Tree Trimmers YOUR To Start Business Manager's Negotiations CO LUMN Wage and contract bargaining will gaction policy commence on all agreements between Local 1245 and the tree trimming con- By Ronald T. Weakley tractors the first part of November, VOL. XVI, No. 5 OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA OCTOBER; 968 except for Pacific Tree Export Com- atlon of I.B.E.W. Local Union 1245, AFL-CIO, 1218 Boulevard Way, Walnut Creek, Calif., 94 At press time, your Business Man- pany where a three-year contract ex- ager, Ron Weakley, is on vacation. In ists. Wages only will be a subject for place of his column we wish to print later negotiations on the Pacific Tree a statement of policy regarding the properties under Article XVII, Section coming elections. 17.1(a) which provides for discussions STATEMENT OF POLICY RE- on wages beyond the pre-negotiated MEMORANDUM GARDING 1968 GENERAL increase by reason of the Consumer ELECTIONS Price Index exceeding 117.5 index The elected Officers of Local points in the months of September, October 1, 1968 1245 of the International Brother- October and November, 1968. To: Ronald T. Weakley and Staff hood of Electrical Workers, Ameri- Notices will be sent to Utility Tree can Federation of Labor-Congress Service, Inc., Farrens Tree Company, From: Executive Board of Industrial Organizations, do Inc., and Davey Tree Surgery Com- hereby set forth a Statement of pany, Ltd., together with the propo- The Executive Board wishes to extend to you and your Policy regarding the 1968 General sals following analysis of a member- Elections in the United States : ship survey now in progress. A Shop staff, its sincere thanks for the time and effort that you ex- "It is the unanimous opinion of Steward meeting, to be held on Oc- pended in preparing our new building for occupancy. the members of the Executive tober 19, 1968, was set to review the Board of Local 1245 of the IBEW bargaining program before submission It must be a great source of satisfaction to you, as it is that in order to properly and posi- tively implement the charge of to the several employers. Notice on to all of us, to finally reach the goal which we have worked the Pacific Tree Export Company will Article 1, Section 2, of the Bylaws be made in accordance with the re- for so long. of Local 1245 which have been opening provisions which calls for duly adopted by the membership either party to open the agreement on Again, thanks from all of us. in accordance with IBEW and civil wages between December 15 and Jan- law, we must take a clear stand as uary 1. to our recommendations for voter support of the candidates for elec- Orville Owen, Business Representa- tive office who appear to us to be tive, will head the discussions with the best candidates in terms of the employers and appointments of platforms and policies which would employee committee members will be best serve the economic and social made by President Roland W. Fields interests of our members, their before the end of the month. families, our communities, and the nation as a whole in 1968. "The voting members of Local Sierra Pacific Accident 1245 will vote as they please, as On Wednesday, October 2, 1968 at will all voting Americans. Inasmuch 12:47 p.m., a Sierra Pacific Power Line as streams of propaganda emanate truck was hit by a Southern Pacific from the campaign organizations of the candidates, the news media of Switch Engine. television, radio, newspapers, and The accident happened at May- magazines, which seek to influence berry Crossing, approximately four the votes of the people, we shall miles west of Reno, Nevada. The 7
Utility Reporter – October, 1968 – Page Two
Top To Bottom Tax Reform "Top-to-bottom reform" of Califor- special tax shelters," the state AFL- Deploring the fact that local prop- nia's "extremely regressive" state and CIO policy statement said. erty taxes, which tend to rise every local tax structure, including particu- Noting that one result of these de- year and bear no relationship to fam- larly property tax reform and adoption velopments has been a major loss of ily income, "may force many people, of a pay-as-you-go withholding sys- public confidence in the fairness of the including trade union families, from tem was urged by the California La- nation's tax system, it called for top their homes," the statement declared. the trade unionists called for restric- bor Federation, AFL-CIO, today. priority to be given to closing the tion of such