Electrical Union News, 1951 October 26

ELEC TRICAL ‘UNION NEWS

Workmen’ s
Compensation

“AThis is another in a series of articles
writlen by Leon Novak; UE Local 301's
lawyer.) :

The Worker Who Injures
. His Back

. TW this type of’

* other cases the wor ‘eet is entitled
to medical care paid for hy the
Company. If! he wishes to use his
own doctor for this medical care,
he dees not: have to ask permission
from anyone. In’ addition, the
worker is entitled to compensation
for lost time, and if he.returns to
work and eams less than he did
hefore the accident because — his
back i ubling him, he is entitled
to 2/3 of the loss.

Instead of receiving a
-sum-award for a back injury, 28
worker is entitled to the benefits
already: described above, that is
medical care, lost time benefits and’
“reduced earning benefits. This he
is entitled to as longyas he suffers
from the injury. a

os he has_no more trouble with

, his case is closed but-he can’

seopen it for 18°yeurs after the ac-

cident if his condition should begin,

to Bother him“again. On, the other
hand, if it is found that he has a
permanent injury to his back, he
receives only payments. for the
medical care unless he begins. to
lose time from his work, in whieh
event he again gets compensation
on a weekly basis. Tn other words
in the case of -an injury .to the
hack, compensation benefits are
paid while a worker is unable to
work or losing pay,’ but he does
not"receive a lamp sun ward.

Many “workers who injure their

hacks ask Whether they should not
" veceive a lump sum award for such
injuries. In the first place, as I
“have already explained, the law
does not provide for such awards.
In the second place it is not to
the workcr’s interest that he close
his case with stich an award ‘be-
cause back injuries can last for
“years during which time he is bet-
ter off receiving free” medical and
hospital. treatment as well as com-
pensation for Idst time, If he
closed his case with a lump sum
award he would be giving up these
additional benefits,

WIN 8 RAISES
IN KNOLLS I”

Us Steward Charles: ‘LeDoux

has just negotiated 8 raises for.

glass blowers in Knolls T. . The in-
creases are in the “A” category,

lump’

1400 SIGN UP
WITH UE 301

Since the Union's: member-
ship drive, begun‘during the re-
cert cleetion . ‘campaign, 1100
GE. workers have signed up
with UE ‘Local 301, it was ane,
nuuneed. today by - President
William Kelly,

These new omembers,. include
‘not only, ew “@niployees ® but
workers) wha “had heretofore
been cn the’ sidelines,
pointed out.

New members: pay $2 initia~
tions unless they come from
other local unions where they
were members in good stind-
ing ar were former UE mem-'
bers: who ‘left. to serve, in’ the
armed:-forees and were re-em-
ployed by GE within 90 days of
‘their discharges , :

Kelly.

ay

Trustee's Statement

We,..the undersigned trustees
examined. the books of UE Locai
301 for the third. quarter of 1951

If his back finally becomes well. and find them in perfect order. |”

Signed: =
Harold Simpson
Joseph Witbeck
Edward LuBerta

festinghouse Workers in New Jersey
UE and Come Back Home to UE

They're coming back!
The

Newark, New Jersey, voted
on W fednesday, October 4 to
get rid/of the TUE and return
to- UE, *

This cis the ‘lirst Westinghouse

linit to return to UE and shows)
the way the wind is ‘blowing, The ~

more than..4,000 production and
maintenance ‘workers. in the New-
ark Meter Works-remained with
UE when the salaried employees
by -a close. vote last’ year decided
to try TUE."

~ Another sign of the tui of the
tide" comes from Westinghouse’s

solaried employees of

‘Westinghouse Meter Works in ’ ae
“owas turned back by. diily

EE
aie
i

. “YT never worry about high prices .

oy spoils my appetite,.

aes know.”

_ Baltimore plant where the work-

ers swamped a second TUE raid by
a vote of 883 to 280,° The first raid
572 votes
to, 268, °
Shops Go UE

New shops are coming in to UE
as the union shows it can do the
job. Workers. at the Harris-Hub
Bed & Spring Co., Seranton, Pa,

shave just won the right tobe rep-

resented by Ul,
APL. :
The workers ‘of Marathon Mo-
tors in Marlyville, Il. tarned down
TUE. in favor of UE,
Office and production employees
of aie, Stockwell Transformer

vejecting JAM-

| Mayor for Taxe on n Top of Tax

Mayor “Owen Begley of Schenectady ‘who -asked: for a 300
percent. wage iricrease for himself while supporting the wage freeze
for us has now~come out in favor of increased state income taxes’
with a share of the proceeds to come back ‘to Selignectiade, To

. pay. for his. pay. hike?

