Fre her
sae
4 :
_... March. 13,.1947
Meeting with Male
Continues Deadlock
in Turbine Dispute
The dispute over the proposed car-
__. boloy tool speed-up in the Turbine Di-
vision was discussed by Louis Male,”
general superintendent, last Thursday,
at his request, with the special commit-
tee of turbine representatives, but the
case remained at the New York level.
Male did not change from the position
taken the week before by his assistant,
A. C. Stevens. He said the company
would “bend over backward to make the
price adequate” so the operator could
make “past earnings or better”, but
that he could not agree to any percent-
age increase in piece price allowances.
He made it clear the prices would be
based on past earnings. . :
Workers Insist on Higher Earnings
The Turbine Division Committeemen
have insisted that the new prices must
offer the possibility of increased. earn-
“ings. Male said he saw no increased skill
nor any material increase in effort con-
nected with the proposed speed-up.
Male also said that “fundamentally’
he expected the workers to share in pro-
duction improvements, but that this
could not be done on individual jobs, only
on a long range basis.
Increased Strain
President Andrew Peterson of Local
801 declared that if the carboloy pro-
gram is to be successful, the worker
must get something out of it to make up
for the increased strain and effort.
Male tried to have the committee
‘agree to proceed with the company’s
proposed speeds while the case was dis-
cussed in New York. The committee re-
jected this, and Male agreed to huve no
change pending the New York discus-
_Sions.
___ELECTRICAL UNION, NEWS _
Discussing. Problems of Screw Machine Section
Workers’ from the Screw Machine Section,. Bldg. 42, at a meeting at Local 301
Hall Mar. 7 at which they took up working conditions and piece work prices. At
the table are shown Ray Flanigan, assistant to the business agent, with back to
the camera; John Rej, » member of a special committee of the section, and Willard
Kuschel, Board member, facing camera.
absent because of illness. -
M. Milkins: of the special committee was
coh »
GE Penny-Pinching Pensions Criticized
By Old Timers Trying to Live on Them
Pensioners compared notes on the hardships caused by their low pensions, in
a free discussion at the meeting of the UH-CIO 3801 Pension Organization, last
week. The newly-formed group voted to meet regularly at the union hall the first
Wednesday of every month, at 2 pm. The next meeting will be April a
One pensioner told the story of a
party being given for pensioners at. the
plant, and. his being asked to call for
another old-timer. He stopped at the
man’s home, saw it in darkness, and was
about to. go on, thinking no one was
home. Just to make sure, he rang the
docrbell. The door opened, and there in
darkness, was the old-timer he was sup-
posed to pick up. His pension did not
allow him to have lights, the man ex-
plained. :
Apprentice System
Set Up for Molders
A regulated apprenticeship system for
molders in the three foundries at the GE
Works here was set up in discussions
between a molders’ committee and the
local management, concluded last week.
A. G, Stevens, assistant to the general
superintendent, signed a written memor-
andum on the subject. There had been
Philadelphia Drops
1946 Strike Case
City authorities of Philadelphia have
dropped the contempt of court charges
against 11 UE members, arising out of
the strike against the General Electric
Co.-last winter, .
If GE wants to press the charges, it
will have to handle the case itself as a -
civil, not a criminal suit, through its own
lawyers. And if GE now turns down
“requests of locals to drop the matter, it
can no longer use the excuse that city
authorities are bringing the case to trial.
A Philadelphia jury several -months
ago found 16 UE members innocent of
other charges resulting from the strike.
Another pensioner brought along a
letter from GE. explaining he would get
all his pension from the federal gov-
ernment because his federal Social Se-
cusity payment would be about $29 a
month and the GE monthly rate would
he only $27.94,
The GE official who wrote the letter
had finished up, “I personally congratu-
late you on your long and honorable
term of service, and express to you our
appreciation of that service.”
The meeting voted to invite speakers
on the Townsend. Plan and from the So-
cial Security Board to future meetings.
They decided to: write letters to Con-
gressmen in favor of liberalized social
security and against anti-labor legisla-
tion, ;
~an—apprenticeship~system—for-—molders--
before, but it had been discontinued,
An apprentice will work only six
weeks. to two months on any given job,
and only the last week on any job alone
on production. During the last 26
weeks of the course the apprentices will
be allowed to work alone on production.
Journeymen instructing apprentices will
be paid average earnings. An instruct-
or will be in charge of. the apprentices.
The committee negotiating the case
included Board Member Albert Spears,
Committeemen Elroy J. Marine, John
Jablonski, and Anthony Pivacek, of Bldg.
57, Charles Aussiker, Hans Schott, and
Jack Kileoyne of 95, and Charles J.
