NMU National Director Resigns; Says Offlcials Coiiaborate with Shipowners, Sell out Membership
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
,,•' T^:- >,• 1]'',': v.-'"-' •f'Tf."'':'. :;l Official Organ of the Atlantic and Gulf District, Seafarers International Union of North America V Vol. VII. NEW YORK, N. Y» FRIDAY. NOVEMBER 30, 1945 No. 48 m NMU National Director Resigns; Says Offlcials Coiiaborate With Shipowners, Sell Out Membership The SIU's often repeated ac-* ATTENTION! cuslations that the officials of the the NMU since the strike of 1936, National Maritime Union have has always been popular with Matthew D u s h a n e, SIU been collaborating with the ship that union's rank and file. He Washington, D. C. representa owners and selling out their was known as one of the few tive has resigned and the Sea membership were substantiated farers International Union by Rob Rogers when he resigned officials who would go to bat office at 424 Fifth Street, last month as National Director for the membership. However, N.W„ Washington, D. C. has of the NMU. when pressure was put on him, been closed. Rogers, an original member of he would bow to the anti-rank and file policy of the ruling •A' clique. Evidently, he now can Canadian Seamen Jailed no longer take the finky policy of the NMU—and the point is Under Anti-Strike Laws that if anyone knows the inside of the NMU sell-outs, Rogers, as m-caSB=a- VANCOUVER — A strongly heard Police Court Magistrate W. one of the officials, surely knows. Mclnnes sentence E. L. Larsen, worded protest to Canadian Rogers submitted his resigna // i// T. J. Cibien and S. W. Haigh to Transport Minister Chevrier at tion on October 13th, and his DETOUR! twelve weeks in jail. Other men Ottawa, was sent by Hugh Mur letter was sent subsequently to phy, Canadian SIU Agent, con from the Westbank Park, G. I. Joe Curran because he felt "that Davig and W. G. Hay, were sen i '!l cerning the severe sentences re the membership that elected me : cently passed out to six merchant tenced to six weeks, and J. R. Detroit Police Commandos ... is entitled to an explanation." Wallace, R. T. Clarkson, L. T. seamen convicted under' the ob The letter, copies of which are Tyerman, and C. I. Palmer were solete Canada Shipping Act. circulating around the water given suspended sentences. Train To Protect GM Plants "The sentences were too front, was read before the NMU severe," said Murphy. "The men G. Tellier, Union representa National Office Meeting because, tive aboard the Cromwell Park, By MANNY LASHOVER were convicted under the anti as Curran phrased it, according was singled out for eight weeks quated Canada Shipping Act to the minutes, "If we don't bring DETROIT — The "commandos" at hard labor, while suspended which we have asked many times this in, it will come out from of the police force here, so-called sentences were handed out to ten PICKET LINE to have repealed." some place else." because of special training they LINDEN, N. J. — Former Weeping wives and relatives (Continued on rage 12) received in the doubtful art of servicemen, members of the The resignation was not ac Ml using tear gas and clubs on strik- Linden Local 595, staged a cepted by the NMU. However, •' ers, had a practice alarm at 6 a. m. demonstration in front of the JOINING GM PICKETLINE as he did not report for work, i: today which was ordered by General Motors plant here in he was taken off the payroll higher-ups to see how fast they support of the UAW demands as of November 3rd. Roger's let cSould swing into action. for a 30% wage increase to ter which, we feel, is of interest The general opinion among the meet the rise in the cost of to the entire waterfront is jwrinted business people that I have talk living. below: ed to indicates a suspicion that On the regular picketlines, Dear Joe (Curran): On October GM wants the strike to last until many members of other un 13th I submitted to the National after the first of the year so that ions joined the UAW men Office my resignation as National they won't have to pay any more (and women) in a show of Director of the Union. It is my excess profits tax for 1945. Next labor solidarity. A resolution feeling that the membership that year the rate goes down and they passed by the Seafarers In elected me to that high post is Stand to make still more profit ternational Union which de entitled to an explanation for on the stuff they sell. clared support for the UAW my action. That is. the reason for So far everything on the picket- demands, was read to the this letter. line front remains quiet, and will