Mayor Begley put in his bid fal a teen mehered state income

. tax on top.of record-breaking Federal income levies through his
“ippointee, Christian Kouray, City Manager.

despite the company’s

Corp. voted for’ UE at a’ reeent

Labor Board election with only one

opposing vote.

After a
campaigns. the workers of the De-
troit Coil Co. voted for UE.

The IUE vaid at Espey Manu-
facturing Co. which hit’ the news-
papers
‘violence was defeated 203_ to ue
s‘hiving’ of 5
TUE-CIO supporters
election campaign.

six weeks organizing.

beeause of IUE-provoked. -

during: the -

PARTY
TOMORROW
NIGHT

73, 734A, 69, 63 and Chemic
Division is tomorrow, Saturday;
October 20, 8:00 2.M. at Union
Hall): Last week's newspaper
incorrectly reported the date as
November °20; It’s tcmorrow.
“night anda good time will be
had by all for only ane admis=

The social night for omic .

sion, v

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

Var 9 — No. 23

BOTENECTADY: NEW YORK

Friday, October 7, 1951

| OfRiE To TAKES

STRIKE VOTE
NOVEMBER 2

Erie'GE workers set:'November
2 a8 the date for their strike vote,
coordinating with Schenectady

same day. tee
The Evie decision .was. reached
by unanimous vote of UE. Local,
506 Executive Board. Erie reports
numerous ‘work stoppages’ caused’
by the abuses of management: and
supervision,
down the plant for one day ‘to. pro-..’
test GE’s refusal, to offer’a satis-
factory wage settlement including
ecorrection of wage inequities for,

wamen,

“Announcement by -the “NLRB
that IUE-CIO had .Withdrawn. its «
petition for an .clection in Erie

UE wage demands.

COTRIKE on erate
TO WESTINGHOUSE

‘Workers in’ Westinghouse, GE's *

major competitor, are preparing to
compleje a strike vote by Novem-
eber 10 for much the same. reasons
“and demands as here.

“The sell-out of IUE-CIO,

Westinghouse last spring in’ vee!

' newing its company union agree-
‘ment “with no: wage increase has
encouraged the
tempt to, impose company union
conditions upon all its employees.
Westinghouse has therefore made
no offer to the. UE negotiating
~cvommittee, Numerous: stoppages
have resulted in recent months. ,
* UE demands

wage inerease with special consid-
eration for day workers, skilled
crafts and women, : Be

-FLEdward, HudsonFalls

“ote Unanimous “Yes”

GE workers. of Fort Edward and
‘Hudson Fills voted on Monday to
strike i
Conference Board sets a strike
“date ti back up the: Union's ‘de-
mands. fo

‘A special ee mecting
voted tocmake it unanimous,

which will take a strike vote on the ‘

Last week Erie. shut’,

day workers, skilled trades and

guarantees solid. Erie support for

company to, at- > —

on Westinghouse, -
include a, general.15 cents an hour »'

1 the event the , UE-GE.

Demonstration For A

lore” “Pay

Ai noon yesterday, the day shift put down its tools and streamed out of the Sche-
“nectady Works in a’ ‘mighty demonstration thai’ ‘the Company’s offer of 2% percent is not ™
The second shift followed: at 7 P.M, and the third. shift walked out at 3 A.M.

enough,

STR! PN Vv OTE
Y

oa

' By unanimous vote, a full meeting of the Executive Board of

' UE.Local-301 on Monday, October 22, set November‘? as the datée”
for.the taking of a plant- wide strike vote of the Union's

mands,
UE Local 301:

s wage de-

Following is a statement issued today by the Officers of

*“GE has demonstrated in negotiations that it does not
intend to give its employees real wage increases now, or six

months from now, or-a year from now — if it can help it,
It not only refuses to give more than

“GE goes further.

314 cents but it determined to take much’ more than that away
from its employees. through every form of wage cutting.

“The threat:.to‘our living standards and working condi+

‘tions is graver than in 1946, the year we were conipelled to.

“take strike action against GE.

.e. “Our taxes are higher and going higher. The purchasing .

value of the dollar is lower and falling: GE knows we reap

-more. money.

“But, as in 1946, Gini is trying to turn the clock back Oe

wages and working conditions. If GE is allowed to refuse our
just wage ‘demands, it will try to treat.our contract as a. scrap’

‘of paper,

‘The provocations of foremen and wage tate depart~
ment, the stalling of Management — which have
- caused numerous stoppages in the past 6 months: — will.

alreac

multiply and stoppages would inevitably increase with the

provocations.