O’Malley and Robert Wiley of 99A, as-
sisted by Ray Flanigan, assistant to the
business agent. : . :
THE. VOICE OF THE UNITED ELECTRICAL, RADIO & MACHINE WORKERS OF AMERICA—LOCAL 30! CIO.
Vol. .3—No. 49
SCHENECTADY, NEW YORK
March 21, 1947
a
“President “Andrew Peterson speaking’ ‘on the local’s all-out 69 committeemen at 301 hall, ‘Mar. 12. This section meeting
organizing drive at a section meeting for Bldg. 53 and Bldg. was combined with a meeting called on the women’s AER ¢age.
_ Dermody Reports 7
On Contract Talks
The General. Electric Company is. ex-
pected to make definite counter-pro-
posals to the UE’s wage ‘and other con-”
tract demands when negotiations re-
sume next week, but “up to this-time has «
not committed itself in any. way on any
. ” :
Joseph Dermody, secretary ofthe na-
tional GE conference board of ‘the union,
reported this to the 801 membership __
meeting Tuesday. night. He said--that
the negotiations were recessed this
. week, after the union had presented and
_ argued for its demands in the past three
weeks, The company negotiators are
consulting . company committees this
weel.. ,
On the union’s request for eight paid
holidays a year, the company negotiat-
ors “have not said much except that it
would cost a little under 4 cents an
hour,” Dermody reported, ‘
General Wage Increase Necessary
On the subject of a general wage in-
crease, Dermody noted the killing of
(Continued: on Page 4)
- Honor Roll
These 19: committeemen have re-
ported 100 per cent membership in
the groups they represent.
George Judway, Bldg. 18; Anth-
-ony Villano, Bldg. 87; Martin Bur-
gess, Hugh Mackey, H. Bayless,
P, Della Rocco, Ralph D. Pipe ‘and
- [van Shultes, Bldg. 62... 60 00.
Also Anthony Esposite and
Amos. Diamante, Bldg. 68; J.
Ohlidal, Ralph De Wire, Albert
Schneider and John. Carruthers,
- Bldg. 66; Stanley Bishop, Bldg. 69;
Charles J. O'Malley, Bldg. 99;
- Albert Keller, Bldg. 101, and TE.
Johnson, Bldg. 107. .
UE Wins New GE Plant
Workers at the new GE plant at San
Jose, Calif, have voted 98 to four for
UE in a National Labor Relations Board
election. The Machinists Union’ (IAM)
tried unsuccessfully to get on the ballot,
but the NLRB found the few cards it
collected were “improper and inade-
quat nie °
Campaign To Feature
Prizes for Members,
Weekly Honor Roll
Backing plans of the Organizing Com-
mittee and the Executive Board, the Lo-
cal 301 membership meeting Tuesday
night pledged united support to the drive.
to enroll 1000 new UE members by Apr.
_.-l_and.to..make_every_eligible .GE_worker
a member of 801 by May 1.
By the middle of the week, approxi-
mately 125 application cards had been.
received, numerous ‘section meetings had
been held and section organizing com-
mittees set up. Records of 100 per cent
membership among the workers they
represent had been turned in by 19 com-
mitteemen,
The honor roll of committeemen with
100 per cent organized groups will be
printed weekly in the RU News.
The membership meeting also approv-
ed awarding U. S. bonds to the members -
signing up: the highest number of new
eligibles, T'irst prize will be a $100
bond; second prize, .a $50 bond, and
* third prize, a $25 one.
(Continued on Page 4).
REECTRIGAL UNION NEWS
2
March 21, 1947
More World Trade
Means More Jobs
Foreign trade means jobs for UE
workers, "a
Russ Nixon, UE Washington repre-
sentative, points out that before the war
about 10 per cent of the products made
by UE workers weve exported, In some
eases the percentages were much higher.
For instance, 33 per cent of the UE. ma-
chine tools were exported and 32° per
cent of the sewing machines. :
If the entire world had the same num- °
ber of radies the United States has, in
comparison with population, the U. S.
radio industry would have to run at full
employment for 28 years to fill this for-
eign demand. :
“American workers gain as backward
nations become more advanced and have
a higher standard of living,” Nixon said
“Canada, which is an advanced coun-
try, bought $2.58 worth of UE products
per person.’ Latin America, which is
Republican Congressmen Close Door to Public |
As They Decide on Taxes to Soak Average Man
‘The“Republican majority of the House Ways and Means Committee at Wash-
ington won’t open the hearings on tax bills to the general public. And no wonder!
As Russ Nixon, UE Washington representative charges, the proposed Knutson
bill to slash income taxes 20 per cent across-the-board is really: another way to
“soak the average man”.
