Industrial Heating and Elec-
tronic Tube are to make a survey
in these divisions of the reactions
of the. workers to the vacation
shut-down schedule.

In accordance with a decision of
the Executive Board, Business
Agent Leo Jandreau this week sent
the stewards forms on which they
are to marl how many workers ap-
prove or how many object to the
schedule announced for this year
by the company.

If there is widespread dissatis-
faction in any division about its
schedule the union will take up the
matter with management, During
‘the Executive Board discussion of
this problem, several members
pointed out that in such negotia-
tions GE will have a chance to ap-
ply its New Year's resolution about
being “more responsive to the
needs, wishes and feelings” of em-
ployees.

Wage Increases

The new UE agreement with Na-
tional- Metal Edge Box Company
at Philadelphia provides pay in-
creases of 10 cents an hour for ma-
chinists, 12% cents an hour for
tool and die makers and 15 cents
for painters,

301 Schedule of Meetings

To Continue As in Past

The 801 Executive Board decid-
ed Monday night that the schedule
of meetings for the union should
continue unchanged.

The regular 801 membership
meeting will be the third Tuesday
night of every month for first and
third shift members, and the third
Wednesday afternoon for second
shift members.

The shop stewards’ meeting, will.
be the first Tuesday night of each
month,

The Board will meet the second
and fourth Monday nights each
month.

Hodges, 2 Pensioners
To Attend Conference

301 Vice-President William
Hodges and two members of the
UE-301 Pension Organization will
attend a conference called by the
national UE Jan. 26 at Lynn, Mass.
on social security, pensions and the
organizing and activities of pen-
sioners’ clubs, The meeting will
be at the headquarters of UE Local
201 of the GE plant.

The 301 Executive Board voted
Monday night to send Hodges and
the two pensioners,

BUILD THE UNION

Just How ‘Unselfish’
Is GE Atomic Work?

The General Electric Company
claims that in the management of
atomic plants it is performing “an
unselfish public service” at “a total
profit of $1.00 for several years’
work.”

But the Big Business magazine,
Fortune, gives a different picture
in an article, “The Atom and the
Businessman”, in the January, 1949
issue. ,

“What benefits does GE derive
from its AEC (Atomic Energy
Commission) contract that redound
to its advantage as a private com-
pany?” the Fortune article asks.

“It would seem to derive a good
deal... . GE is in the first line to
benefit from future atomic-power
possibilities. It is obtaining im-
mediate experience with a host of
auxiliaries, isotypes, new instru-
ments, new plant conceptions, new

gadgets of every description. It ‘©

able to train and develop men at
government expensé.” ‘ .

Fortune, also reported that the
contract between AEC and GH has
an item for “overhead” of* $2,400,-
000 a year, or $9,600,000 for the
four years of the contract. As
would be expected, GE says that
this is a cost, but “AEC account-
ants. believe that some—‘or all’—
of this sum is profit.” ,

One provision of the AEC con-
tract with GE was overlooked by
Fortune. The AEC agrees to pay
prices to GE “for products, mater-
jals, equipment and supplies... to
include a reasonable profit.” An
estimated $92 million of such equip-
ment is to be provided by GE.
Based on GE’s reported overall
profit margin, the company’s gross
profit on its sales to the atom
plants it is operating will be over
$11 million a year.

GE to Obey Ruling
On Strikers’ Rights

The General Electric Company
has notified the national UE office
that it will comply with the fed-
eral order to restore to the senior-
ity records of employees the nine
weeks during which they took part
in the UE strike in 1946.

The Taft-Hartley Board, which
inherited the case from the old
Labor Relations Board, finally rul-
ed in November that GE had dis-
criminated against the strikers by
reducing their seniority.

But thg ‘
Board cancelled out most of et

value of the decision by ruling that
GE need not include the strike per-
iod in figuring vacation and pen-
sion rights, but only for lay-offs,
transfers and rehiring.

January 14, 1949

ELECTRICAL UNION NEWS

Recently Elected Shop Stewards Take Oath of Office

These shop stewards were sworn in Jan. 4 by UE President Albert J. Fitzgerald at 301 Hall. They were elected during the past few weeks,

Now Charlie Wilson Accuses CIO

Of Socialist, Un-American Program

_ GE President Charles EB. Wilson thinks the national CIO legislative

program is “nakedly socialistic.”