relief to owner-occupied "The only solution to California's single homes and to renters. "The California tax structure suffers many federal tax loopholes. recurrent tax problems is an overhaul from two basic defects," delegates to Such action could raise billions of It warned that efforts to return the Federation's seventh convention dollars in additional revenue to be of the entire state tax structure. Tax large sums of state-collected revenue at the Sacramento Memorial Auditori- used to help meet the nation's inter- reform must place greater reliance on in block form to the counties to pass um declared in adopting a policy national obligations and domestic the personal income tax, including on to property owners would only re- statement on Taxation. needs while restoring public confi- adoption of a pay-as-you-go withhold- sult in giving "windfalls" to large land- The state's tax structure "is extreme- dence in the tax system and helping owners, apartment house owners and ing system to capture the millions of other wealthy groups. ly regressive and tax revenues rise to reduce the tax burden on low and dollars presently annually escaping less rapidly than expenditure needs moderate income families, it said. And taking issue with continued ef- because regressive consumer taxes, While recognizing that greater fi- collection." forts to reduce and eventually elimi- such as those on retail sales and ciga- nancial aid is needed by many hard- It also called for a further increase nate the business inventory tax, the rettes, raise revenue at a slower rate pressed local governments in the state in the bank and corporation tax and State AFL-CIO said that, if success- than the economy usually grows. The to meet public needs, the Federation's a consolidation and general increase ful, this too would result in a "wind- result is repeated fiscal crises," it said. statement rejected the idea advanced fall" tax break to large corporations in the rate of taxation on inheritances and mean that the balance of Califor- And asserting that the federal ov- by:some congressmen that a portion and gifts. ernment's overall tax system is ' rid- of federal tax receipts should be re- nia's taxpayers would have to pay dled with inconsistencies" that make turned to the states and localities au- In the area of property tax relief, higher taxes. "a sham of the ability-to-pay principle tomatically on a no-strings-attached of taxation," the statement said that basis. federal tax reform was needed "to Instead, it said, "Federal grant-in- close the many loopholes now bene- aid funds should go to states and lo- ATTENTION GENERAL fitting special interest groups at the calities for specific high priority pro- CONSTRUCTION EMPLOYEES expense of wage and salary earners." grams where needs are greatest and To back up their charge that "the under enforceable federal perform- Jack McNally is the new Business progressive quality of the federal in- ance standards." Representative for the General Con- come tax has been weakened steadily On the state level, the trade union- struction employees in the North Bay over the past 20 years by special in- ists charged that "California's com- area. Jack comes to us from the San terest group pressures," the trade un- bined state and local tax structure ionists pointed out that before World places the greatest tax burden on those Joaquin Division where he was a War II the federal income tax favored least able to pay while taxing much Line Sub-Foreman for P.G.&E. earnings from wages and salary but more lightly the incomes of the well- Jack would like to issue an invita- that today the opposite is true. to-do. tion to all G.C. people to call on him "Persons receiving billions of dol- "This is reflected in the fact that the lars in capital gains, stock market and chief revenue raisers in the state are for anything. He would like to at real estate transactions, from tax-free the severely regressive property tax least meet you and introduce himself ; interest on state and local bonds and and unfair consumer taxes such as see him in your yard or office, so if you from oil and other unjustifiable min- those on retail sales and cigarettes," walk up to him and shake his hand. eral depletion allowances, now enjoy it said. Buying Calendar Housing Prices Out Of Sight