Dermody Reports
On Contract Talks
(Continued from Page 1)
OPA by Big Business made a raise nec-
essary, and pointed out that Charles E.
Wilson had: been “stumping the country
against wage increases.” He pointed
out contradictions in “Works News” ar-
ticles, and that Wilson did not say that
the. GE ‘could have avoided the strike
last year by accepting UE’s proposal to
pay a 15-cent raise and to wait until the
national wage pattern was set.
Dermody noted that prominent econ-
omists already were showing that unless
the wage-price relationship was changed
backward’ generally, bought only~°29 —in-favor of the worker,;~~the country
cents per person of UE products. In
India the purchase of UH products was
only one cent a person.”
UE supports the continuing of the
Roosevelt 50-50 foreign trade agree-
ments. UE also supports forming an In-
ternational Trade Organization under
the United Nations. -
“The United States would do wel] to
import some vitally needed raw mater-
jals in return for exporting manufac-
tured products”, Nixon said.
“We are having unemployment today
due to lack of copper, lead, pig iron and
other materials.”
Anti-Labor Bill Beaten _
A state, bill which would have changed
would go into a depression.
The company negotiators have said
they are willing to “consider” regular
overtime on continuous ‘operations, and
certain other lesser proposals, Dermody
said,
The union never could accept the com-
pany demands to weaken the mainten-
ance of membership provision and elim-
inate existing piece work earning guar-
antees, Dermody declared.
Considerable
floor followed Dermody’s report.
Dermody said that on the negotiating
committee of eight, Leo Jandreau was
the outstanding man in both length of
service and direct contribution to the
bargaining.
__ the present law giving workers two Local Votes.$3,000.
hours off with pay to vote on Election
Day was defeated by vote of the As-
sembly. Under the new proposal, an
employer would not have to pay a work-
er or give him the time off if the worker
had three non-working hours within the
hours the ‘polls are open.
ELECTRICAL UNION NEWS
Unitep EvectriaAL, Rapio & MacHine
Workers or America, CIO
Scuenrctapy GE Loca 301
<p»
Published by the Editorial Committee
William Templeton, Chairman
| Mary McCartin, Secretary
Willard Kuschel Victor Pasche
Leland Sisto
Editorial Office ~ Electrical Union News
301. Liberty St. ..- . Schenectady, N.Y.
Lumens SCHENECTADY PRINTING CO., ING. scene!
To Organize Farmers
The membership meeting of Local 301
- voted $8000 Tuesday night to support
“the work of the National Farmers Union
for another year in the 81st .Congress-
ional District. oo
The few speakers opposing the dona-
tion based their arguments entirely on
economy. Speakers in favor of the pro-
posal pointed out the importance to un-
ion members of counteracting the Na-
tional Association of Manufacturers
propaganda which is spread among the
‘farmers,
301 Broadcast
Local 801 will broadcast its weekly
radio program at 7:15 p.m., Monday over
Station WSNY.
discussion from the’
Chairman Harold Knutson (Minnesota
Republican) of the Ways and Means
Committee wants the 20 ‘per cent
straight cut. If a worker's weekly take-
*shome pay is $40.45, that would give him
82 cents more a week,—or a total of |
$41.27. But it would give $816 a week
more to a Big Business executive get-
ting $1,210 a week, He would jump
from $1,210 to $2,026 net income a week,
A worker getting $2,840 a year would
have his take-home pay increased only
2 per cent by this 20 per cent across-the-
board scheme. The $275,000 a year
executive would increase his take-home
pay by over 67 per cent.
The CIO tax program calls for plac-
ing the tax burden where it belongs,—
“on the people best able to pay. .
The CIO wants tax exemptions raised
to $1,250 for a‘single person and $2,500
for a married couple, with $500 credit
for each dependent. _
Labor also demands the removal of
sales taxes on necessities, These sales
taxes hit the low-income group hardest.
It means money in every GE -work-
er’s pocket if he can stop the Knutson
bill and get the CIO program passed.
The first step is to demand open hear-
inga on the tax bills,
Formal Opening Wednesday
For 301 Veterans’ Center
All veterans of Local 301 are invited
to a celebration at 8 p.m. Wednesday,
Mar. 26, at the union hall, 801 Liberty,
to-mark the- formal opening ‘of the’ UE
Veterans’ Center.
Representatives of Schenectady vet-
erans’ groups have been asked, Chair-
man Joseph Dominelli of the 801 Vet-
erans’ Committee announced. Refresh-
ments will be served. n
The Center actually has been running
for several weeks, under direction of the
Veterans’ Committee. It is open every
Tuesday and Friday from 1 to 5 p.m.