“As in 1946, the. Gener: al Electric Compal ‘has made

“necessary the taking of a strike vote, a vote whielr will au- -
thorize the -UE-GE Conference Board to call a strike

gainst

General. Electric and set. a strike date in the: event peaceful .

. negotiations fail.

“Your officers, with confidence in the membership’s: un-

Signed: William J. Kelly, President
‘Joseph A. ‘Mangino, Vice-Pres.
John P, Green, Recording Secy.

Henry Kaminski, Treasurer
James Cognetta, Chief Steward
" ue
Leo Jandreau, Business Agent

” its employees

en, hard hit. -by

“fits. - -And,
heard workers who were in
. that strike saying, “we did it

The sudden stoppage of "

. Work was an eloquent remind-
er to ‘the largest électrical
“corporation in Ameriea ‘that

its. fabulous profits come from
the hands, siill and brains of
who. rightly
considér themselves seriously
under-paid. | :

:-In some departments it was
io quiet you could hear a. div-
idend drop. Virtually. every
production worker hit the

“bricks except. those engaged

in continuous operations.
it Was Big”

The movement: of thous-

ands of workers in the streets

and. roads, before’ ‘the usual
quitting tinie made.Schenec-

_tady look as though the big--~

gest convention ‘in the world |
had hit town without warn-
ing,

And what happened: yester-
day.was big. It was the uni-
‘ted: power of men and women

talking .to. a corporation.
whose | profits for 1951 are
sure to pass the $400 million
mark. These’ then and wom-
taxes. and

prices, were saying; “we need.

* more money!”

Remembered 716

Inevitably, people were ‘res

ininded of 1946 when Sche-
-nectady workers. went on

“strike — the only strike in

. ‘ry here —~ 2 :
derstanding of the issues and the necessities of the situation, : Jo 8 tsar ee, — end Wot

* earnestly recommend a unanimous strike vote on November 2

181i cents’an hot plus bene-
-Anevitably; - you

(Continued on Page 4)

a ett
oa

PEL ENE ETE ee

HONEA Tf ain Seen tae

1

‘ELECTRICAL UNION NEWS

Answer To Company Letter

LESSON OF THE '46 STRIKE

‘GE workers are in receipt
of: a Jetter.from Works Man-
ager Male which attempts to
argue them out of ‘a much
needed wage increase, out of
their many grievances, out of

- their, taking strike action if

necessary.

‘This is a tall order, even:
for a Works Manager. Mr.
Male. could.'not hope to-suc-
ceed with a'few strokes. of the,
pen where the Company fail-
ed in.15 years of. trying even
with the-help of IUE-CIO and
assorted politicians. “*":

Management Attitudes

The letter however,
“and, reflects. management attitudes’.
which help ‘point up the soundness
of the Union's course, of action, —

Mr.: Male, for exumuple, shrup's
‘off “a” thousand-and-one docketed
grievances as “ridiculous accuse
tions’. He can be sure that G
workers. find nothing “ridiculous
in rate cuts,-overloading, pay in-
equities, contract violations. > He .

may be équally sure that the Un-..

ion wills neteallow the grievanées
of the*membei's to be ridi¢uled by:

“Mr. Male or anyone else in super-,

“wision ov, management, -
Responsibility. For Strike

4

Everything in Mr.
leads up to the
expresses management’s fear that

its employees intend to take every °
“Necessary
their demands. - 2°

action’ in support of

LeCs  geto something straight.

Responsibility «for the developing |
strike situation rests squarely with -

the company, GE made a com-.
pletely. unacceptable offer and then
refused to bargain, refused: to dis-
cuss wage inequities in a word, it

“We won't even listen to what

your. demands are until you
agree to accept what we offer.”

_ provoked’ the
“vote.

_ BODY
week strike in 1046,

raises points %

Male’s. letter -
strike question and

iverage $410.40, per

> - proof
‘does not take up) -the strike weapon
“without grave cause and deep de-.

"liberation, The experience of ,'46.

.is not ‘to: be repeated.
~ workers “take: the: strike -vote: but:

taking of a. strike
7

Having created the strike situ-
ation, the Company wants us to
surrender on Company terms. and
that is why: Mr. Male makes the
astunding statement that .
“pn ofited”

“Nobody, ” Mr. ‘Male? Well, let's
see.
_ Charles
cents offer ‘in,

i. Wilson. made ‘a: 10
1946 AFTER UE
took a strike vote ‘and set the
Strike date... The, workers said
nothing doing’ and went out on
strike, after 9 an’ overwhelming
stfike* vote. © Mr. Wilson, added

84% cents to. his offer as the: result.

of the nine-week strike. ‘That -ad-
ditional money went into GE pay

envelopes every week for six years

and came roughly to $942:70 for

each employ ee,

ke ‘Paid on

GE's vivid “memory—of ‘the: 746
strike ‘was the most’ powerful. sin-
-ple factor in its coming across

with 114 cents: plus six paid holi-
“days the
meant.
-coived' another

very hext year, wit ich
that each employee —re-
“61,404 - since the
increase’ went into effect.