By Sidney Margolies Recently the rise has speeded up this year, these are still relatively rea- Yes, ma'am. It's obviously possible You're going to have to do some even further. Construction costs have sonable loans. and it's also legal. serious planning to protect your fam- jumped 8 per cent just this year. THE NO-DEPOSIT HOAX: Soft "Diet-Rite Cola," the largest-seller ily's standard of living from this fall's Current high mortgage rates on top drinks have become even more wide- of this type, did much the same thing. high prices. of lofty home prices compound the ly used by families in recent years, to They charged 67 cents for four 16- One way, is to take advantage of problem. Mortgages now are 7-8 per their own nutritional and financial ounce bottles, plus 18 cents deposit sales and special prices. A main pur- cent in most areas of the U.S., and disadvantage. The Bureau of Labor on the bottles. That came to about 1 pose of this monthly buying calendar around 9 per cent in Canada. Statistics reports that prices have gone cent an ounce or about 1.3 if you did is to provide information on such re- In contrast to the typical $24,500 up this year more than would be justi- not return the bottles. Then they duced-price opportunities. price on new homes, the average pro- fied by the recent small rise in the switched to no-return bottles, chang- But other current price problems duction worker, with earnings of ap- price of sugar. In fact, soft drinks now ing the quantity to six 10-ounce "king may require more drastic action, or a proximately $5.600 a year, can afford cost almost as much as milk if you size" bottles for 73 cents. ( The old review of your present buying and just a $14,000 house; perhaps one with- figure out the cost per quart. larger ones must have been the em- spending habits, and even plans. out bedrooms. One noticeable reason for the high- peror size.) That comes to 1.2 cents er prices is the use of no-return bottles. an ounce or almost as much as if you Among the most serious problems Thus, more young working families merely threw away the old bottles. this year, in addition to the current will have to seek homes among older The public is really paying for these without realizing it, because the bot- OCTOBER COAT SALES: The high prices of food, are the record- dwellings on the market. Not that first coat sales of the year are avail- high housing costs; the increases in these are cheap ,either. The national tlers have juggled around the sizes. prices of fuel oil, gasoline and tires; able in metropolitan stores with the average price of existing homes for One observant reader reports that Columbus Day sales, with progressive- the still-leaping medical costs, and the sale currently is about $19,800, up her family has been buying "Sprite" ly larger reductions later in the fall. hidden increases and quality reduc- for a number of years and the price tion in many packaged supermarket about $900 just this year. was 59 cents for six 12-ounce bottles. Despite higher clothing prices this goods. To help modernize or enlarge such Last year the company changed to no- year, excellent values are available in Here are pointers to help you cope older houses, larger modernization return bottles and the price went up the more simply-styled classic coats. with at least some of these problems: loans are available this year. Under to 79 cents for the same six 12-ounce We nominate, as best buy of 1968, un- the new Housing Act, the limit on trimmed wool sports coats lined with HOMES AND LOANS: Prices of bottles. Now the company has acrylic fiber ( Acrilan, Orlan, etc. ), in new one-family houses are bounding PHA home-improvement loans has switched to 10-ounce bottles and the the $40-$50 bracket; the new dressy out of sight of the average wage-earn- been raised to $5,000 from the previ- price has gone up to $1.09 for eight bottles. corduory coats with acrylic lining in er. Builders are concentrating on larg- ous $3,500. Rates have been increased the same price bracket; acrylic pile er, costlier houses. The average dwell- on the first $2,500 to $5.50 per $100 (a Thats a jump of from 0.82 cents per coats (resembling mouton) for $85; ing built this year has a pride tag of true annual rate of about 11 per cent), ounce to 1.36 cents, or an increase of polyester (Dacron, etc.) all weather $24,500 compared to $18,000 in 1963. and to $4.25 on the remainder (a true 66 per cent. annual 8 per cent). coats with zip-in lining under $40 (no That's an increase of 36 per cent in "Is it posible to increase the price need to pay more for this popular just five years. But in light of other rate increases like that?" she asks. type).