Mind you it’s not just. those so-called “eftwing unions” that dis-

please Wilson. It's the whole CIO.

He told the Syracuse Manufac-
turers’ Association Jan 6 that the
CIO legislative program is “utterly
foreign to every traditional concept
of the relations between American
government and American  busi-
ness.”

Of course he used the occasion to
speak once again in opposition to a
fourth round of wage increases,

unless it’s accompanied by a speed-

up. The way he put it was that
raises in wages and ‘salaries, “to
the extent that they are not bal-
anced by a comparable increase in
output per man hour, can only re-
sult in higher prices.” Nota word,
of course, about GE's
profit record for 1948.
As for prices, Wilson thought it
unfair for labor unions to talk as
though “a handful of powerful
business men got together and es-
tablished a policy of charging all
the traffic would bear.” But then
he proceeded to admit that charg-
ing all the traffic will bear actual-
is the principle on which indus-

Lipy operates,

“Our system has- demonstrated
over the years,” he said, “that it
has.a built-in corrective factor for
too-high prices in the nature of the
competitive market itself. If the

all-time’

$1,024 Awarded
For Hand Injury

A Workmen’s Compensation ref-
eree recently awarded $1,024.80 to
Richard M, Jones, Building 84 trac-
tor trailer operator, for injuries to
his left hand Apr. 9. He lost 15
per cent of the use of the hand,

Other awards, also obtained in
eases handled by the union attor-
ney, Marshall Perlin, include:

$644 to Charles O’Neil, saw op-

erator in the Campbell Ave. plant,
for 50 per cent loss of the use of
his left big toe in an accident Apr.
28,

$200 to Jules Held for a facial
scar resulting from an injury May
24,

#100 to Stephen De Massio, Bldg.
GO crane follower, for facial dis-
figurement from an injury May 31.

$67.20 as an additional payment
to Chester Bujanowski, Bidg. 60
lathe operator, for injuries to his
levt middle and index fingers June
19. He had already received
$29.60 for time lost.
price is too ‘high, the consumer
won't buy and what can Congress
evolve that will work more surely
than that?”

Wonder If Wilson

Knows About Ti his

“Tn 1949, we are going to try to
be a better employer,” L. R, Boul-
ware, GE vice-president, announc-
ed in one of his full-page messages,
in the Works. News Jan. 7.

To carry out this fine resolution,

GE is backed up by a new all-time .

record in profits.

So we expect that any minute
now Boulware will invite UE into
conference and offer a general
wage increase, as well as propose
to work out that wage structure to
clear up job rate injustices, nego-
tiate a good pension plan, better
seniority, holidays and vacations,
grievance procedure, third’ shift
hours, and the other things Local
301 has been pressing for during
1948.-

Of course, that is not what
Charlie Wilson hag been saying in
his newspaper interviews and
speeches before business groups.

Union Attorney

Local 801 members can consult
the union’s lawyer, Marshall Per-
lin, at the union office every Mon-
day through Thursday from 2 p.m.
to 5 p.m, He is available by ap-
pointment at other times when
Compensation Court sessions and
other duties permit,

Board Protests to ClO
About Maurillo Speech .

The Executive Board of Local
301 voted Monday night to senda
letter to Allen Haywood, CIO or.
ganizational director, protesting
against the action of John Maurillo,
Syracuse sub-regional CIO direc-
tor, in taking part Jan. 3 in the
illegal meeting called by two new
officers of Local 301 at Mont Pleas-
ant High School.

“During the big 1946 strike ” the
letter pointed out, “Brother Maur-
illo was conspicuous in Schenec-
tady by his absence. We were able
to win our many struggles with
General Electric without his assist-
ance. Our membership is fully
capable of electing its officers and
Executive Board without his help
or interference.”

Board Backs Strike
Of Taxi Drivers

By order of the 801 Exccutive
Board, an investigation is being
made of reported, scabbing by a
301 member against the Transport
Workers Union’s strike at the Dia-
mond Taxi Co. The Board directed
that if the report is substantiated,
charges be filed against the man.

The Board meeting Monday
night endorsed the taxi strike
which: started Jan, 8 and condemn-
ed any strikebreaking activity.
Nineteen drivers went on strike
after the third union member in
succession had been fired.