WHITE COLLAR Income Forecast Office and Professional Employees International Union, AFL-C10 and CLC Page 2

Job, WHITE COLLAR income forecast Office and Professional Employees International Union, AFL-C10 and CLC Page 2 No. 263 January, 1968 Kansas City local wins 1,568-member unit A year marked by an encouraging number of Coughlin said the election also proved the value "of unit in a NLRB poll. Under the leadership of Business OPEIU organizing successes saw further gains-in- the AFL-CIO team concept in organizing," with OPEIU Manager Carl Meisnest, the local is seeking to sign cluding a resounding election victory in Kansas City, leaders working "in tandem" with AFL-CIO regional up 83 additional Consolidated technicians in seven Missouri-in its closing weeks. staff representatives all during a five-month organizing locations. In a poll conducted by the National Labor Relations drive. In St. Louis, Local 13 overwhelmingly won repre- Board, Kansas City's Local 320 was chosen collective OPEIU International Representatives George P. Firth sentation of the office employees of Warwick Typogra- bargaining agent for 1,568 employees of National Bellas of Pittsburgh, Wade McCool of Cleveland and Gene phy., Inc. The vote, supervised by the NLRB, was 18 Hess, Inc., a mail order house. It unseated Teamsters Dwyer of Gary, Indiana, were assigned by President to 2. Local 13 Business Representative George O'Brien Local 838. Coughlin to the Bellas Hess project. Participating reports that several other organizing efforts are going on A vigorously waged campaign under way since last also was OPEIU General Counsel Joseph E. Finley in the area. April channeled the unsatisfied aspirations of the em- who joined NLRB lawyers to derail a last-minute Fed- eral court effort by the Teamsters to halt the election. In New York City, Local 153 added another shipping ployees toward the OPEIU. Aiding Local 320 and the line to the number it represents: the Brazilian govern- employees' own committee was an effective team of Local 320's campaign committee was headed by President Rose McFadden and also consisted of Secre- ment-owned Lloyd Brasileiro Shipping Company, with OPEIU International Representatives and AFL-CIO 27 office employees. When management utilized its field organizers. tary-Treasurer Ray Magness; James Collier, executive board member; Hugh Wilburn, trustee; Winifred Evans, official status to persuade the NLRB to disavow juris- Of the two-thirds of the unit casting ballots, 596 diction, the determined employees staged a one-day voted for Local 320 against 222 for the Teamsters local. formerly an OPEIU vice-president; Daisy Crone and Eleanor Hauer. walkout which brought recognition of the union and a Twenty-one voted for neither union, 120 ballots were pledge to enter into collective bargaining. challenged and one was voided. A group of Bellas Hess employees served as poll watchers: Freddie Allen, Theresa Double, Jewell Ho- Earlier Local 153 had won one of the most out- A follow-up effort was proceeding as this issue went gan, Autry Holman, Helen Jackson, Gladys McNutt, standing of OPEIU organizing successes when it gained to press. An additional 300 employees of Be llas Hess Edith Singleton and Lorene Yates. representation of the clerical employees of Fordham remain outside the union fold and the drive aims to Directed by Regional Director Del Garst and his University-the first such white-collar union success bring them in. Local 320 Business Representative assistant, Elmer Powell, the following AFL-CIO organ- on a major campus. Efforts to sign up the employees Jerry Schmit, who coordinated the effective election izers helped in the campaign: Fred George Jr. (whose of other institutions of higher learning in the area are campaign, is optimistic that a second advance is in the wife was an effective volunteer worker), Wayne King, now on the local's agenda. making. William (Moon) Lewis and Joe Lynch. Numerous campaigns-in-progress are reported by OPEIU President Howard Coughlin described the Other OPEIU organizing gains added to the evidence locals in the U.S. and Canada. In Portland, Oregon, victory as "an eloquent demonstration of the desire of that the union is in a period of growth and opportunity. Local 11 has added an organizer to its staff. In Ponca Be llas Hess employees to be part of the main family of In Washington, D.C., Local 2 was the victor in the American labor movement." NLRB-conducted election among office employees of City, Oklahoma, Local 437 is in the midst of a major The election's outcome, he added, "shows how deep the Group Health Association, gaining a unit of 148. campaign to organize some 1,000 office employees of and widespread the yearning for collective bargaining In Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin, Local 95 success- Continental Oil, following upon its success in the com- is among American workers, including