Utility Reporter—October, 1968 Page Three The Challenge of the 1968 Election
By Al Barkan time in fifty years, a Democratic "We strongly believe the protec- union, to make sure that every We face in 1968 the dirtiest, the state legislature and a Democratic tion of individual liberty is the cor- single member between now and foulest campaign in recent years. governor. That Democratic legisla- nerstone of sound labor policy." Nov. 5 understands the candidates, ture and that Democratic governor If that isn't a call for a national understands that in Hubert Hum- I come to your convention to in 1967 gave plead with you that if we ever the labor movement in right-to-work law then I don't know phrey we have a candidate who 60 New Jersey minimum wage, work- what it is. times, as Senator and Vice Presi- needed your fine leadership within dent, was put to the test—Taft- your union and within the labor men's compensation and unemploy- I don't know how many watched ment compensation for strikers. Governor Romney at the Republi- Hartley, Landrum-Griffin, Social movement, we certainly need it Security, you name it. Sixty times, now. Did you hear what I said? can National Convention. Did you hear and see the response that he Hubert Humphrey was put to the If there is one lesson that stands Well, hold your applause. They got from those delegates when he test and 60 times Hubert Hum- out clearly and boldly it is this : gave us unemployment compensa- attacked big labor, when he at- phrey stood up for you and for me when labor is united, when we don't tion for strikers effective January in the labor movement. Sixty get side-tracked by phony issues, tacked the labor bosses and called 1, 1968. However, there was an for restrictive legislation? times ! What the hell has Wallace then we win; when we permit our election in November of 1967. The enemies to do our thinking for us When Nixon was first elected to ever done to deserve our turning and we get side-tracked, we lose. New Jersey Manufacturers Asso- the Congress, he said : "I was our backs on a proven friend like ciation didn't have to be told the elected to smash the labor bosses." Hubert Humphrey? Let's take 1964. We understood effect of paying compensation to the danger of Goldwater and all strikers after five weeks ; they got This year, in an interview in Na- Now I know I have struck a rath- that he represented—we under- up a million dollar slush fund and tion's Business: "A major function er solemn note and I don't want to stood that—our members under- of the 91st Congress should be to leave your convention with you per- they knew the classic way of fight- reevaluate our labor management stood it. ing labor is to raise a phony issue. haps feeling the National Director legislation and bring it in tune with of COPE, as we go down the home You did the job, the educational Well, they found one. the times." job, the organizational job. You did stretch, is in any way disheartened not permit Goldwater and the lying No such plan Dangers ahead and discouraged, because I am not. newspapers that supported him to They claimed that Governor That is why I say, Brothers and History is replete with examples of side-track you to become involved Hughes was going to bus the ghetto Sisters, that we need the labor what the labor movement, when it in phony issues. As a result, we school children into the suburban movement and you as labor leaders is aroused, is capable of doing. won big—we won a friend in the schools of that state. In spite of the to recognize the dangers in this There is no organization in the White House—we helped elect 43 fact that the Governor denied this, 1968 campaign. If we lose it, re- country as big as we are, fifteen friends in the Congress and over that there wasn't any such plan, member—if you don't remember million strong; we are in the 50 500 State legislators. This resulted suburban newspapers broke out anything else I've said—that I am states, we are in the biggest cities, in our being amply rewarded. with full-page ads—S.O.S.--Save predicting now with the certainty we are in the smallest hamlets. We Rewards of 89th our Schools. of the rising sun tomorrow, that if have the political know-how. We Our women manning the tele- Nixon gets into the White House, have the organizational skills to do The 89th Congress gave us the the job. rewards in the form of Medicare; phone on election day, asking our if we lose the Congress, you are go- members to come out and support ing to see legislation passed crip- GOP treasury full gave us a minimum wage of $1.60 pling your bargaining power. and continued the four years of rec- the state legislators who gave us The fact is, the Republicans have ord full employment that we en- unemployment compensation for That is the price we will pay. gotten seven million dollars in the joyed from 1960 to 1964. The 89th strikers, were insulted, told