Strike Strategy Committee. My decision to resign was not remain so as long as the manage- The Committee indicated made on the spur of the moment. rpent does not start its expected their appreciation of the SIU It does not come about through "rank and file" movement among support and asked for copies any desire on my part to stop their stooges and strike breakers. of the resolution for distribu working for the Union. On the There are a lot of johnny-come- tion among the pickets "as a contrary, I want to continue to l^itely unionists around here, and morale builder." work, to contribute in whatever that's where the GM outfit will way I can towards building our Start its boring from within. The Body, the picketline .^was orderly organization, and towards im Corporation is on the radio try and quiet. Plant No. 10-49 had proving the wages and conditions ,'vj| ing to arouse public opinion few pickets, but everything was of the seamen and river workerst against the strikers, and spread in good shape. Detroit Transmis My decision to resign was ing the usual hooey that the sion pickets told me that they strike is keeping the public from forced upon me by a series of A felt their demands were complete events over the past year. Tied getting "that wonderful GM ly justified, and they were ready ^product." to fight it out with the GM com Pickets march in front of Chevrolet plant in Toledo. 0« as together, these events form a P Talking to men on the Die and pany. Detroit Stamping men said workers leave their jobs to join nation-wide strike against General; ^ no longer Machine picketline, I was given the company was denying them Motors by United Auto Workers. After months of company stalling remain. As long as this situation the impression that they are pre a decent living wage and trying on union's 30% wage demand. 115 GM plants shut down as union ®*'sts, I cannot, as an official, pared for a long battle. At Fisher to break the back of their union. took wage fight to picketline. (Federated Pictures) (Contimircd on Page 12) . AAFI 1*' f' I't-- 'f - ' • .-'iy.illi'.'fti:-•''.i' •iStifl-.v'-Vil.tfVaJ 1 •;nnSii .i iir" --,. m mm m. mmm m Page Two THE SEAFARERS lOG Friday, NoTember 30, 1945 SEAFARERS LOG Published Weekly by the SEAFARERS INTERNATIONAL UNION OF NORTH AMERICA Atlantic and Gulf District Affiliated with the American Federation of Labor At 51 Beaver Street, New York 4, N. Y. HAnover 2-2784 » » 4^ » HARRY LUNDEBERG ------- President lOJ Market Street, San Francisco, C^f. JOHN HAWK - -- - - - - - Secy-Treas. P. O. Box 25, Station P., New York City Entered as second class matter June 15, 1945, at the Post Office in New York, N. Y., under the Act of August 24, 1912. '267 The Time Has Come From all signs the nation's industrialists have em barked upon an all-out offensive against labor. No other conclusion can be drawn from the statements and actions of the men who are normally looked upon as the spokesmen for industry. Take, for example, the attitude of General Motors, speaking through the person of its vice-presi4ent, Harry iW. Anderson. GM absolutely refuses to reopen negotiating with the striking United Automobile Workers, unless the union modifies its "unreasonable" demand for a 30 per cent wage increase. In other words, General Motors insists that the union give in to it—since the wage demand is the bone of contention—and then go through the motions of negotiating. The crux of any wage-increase demand rests, in the final analysis on the ability of industry to meet rise in costs. i. iThe union insists that General Motors can meet the higher ,wage demands, and still make a reaspnable profit. HoWever, recognizing the possibility that they might be wrong, "Wal ter Reuther, on behalf of the UAW, promised to lower the CET THE LOG demand if GM could prove, with figures taken from its The Seafarers Log is your books, that it could not pay the 30 per cent increase. To Union paper. Every member this the corporation refused to accede. "We will not ne has the right to have it mailed to his house, where he and gotiate," said Mr. Anderson, "with your union regarding his family can read it at their our selling prices and profits." FRANKFURT, Germany — least 3,500 calories a day," he leisure. In addition, president Charles E. Wilson categorically Workers have shown a surprising commented, "which is enough to If you haven't already done refused to join in any joint conference called by Secretary energy in the task of rebuilding live on.. Under the coupon system so. send your name and home of Labor Schwellenbach, without any qualifying ifs or huts.