Workers Into Production Unit in the Forthcoming Election of the G
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
[!) iii t rrrrrrrcr-rmi " 1' r 1""{;11/: HI Official Organ of the Office F.mployes International Union of the A. F. of L. No. 108 DEC1EMBER, 1953 NLRB Ruling Forces Clerical Workers into Production Unit In the forthcoming election of the G. E. employes at Lynn, Mass., where the OEIU has petitioned for an election among the clerical employes, the NLRB recently handed down a clarification of the original decision which stated in effect that all salaried and hourly clerical employes who work in the physical proximity of production workers will be included in the production workers unit. This ruling was handed down not- withstanding the fact that the izing committee will be barred from OEIU has received signed cards voting with the clerical workers from a very large majority of these unit. employes. It is difficult for the International From your International Officers to you and the members of your family The effect of this ruling is to Union to understand how the NLRB HOWARD COUGHLIN J. HOWARD HICKS virtually imprison the clerical could render a decision where, re- President Secretary-Treasurer workers within the production unit. gardless of the type of work is It would be unrealistic for anyone performed, clerical employes should Vice Presidents to believe that the four or five be forced to vote in a uroduction hundred clerical workers affected workers' unit merely because the J. 0. BLOODWORTH NICHOLAS JULIANO by this ruling will have the right employer unilaterally determines EMILY BURNS JOHN B. KINNICK to determine by secret ballot whom that their place of employment BERNARD H. COSGROVE MAX J. KRUG they wish to represent them, when should be physically established in they are included in a unit of 20,000 close proximity to the production JOHN T. FINNERTY MARIE MANN production workers. workers. GEORGE P. FIRTH TERRY PARKER This ruling could have very Is the NLRB attempting to de- ILA E. HOWARD EDWARD P. SPRINGMAN serious consequences in the forth- prive clerical employes the right coming election, since approximate- to be represented by a union of ' .e":1-4 ,? t .4, V* '41, 14. V, ly 90 per cent of the OEIU organ- their own choice ? Board Hails Organizational Plan President Coughlin Gets "Cabbage" The Executive Board of the In- ternational Union on November 30, Federation of Labor have already received an organizational report agreed to make contributions to- by President Coughlin at its meet- ward the Organizational Confer- ing in the Hotel Statler, Washing- ences in their respective states. ton. The members of the Board Other state federations have indi- were enthusiastic in their discus- cated that they would be willing to sions and comments. They, in turn, consider contributions toward the reported that the program had gen- furtherance of the program. erated much enthusiasm in the The Executive Board instructed ranks of our International Union. the executive officers to explore all It was emphasized that all con- possible sources of fund-raising for ferences were looking forward to organizational purposes and au- successful programs in their re- thorized them to make necessary spective areas. Local unions not arrangements. yet included in organizational con- President Coughlin and Secre- ferences are petitioning for the tary-Treasurer Hicks reported on formation of further organizational a welfare. plan to cover the office conferences. employes and staff members of the The need for organizational International Union. They further funds was discussed at great reported that this welfare plan can length. President Coughlin re- be used to cover any of the em- During the course of the Executive Board meeting, President Coughlin ported on his meetings with George ployes of our local unions or any emphasized the need for additional sources of revenue in order to Meany, president of the American groups represented by our local provide the necessary funds for our organizational program. In point- Federation of Labor, and stated unions. Details of this welfare ing out this need he referred to organizational funds as "cabbage." that he was awaiting an answer to plan will be forwarded to each lo- Members of the Board, during a recess period, proceeded down to the his request for money grants for cal union in the near future. Washington market place and at the reconvening of the Tuesday session, organizational purposes. A summary of the minutes of presented Howard with a large supply of cabbage as in the above The California State Federation this meeting will be forwarded to picture. This was one of the few humorous incidents during a serious of Labor and the Washington State each and every local union. three-day Board session. 2 THE OFFICE WORKER Payroll Tax Boost Executive Board Meeting in Washington Supported by AFL Washington, D. C.