by our So I plead with you leaders to own members, "I am not going to treasury of the Republican Nation- Congress gave us the best legisla- face up to this danger. Let's do an al Committee. You can't turn TV on tive record since 1936. That is what let any Nigger school children go educational job. Many of our mem- without seeing the new make-up we received for unity, for work, for to our schools." The result was that bers don't understand what a vote of Nixon and that sweet, smiling, leadership. with the vote of our members an overwhelming Republican legisla- for Wallace means. A vote for Wal sickly grin of his. You can't do it. In 1966 we had the reverse of lace is really a vote for Nixon. They have the money. The polls ture was elected in November and There is no question about it. that coin. Taking advantage of the I will give you one guess as to the talk about Humphrey being the un- turmoil in the ghettos, the ugly first thing they did when they took I am asking you to set up the derdog. But I remember '48. I re- head of racial bigotry was used. office on January 1—yes, they re- educational machinery in the local member '48. Our members were side-tracked pealed the unemployment compen- and in many cases our leaders sation for strikers. failed to lead—they permitted our members to be hoodwinked all over Nixon doesn't worry me in the the country. least. As far as our members are Inflation From Profits Not Wages concerned, our members know In this state labor has never had Nixon. They talk about the new The Wall Street Journal, national stein, a New York investment counsel- a better friend in the Senate than Nixon and the new makeup and the daily newspaper for businessmen and lor, as saying, "Instead of labor costs Paul Douglas. Cicero, Ill., is a solid rest, but our people instinctively industrialists, suggested bluntly in its pushing prices up, what we see in- blue collar union town. Paul Doug- know that Nixon is nothing but Aug. 5 issue that profits may be "a stead is a sort of profit-push. Profits las had never gotten less than that double-plotted, triple-coated, major culprit" causing inflation. are already well on their way up be- twenty thousand votes in Cicero. four-faced individual he has always The Journal says, "Any attempt to fore prices begin to rise, and prices But the Reverend Martin Luther been. fix the blame for today's inflation, are well on their way up before wages King had some marches in Cicero. Look at the Republican platform. however, shouldn't be limited simply begin to rise faster than output." We had racial strife and the vote If there is any doubt in the mind to a consideration of labor costs. The for Paul Douglas fell in this union of anyone that the danger of re- blame, it can be argued, belongs in town from twenty thousand to strictive legislation is a real one, the many places. seven thousand. Republican platform removes it. "A major culprit may be corporate In California, we had as candi- The platform says : "We will be vig- profits. A glance at the economic his- date for governor the Star of the ilant to prevent any administrative tory of the post-World War II era cer- Late, Late Show, that synthetic agency entrusted with labor en- tainly suggests that inflation often has cowboy who never ran for office in forcement from violating the spirit been just as much 'profit-push' infla- his life. Well, Ronald Reagan and letter of the Taft-Hartley and tion as 'wage-push." brought up the issues of the beat- Landrum-Griffin laws." The article goes on to say that there niks and other people of that class have been three distinct periods of and also the black militants in That is a part of the program of sharp increases over a prolonged pe- Watts and many of our members the Chamber of Commerce and the riod of factory prices, and that "In forgot the eight years of friendly NAM, to destroy the Labor Board each instance, labor costs per unit of labor administration we had from and put us under a Labor Court. factory output were declining when Pat Brown. Those of you who faced the right- the price climb began—and these costs So you see, in 1966 we were side- to-work fights know the language continued to decline for a consider- tracked, we were not united and we of the right-to-workers--voluntary able period after the price rise was paid the price. We lost forty-one unionism, individual liberty, the under way. Ken Lohre is our new managing friends in the House. right of a member, a worker to be- "In each case, corporate profits be- editor of the Utility Reporter and the long or to not belong to a union. gan to increase sharply well before clerical business representative for My own native state of New Jer- Here is the Platform of the Repub- the price climb started." General Office people, P.G.&E., San sey in 1965 elected, for the first lican Party : The Journal quotes Peter L. Bern- Francisco.