those in hard-to- fully launched a drive to organize technicians employed puter department. McCool has been reassigned from organize fields." by Consolidated Papers, Inc. by winning a six-member Kansas City, to help out. Texas locals score for insurance units Local 77 ups wages 30c Local 27 days per year cumulative to 39; Local 277 a holiday on the Friday after OPEIU Local 77 has con- ployees are now entitled to three A three-year Local 27 pact Thanksgiving for a total of nine; Members of Local 277's unit cluded a contract covering 60 weeks of vacation after 101/2 covering 650 office clerical em-; an additional paid vacation of employed by the American Life office workers of the Manito- years (was 15), and four weeks ployees of American National one day per year after 15 years Insurance Company in Waco, woc (Wisconsin) Engineering after 20 (was 25). A new clause Insurance Company in Galves- to four weeks after 20 years; Texas have ratified a 30-month Co., heavy equipment manufac- provides a two-day paid be- ton, Texas calls for an 11.2% a 200 per hour shift differential contract bringing them an aver- turer. To run for three years, reavement leave in cases of wage increase and improved for the second shift and 400 age $720 per year in wage in- it brings a 300 an hour wage death in the immediate family, fringe benefits. for the third shift; and an im- creases. Negotiations were com- boost and a cost-of-living ad- one-day leave when the de- The first 5.2% hike is retro- proved hospitalization plan. pleted five months in advance justment, in addition to a better ceased is a close relative. active to last October 10 and The negotiating committee of the expiration of the old con- vacation schedule and other Hospital and surgical bene- will be followed by two 3% included Mary Lou Rothermel, tract. fringe benefits. fits have been increased, with raises, each taking effect on the Joyce Douglas, Lucile Daven- Besides an automatic 50 per The first 140 increase was the company agreeing to make 1968 and 1969 anniversary port, Erwin Felscher Jr., Jane hour wage increase from min- effective November 1, with 80 payments of $9.84 a month, dates. A new labor grade was Lynd and Local 27 Business (Continued on page 4) on the same 1969 date. Em- against $6.91 previously. secured as well as higher pro- Representative Mike Buzbee. motional increases. They were aided by OPEIU . Other gains are 13 sick leave Vice-President F. E. Morton. Strikers remembered at Christmas At Christmas time New York Local 153 are aware of the industry's refusal to cooperate remembered the 200 OPEIU members striking with the federal government on the subject of against Kennecott Copper Company in New fact-finding. Mexico and Utah, sending them checks total- "A long strike is always a difficult thing for ing $5,000. a worker and his or her family. However, being Twenty-two AFL-CIO unions have been on out on strike at the Yuletide season is partic- strike for six months against four major copper ularly trying. companies. A prime issue is the refusal of the "On behalf of the membership of Local 153, companies to negotiate with the unions jointly. we are enclosing a check which we hope will Their aim is to fragment and thus weaken col- help you and your family enjoy the happiest lective bargaining. holiday season possible under these circum- The Local 153 gifts were authorized by the stances." union's executive board, acting on a recom- The AFL-CIO has set up a special fund for mendation of International President Howard the copper strikers. Announcing it at the AFL- Coughlin, secretary-treasurer of the local. CIO convention last month, President George A letter from Business Manager Ben J. Meany observed that, "It is the obligation of Joyce Douglas adds her signature to American National Insurance con- Cohan was enclosed with each check. the labor movement as a whole to insure that tract. Other members of Negotiating Committee are Mary Lou Rother- "We want to congratulate you on your those who man the picket lines, and their mel (seated left), Lucile Davenport (right), and (standing from left) courageous fight to obtain a just contract with families, are protected from economic catas- Erwih Felscher, Jane Lynd, Business Representative Mike Butbee. the copper industry," the message said. "We trophe." Page Two WHITE COLLAR January, 1968 WHITE COLLAR Official Organ of Survey sees job, income growth OFFICE AND PROFESSIONAL EMPLOYEES INTERNATIONAL UNION affiliated with the AFL-CIO, CLC Office jobs for white-collar workers, especially women, grow brighter between now and 1975 HOWARD COUGHLIN while openings for men, particularly in manufacturing, have dimmer prospects. These are the find- Room 610 President ings of a National Industrial Conference Board study of population projections in selected metro- 265 West 14th St.

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