-The Ameri- can Federation of Labor is sup- porting the payroll tax which is scheduled, by law, to increase on January 1 from the present rate of 11,4 per cent on employers and employes alike to the rate of 2 per cent. Such an increase is neces- sary to insure the solvency of the Social Security system and to build up and maintain the trust fund from which old age benefits will be paid to future generations of re- International officers and Executive Board members are shown in session in Washington. Left to right tired workers as well as those pres- around the table are: J. 0. Bloodworth, Marie Mann, Emily Burns, Bernard H. Cosgrove, Terry Parker, ently drawing benefits. Mary Elder, secretary to Secretary-Treasurer J. Howard Hicks, Secretary-Treasurer Hicks, President The AFL stand was explained in Howard Coughlin, Organization Director H. B. Douglas, George P. Firth, Edward P. Springman, John B. a letter that went out under Presi- Kinnick, Ila E. Howard, Nicholas Juliano, John T. Finnerty and Max J. Krug. dent George Meany's signature on November 12 to all state federa- exceed the amount by which a low- and capable of supporting benefit "Not only would this seriously tions and central labor unions. er-paid workers' income taxes are payments in future years. Ac- handicap our efforts to secure some Noting that certain members of reduced through the automatic 10 cording to the most reliable ac- liberal benefits under Social Secu- Congress have recently declared per cent reduction scheduled for tuarial estimates, unless the in- rity-it would actually endanger their intention to introduce legisla- next year. This is, however, in no crease is permitted to stand, the our ability to maintain the existing tion designed to roll back, retro- sense a valid argument against the Social Security trust fund will not level of benefits. If the advocates actively, the Social Security tax step-up in the Social Security tax. only fail to build up the necessary of the tax freeze succeed in their rate and to "freeze" it at its pres- Rather, it offers a good demonstra- interest-yielding reserve, but will efforts, future benefits will depend ent level of 11,4 per cent, President tion of the unfairness of a flat actually show a deficit by 1960. -not upon a sound, self-sustaining Meany states the following facts percentage across-the-board meth- "Nowhere else can so much in trust fund-but upon annual hand- should be borne in mind: od of reducing income taxes, which the way of economic security be outs from the Treasury, subject to "(1) To freeze the Social Secu- brings large tax cuts to the obtained by workers at so little the whims and political complexion rity tax at its present rate would wealthy, and very small cuts to actual cost as through their Social of each succeeding Congress. involve no real savings for workers. the wage earner. This cannot be Security contributions. The small "This is a risk which the workers Rather, it would serve to deprive corrected by any retroactive freez- payroll tax, matched by employer of America cannot afford to take- them of the benefit of the matching ing of the Social Security tax rate. payments, is the source, and the particularly when there is nothing increase in contributions scheduled The appropriate and fair method only source, of the many real and to gain by so doing except a trifl- to be paid by their employers. It of correcting this inequity would substantial benefits derived from ing, temporary and largely illusory is a disguised tax cut for employ- be through a revision in the income Social Security. To keep the con- postponement of a cost which will ers, at the expense of the Social tax structure to make it more pro- tribution rate down to a level below have to be paid sooner or later. Security trust fund and of workers gressive, with-among other things that required, according to all ac- And the longer it is postponed, the whose future benefits must be de- -an increase in personal exemp- tuarial estimates, for the soundness higher that cost will have to be, rived from that fund. tions, as has been proposed by the and self-sustaining nature of the unless benefits are to suffer dras- "(2) It is true, of course, that American Federation of Labor. fund would sooner or later spell tically. It is our belief that the the scheduled increase in the So- "(3) The increase in the Social ruin for the program and for the workers of America should and cial Security payroll tax, while Security tax rate is necessary if future security of workers and will accept this necessary increase small in amount, may equal or the trust fund is to remain solvent their families. in contributions, not begrudgingly but willingly, knowing that they High Jinx on Friday, the 13th, for Local 241 are thereby insuring their own present and future welfare and security." THE OFFICE WORKER Official organ of OFFICE EMPLOYES INTERNATIONAL UNION HOWARD COUGHLIN, President J.