Utility Reporter—October, 1968—Page Four A New Look At Richard Nixon's Public Record Republican Presidential candidate he doesn't become tired and irritable speaks, here is that record—a voting • Nixon climaxed his anti-labor rec- Richard Milhous Nixon has been out and lapse into his old self again, is now record 87 percent in opposition to the ord with a tie-breaking vote in the of office for eight years and, as a result, striking near-progressive stances on a best interests of working people and Senate in 1959 on a Goldwater motion his record in public office has been number of critical issues confronting the social needs of the nation, accord- which converted the Senate's anti- largely forgotten. this nation's voters. ing to key votes tallied by the AFL- racketeering bill into an anti-labor But California voters as well as vot- Like the question of whether a ze- CIO Committee on Political Educa- vehicle paving the way for enactment ers throughout the nation have a vague bra can change its stripes, the ques- tion during the years he served as U. of the Landrum-Griffin Act. uneasiness about Nixon—about Nixon tion confronting voters this year is S. Representative, Senator and presid- On matters of public interest con- as a poor loser who engages in tirades whether Nixon has in fact done an ing officer of the Senate as Vice Presi- cerning the social needs of the entire against the press; about Nixon's pri- about face on many aspects of his en- dent: nation, Nixon compiled the following vate slush fund that rocked the nation tire public record or whether he is • Nixon's dismal voting record on all record of faithful service and obedi- during the 1952 Presidential campaign; merely assuming new postures for poli- issues was exceeded only by his record ence to the special interests of the few: and about the compact of silence he tical expediency. of contempt for working men and • On tax matters, Nixon cast 11 con- has apparently won from the reaction- To permit voters to weigh the new women on issues directly affecting secutive votes serving the wealthy and ary right wing within his own party. posture the Republican candidate is working conditions and in the field of corporate interests of the nation. The so-called "new Nixon," who is attempting to project against his pub- labor-management relations. He is • In the housing area, Nixon voted carefully pacing himself to make sure lic record, about which he seldom recorded as voting against the work- 5 times to block programs designed to ingman on 14 out of 15 key votes in provide public and private housing to this area of labor legislation. meet the needs of low and middle in- • Nixon cast 6 votes restricting the come families priced out of the mar- Right And The Left rights of workers in connection with ket by the high interest rate policies the Taft-Hartley Act. These included he championed. Dangerous Simple Answers votes for passage of this anti-labor • In crucial areas such as small busi- law, in opposition to its repeal, and in ness and veterans affairs, Nixon has The right-wing nuts are on the move. favor of applying the act's injunction also compiled an unbroken record They are making headway among working people this year because it is an provisions against the steelworkers against the public interest. election year—and an unusually controversial election year at that. after the giant steel corporations re- • On general consumer issues Nixon They preach hate and simple answers. fused to accept a Wage Stabilization voted 10 out of 12 times to the detri- Honorable men in both Democratic and Republican parties know and say Board decision in 1952. ment of the buying public and in favor there are no easy solutions to today's complicated problems. • On minimum wage issues, Nixon of those who would cheat the con- There are no easy answers in Vietnam, in the ghettos, in the provision of bet- voted to remove a million workers sumers. ter schools, or in the enforcement of law. from the protection of the federal • On social security proposals, Nix- Among decent Americans there are many honest differences of opinion on the wage-hour law. He voted for the Por- on voted twice, without any offsetting solution of all these problems. There should be, in America, plenty of room for tal-to-Portal Act to permit employers favorable votes ,against providing ade- honest debate and disagreement. But because the situation is more complicated to escape penalties and liabilities for quate benefits for senior citizens who than it used to be, patriotic and sincere people are more than ordinarily confused violations of the Walsh-Healy, Bacon- have contributed a lifetime to the and unsure of themselves in their political opinions. Davis and Fair Labor Standards Acts. building of their country. The extremists of left and of right prey on this uncertainty and confusion. While vice-president, Nixon even • On civil rights measures, Nixon Because people are tired and frustrated as they wait for slow, complex solutions voted for the infamous Knowland registered three key votes against to complicated woes, they are vulnerable to the extremist who preaches a simple amendment to scuttle procedures to equal rights for all Americans. answer. determine prevailing wage rates on Frustrated people drift into positions comparable to that of the sick person public works. • In the field of education, Nixon who, having failed to cure his illness after going to several doctors, goes to a quick- cast the tie-breaking vote against aid cure