CIO Radio Program
The next radio broadcast.of the Capi-
tal District CIO Council over Station
WTRY, Troy, will be at 2:20 p.m. Sun-
day.
The Council has signed. a contract with
WOKO, Albany, for five weekly broad-
casts starting at 12:15 p.m. Sunday,
“ELECTRICAL UNION NEWS
3
CIO Letter Quotes
Statement of Heck
Robert Northrop, secretary-treasurer
of the Capital District CIO Council, has
written Governor Dewey urging him to
veto the Condon-Wadlin bill penalizing |
public. workers for striking.
The letter quoted remarks made by
Assembly Speaker Oswald D: Heck: of
Schenectady last week to a delegation
“of CIO members from Local 301, from
“Local 2054 of the United Steelworkers
and Local 159, Transport Workers. ;
Heck admitted the Condon-Wadlin
Bill “is superfluous” and that. “existing
. laws are entirely adequate to handle any
ublic emergency.”
The Local 301 members present when |
he made the remarks were Fred Pacelli,
chairman of the Legislative Committee,
George Walker and Frank McDonald.
The next day Speaker Heck whipped |
into line all but a handful of Republicans
to back the Condon-Wadiin bill and
force through the entire Dewey legisla-
tive program: “ad
A joint report made. by the CIO dele-
ation--condemns the legislative record
of Heck and of Senator Thomas F.
Campbell, also a Schenectady Republi-
can. The committee also commented on
the “arrogant and discourteous attitude”
of Campbell when speaking with the
labor group.
New York Meeting
On Turbine Case
Members of a Turbine Division sub-
committee were in New York City Wed-
nesday for a meeting with GE on a na-
tional level on the proposed carboloy
tool speed-up. The sub-committee elect-
ed consists of William Stewart and Roy
Lash, Bldg: 60;“and” Michael" “Whittle,
Bldg. 278.
Joseph Dermody of the national UE
and Leo Jandreau, business agent of Lo-°
cal 801, were to assist in arguing the
case,
U pgraded
Two C toolmakers have been upgraded
to B and two B toolmakers to A in the
toolroom in Bldg. 46 after their cases
were taken up by Committeeman Joseph
Krone with Ray Thimineur, assistant
On, Civic Committee
William Mastriani was named by the
Executive Board to represent. Local 801
on the Town of Tomorrow Committee.
Protesting Move to Prohibit Sound Trucks
=
William Mastriani, chief shop steward of Local 301, speaking as chairman of the
Schenectady County American Labor Party ‘against the proposed ordinance to
forbid the use of sound trucks and loud speaker equipment in Schenectady streets.
He spoke at the City Council hearing after President Andrew Peterson of Local 301
delivered the opening attack on the proposal, The matter was sent back to the
Council “for further consideration,” Mayor Ten Eyck announced. The picture shows
part of the large 301 delegation.
Four Women Chosen
To Argue AER Case
A four-woman committee has
been elected to go to New Yark
City on the AER case involving
low-rated piece worl jobs normal-
ly performed by. women. The
grievance has reached the national
Named to the. committce were
Mary McCartin, Sadie Iovinella,
Helen Quirini and Marie Sweeney.
They were chosen at the Mar, 12
meeting of women committeemen
and of committeemen representing
#8 OY eaccrpeceren eran seancel re eect a Pes
women piece workers.
Know the Contract .
The best way for a worker to protect -
_his seniority and other rights is to know
exactly. what the UE-GE contract guar-
antees him.
Otherwise he may risk his rights
through carelessness or not realize that
he ought to complain to his committee-
man about violations of his rights.
Tf you haven’t a copy of the agree.
ment, ask your committeeman for one.
Model Makers Get
Five Cent Increase
A raise of five cents an hour, effective
Feb. 3, was won for the model makers
in Bldg. 69 last week. James Burnison
made the offer to Leo Jandreau in New
York, following an earlier discussion
with the toolmakers committee. .The
settlement accepted by the modelmakers,
establishes job rates- of $1.58% for A
men and $1.48% for B men. Top pay
rate for A men goes to $1,6344, Burni-
son refused to include this group in the
automatic progression feature of the
toolmakers’ settlement, so that future
raises for the model makers will be on
merit subject to grievance procedure.
Women's Werk Bill
Governor Dewey has signed the Con-
don bill extending to Apr. 1, 1948, the
provision of the labor law letting women
work until midnight in factor.es.
Isolation Hospital Endorsed
The Loeal’301 membership has gone
on record in favor of the city continuir:
to maintain the Isolation Hospital in its,
present form,