In 1048, with the 46 ‘strike still
fresh in mind,’

an how for every Worker, of an-
other $873.60 more for GE workers
and dependents,

How much did the

ike cost* the workers? On the
worker as
compared wit 2,839.60 gained in
wages, improv ed. vacation and holi-
_ days, better job- protection, strong-

er union organization.

-Labor's Weapon

* Mr. Male observes that in the
15 years UE has been the collec-
tive bargaining agent in Schenec-
tady it has called but one strike—
1946. This should be convincing
to. anyone that the Union

also shows. that the Union knows
how to use labor’s most funda-

_ mental weapon-so that every work-
That, Mr.

er comes oub* ahead,
Male, is. history: which would stand
re-reading , by .Management if it

strike
your

Management creates the
situation, To quote’ from:
letter, “think this. over.”

it. NO»
by the nine-*

GE made a wage
settlement which averaged 10 cents ;

nine-week ;

Yes, the.

Friday, October 26, 195!

“SAMPLE
BALLOT

United Electrical, Radio & Machine Workers
of America -- Local 301 —

-I ama member of U.E. Local 301

‘IN THE EVENT NEGOTIATIONS.DO NOT RESULT IN
A JUST AND SATISFACTORY SETTLEMENT OF THE
UNION'S DEMANDS,. THE UE-GE CONFERENCK ~
BOARD IS AUTHORIZED TO CALL A SIRIKE
AGAINST THE GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY AND
SET THE DATE ON WHICH THE STRIKE BEEBE
BEGIN.

What the Strike Votei IS About

ke A general wage increase ot 6

Se iribsinie nt 60 years of age. -

cents an hour,

“Improved insurance plan with
minimum sick benefit of $1 an
hour; $40 a week to sick and
disabled workers. Surgical,
hospital and maternity. bene-
fits to cover full cost.

Additional 5c an hour for day -
workers; ‘skilled, women, °

-hiting-in and
‘of women to

Raising the
minimum rate

“1.58 an hour. Eliminate geographical differ-

entials which allow the com-
pany to open up*plants and
move jobs ta low pay areas
‘and undercut rates in estab-
lished plants.

More money for each step in
the automatic progression.

A minimum pension of $165 a
month, with retirement per-

VOTIN G PROCEDURE

-Member shows chickatt on Nov. And, to shop ifeward.
Steward writes name and check No. on list and gives member ballot.
‘ Member marks secret ballot and deposits it in box.

Steward appoints two tellers (rank and file};-box opened and ballots
tabulated in front.of called meeting of group.

Steward delivers tabulation to Union. ‘Headquarters. w with ballots, by
Monday, Nov. 5th.

Non- Voters ‘and Others

Non-members may vote if they sign application and check-off be-
fore receiving ballot.

Those-workers. who claim membership but cannot show check-off on

-pay..stub.— steward. must call. Union . office by phone and. clear.
up status.

Those members who pay cath or who are absent rnd vote at
Union Headquarters where their status can be cleared,

(persion committee in

“ no

ELECTRICAL

UNION NEWS:

How Are GE Profits Coming Along?

“Weeping teirs as fat’ as General Electric’s profits, Glu
president Ralph Cordiner told the press of the nation,, includ-
ing the, Schenectady Works: News, . that his Company made
-a NET profit of “only” $85,936,000 inthe first nine months of

‘this year:
(a year ago. vy
Assuming. that Mr. Cordiner's
figures are 99. 44/100 percent pure
“and are not intended as propagan-
da against UE’s wage demands,
GE's net.take is still double any
», World War IT year!
At the very :least, GE's profits
before taxes are sure to go..to an
all-time high of $450: million by

the: ‘end of the year, according’ to,
more”

its, own published figures,
than enough to take’ care of UE's
wage demands.
Hidden Profits
Then
profits, $61 million alone in tax re-
lief on plant and equipment. Also,
let’s not forget that Mr. GE him-
self, Charles E, Wilson, told a
1948
ut GE keeps two. sets of books,
one for. public consumption and
one for government inspection.
GE’s misleading, profit report is
* obviously intended to influence the
“strike vote in its plants.”

that GH’s
way

profits after taxes in
affect - wage

there, are. the ‘concealed ©

ofar under “the

The im-~
“portant thing to bear in mind is
- million? -
demands. ©

This, he said, was 3 pere ent. under: the record ot

WAGES COME our OF PROF-
ITs . BEFORE TAXES;

in accordance with its practice .
of concealing profits’from the pub-
lie and its employees, the company

-reported its. profits at
( 9 million! in. the first ‘nine
months of 1951. This is revealed
by «the company’s statement: that

it is paying a tax of 70 percent,

ts profits when the maximum
“possible under the lawcis 68
percent. .