quack. • Nixon cast three anti-labor votes to school construction and teachers' The left-wing extremists prey on the emotionally frustrated, discouraged peo- to subvert the Labor Department's salaries in the School Assistance Act ple who have been unable to get a decent share of America's great prosperity. services to workers, including two of 1960. The right-wing extremists prey on people who have decent incomes and a votes against sorely needed appropria- • On foreign policy, Mr. Nixon has decent home—and are afraid they may lose what they have because of riots, crime, tions and one backing an employer- voted almost consistently to weaken high taxes, or subversive activities. inspired move to transfer the U.S. Em- America's ability to withstand Com- As a matter of simple arithmetic, America today is in more danger from right- ployment Service out of the depart- munist subversion aboard. This in- wing nuts than from nuts of the left. Partly this is because a large majority of ment. cluded a vote in 1950, prior to the people do have decent incomes and jobs to protect. Partly it is because the left- • Nixon voted during the Korean invasion of South Korea, against a wing sales talk wore thin years ago. War to strip the Wage Stabilization measure which would have provided But the right-wing extremists have a fertile new hunting ground in the frus- Board of its powers to help settle labor $60 million in economic aid to the trations of today. They are working busily—not only in secret cells of the John disputes. Korean nation. Birch Society and other organizations, but also in the industrial plants and in some churches. With more than 2,000 right-wing extremist organizations active in the United It Would Cost You Plenty Under Wallace States today, it is difficult to identify all the nuts. Some of the people who know You'd make only $3.09 in Birming- The extremist is not the man who disagrees with you. But the extremist does George Wallace best—some of his ham, but in Chicago and Cleveland, have certain earmarks: fellow Southerners—have uncov- $3.53, $4.19 in San Francisco, and He preaches hate. Hating another individual or group of people is much dif- ered some facts concerning wages $3.72 in Detroit. ferent than strongly disagreeing with them. The extremist sells hate—sometimes that ought to make workers think SCOPE also discloses that Bir- of minorities, sometimes of the poor, sometimes of certain religious groups. For twice about the former Alabama mingham wages aren't the only example, the black-power advocate says no white man can be trusted. Many governor who has Presidential as- part of the George Wallace record right-wingers preach hatred of Negroes—at least in subtle ways. pirations. where the working man suffers. The extremist usually accuses someone of a devious plot to destroy our sys- These Southerners, banded to- "He has loaded Alabama's tax tem. structure against the workingman The extremist uses "ism" words. The left-wing tends to talk about "monopoly gether in an association known as capitalism" and "fascism." ( Note that this is much different than just question- the Southern Committee on Politi- and in favor of the rich and well-to- ing high profits, or suggesting that capitalism should correct some of its excesses. ) cal Ethics (SCOPE), spelled out do and the corporations. The right-winger hollers about "communim." Some of them appear to blame the their findings in a pamphlet re- "He has denied the workingman Communists for chuckholes in city streets, crop failures on the farm and even leased at the Democratic National any real improvement in unemploy- changes in the weather. Convention entitled "The Wallace ment compensation laws, work- The extremist teaches distrust of government, suggesting that most of all Labor Record." men's compensation laws. actions by either political party in government are part of some sort of scheme to There's one section called "Work- "He draws his financial support tear down America. ing for Birmingham Wages." It from some of the biggest union gives this warning: haters in the country. All in all, the extremist suggests overly-simplified reasons for the country's "He has kept the Alabama educa- troubles and over-simplified methods of solving them. *If you're a carpenter: it costs tional system among the poorest in It can be tempting for a working man to buy these simple explanations. He you more than $40 a week to work the nation." has a job and home to protect. He is nervous about the threats to his security and under George Wallace. Why ? Birm- SCOPE was founded by South- small comforts. ingham wages (highest in Alaba- erners who have always been on This is why extremists try to use working men as their tools. But when the ma) are $4 an hour, compared to the side of the workingman. They extremists come out on top, the working man is the first to suffer. They are vic- $5.45 in Chicago and Cleveland, include former Congressman timized by the well-placed people who come out on top. This has happened in $5.20 in San Francisco and $5.06 Brooks Hays of Arkansas, Carl El- every country where an extremist form of government has taken over. in Detroit. liott of Alabama and Frank Smith ( OCAW UNION NEWS ) *If you're a mechanic in a plant, of Mississippi. Barney Weeks, ( Oil, Chemical and Atomic Workers News ) it costs you about $20 a week to Reprint from Panel Labor Management School, University of San Francisco President of the Alabama Labor work under George Wallace. Why? Council, AFL-CIO, is with them.