Not to quibble over millions: of
dollars, let’s say GE profits have
gone up 36 percent-over last year.
How much did wages go up? They
went up about.13 percent, far less
than ‘the inerease in profit and
‘inereased cost of
living, « LS

Assuming: frat GE ends the year
with around’ $450 million in profits.
Is that enough, remembering that
Wages come “out of profits before

“taxes, ‘to’ take care of Wage de-~

mands ‘roughly estimated at: $74
’ It certainly «is, with
plenty of dividends to spare!

Taxes and

‘Are Going iP. UP- up

Starting next. Thurday. your pay ‘aheelk will shrink by

about 2

percent. because GE will be withholding taxes from
"pay checks at the rate of 20 percent instead of

" percent,

This is in line with the 11 to 12 -percent increase in income |

° taxes.

2% PERCENT 1S NOT. “ENOUGH! °

The money you take home.

“will go faster thar ever be-

« cause next Thursday a whole:

new flock: of taxes get slap-
“ ped onto goods in common
demand. Your food dollar, by

the: way, is. now. worth. only a

'44. cents, according to the
Bureau of Labor Statistics.

‘ 2% PERCENT 1S NOT ENOUGH!

In two short months, Pres:
ident ‘Truman, will call on.

Congress for additional taxes
to raise another five billion
dollars. He will be supported
in this demand by CIO lead-
ers: who. whooped: for higher
taxes at the last session.

ay, PERCENT IS. NOT ENOUGH!

Meanwhile, the U.S. News
& World Report estimated on

October-19, 1951 that you, the - a

working man and wornan, pay

“43 cents an hour of, your pay.
aus in taxes. The same source.
sures that if you’re: making.

$60 a week and are single you
will be paying $544-a year in
Federal taxes alone.
are in the $70 a week class

and unmarried you will be hit .

for $666 a year by the Feder.
al tax man.
IM PERCENT 1s NOT ENOUGH!
According’ to preliminary

UE estimates; a worker sup=
porting a wife and two cr ild-

ren on "$3, 328 a year was pay- -

ing $719.50 a year in all forms
of taxes will now have to pay
$80 more. How deeply the
new taxes will affect you de-

pends in great part on your:

buying habits and your pla 8.
If you're in the market for
new car, selling at say, $2062,

If you.

: you will have to figure on pay-

ing a $144.34, mark .up, ac-
cording to a survey of Sche-
neciay dealers. If you want
new « household appliances
count ‘on paying 10 percent.
above the price. :

2M PERCENT. As, NOT ENOUGH! |

This. ‘same survey reveals
that’ some © merchants: are
marking up prices ‘on ‘goods
not. included in: the:new excise
(sales) levies, probably. to
pass.on to you some of their
other taxes. Sure;as taxes,
corporations ‘will ‘pass on

aw

their corporation taxes to
“youin the’ form. of higher
. prices, ro matter what their ©
- product.: And the cost of pro-
“fessional services is bound to

rise accordingly.
2% PERCENT AS NOT ENOUGH!

It all ‘adds up to the fact

_that we are not going to be:

able to do well«by ourselves
and those who. depend on, us

“unless We get more money.

It-adds up to the need for
price’ roll-backs’ andthe tri-:

“umph of the UE principle,

that no- American family

should be taxed’ below a de.
‘cent standard of living. which. :
the Heller’ Committee esti-
mates to. be $4400 a veut for

La family. of four.

It adds up-to the need for_.
nation-wide .dSive by all. or-
ganized ‘labor to smash the
Wage. ceiling no matter what
labor official is sitting on. it. —
». Above all, it adds.up to the:
dire. necessity of taking. ac."
tion now to wring more than
314. pennies out’ of profit-
swollen GE.

STARTING N N EXT THURSDAY |

Your Income Tax —

Wares
At Less >
Least * "Phan 0

$51 ~ $10.10

76 15.00"
105°. 20.50
130 25.50

“ORT. 50 es
WB paceesed Brel 220 cence,

Number of Dependents

§ $5.00
7.10.
= 9.90
BER)

20.40

22.90,