Utility Reporter—October, 1968—Page Five HHH Hubert Humphr ey's Labor Record For more than 20 years, Hubert Humphrey has been the liberal's lib- As far as most trade union members MACHINIST over the years, Humphrey ment ask me to do a single thing in eral. He has been the pace-setter. are concerned, Hubert Humphrey voted "Right' from labor's viewpoint my public life that I did not believe More than anyone in public life, he stands alone among this year's nomi- 79 times, "Wrong" twice and did not was in the national interest and that's has proved he can get things done nees for President of the United vote on five other occasions. why I was happy to cast the votes that that need to be done. States. One of the dramatic moments in I did, even though, on occasion, I must Every step on the path of prog- • He has been part of the labor Humphrey's Senate career came in say that there were a number of peo- ress over the past two decades movement. June, 1959, when a nationwide cam- ple that weren't very happy about it. bears his imprint: • His voting record has been near- paign to discredit trade unions was "I am very proud of the fact that I • Medicare • Food stamps perfect from labor's point of view. reaching a fever pitch. have had the opportunity to author • Aid to edu- • Food for peace • He has spoken out as an un- Referring to the unfriendly investi- the Peace Corps, an arms control agen- cation • Nuclear test ban abashed champion of trade unions gations of labor by U.S. Sen. John Mc- cy, a National Defense Education Act, • Human rights • Arms Control when others in public life found it Clellan of Arkansas and others, Hum- the wilderness conservation bill. On • Peace Corps Agency more prudent to remain silent. phrey arose from his Senate seat to every one of those issues we received • Job Corps • War on poverty One of Humphrey's early associa- urge his colleagues to return to rea- a heap of abuse at the time it was in- • Urban aid • Consumer aid tions with trade unions came in the son. troduced, only to live long enough in Today, he is the Democratic 1940's when, as a young instructor at "For two years now, we have been public life to see each and every one nominee for President of the Uni- the University of Minnesota, he be- hearing much about what is wrong of them become law." ted States. Few candidates have came a leader in the American Fed- with the American labor movement,' Vice President Humphrey explained ever run for our highest office with eration of Teachers. Humphrey told the Senate. "A sordid, that he has not changed since leaving frightening, distorted image of the la- credentials as impressive as Hubert HHH as mayor the Senate, but "my job did." He Humphrey's. Few have brought bor movement has emerged from the added: In 1945, soon after he scored his first hundreds of hearings, the thousands such a record of distinction to their election victory as Mayor of Minnea- of editorials and cartoons, the count- "I haven't given up one single prin- candidacy. None has been such a polis, Humphrey launched the city on less specehes about corrupt officials. ciple nor have I changed my views on good friend of working people and a program of welfare improvement "I rise today," Humphrey declared, a single matter. I possibly have ma- the unions that represent them. urged by the city's trade unions. "to discuss what is right with the tured, but I have stood steadfast by The years ahead will need a While mayor, Humphrey was a American labor movement." what I consider to be the liberal pro- builder. They will need a man of leader in the successful fight to oust At a time of widespread anti-labor gressive principles of government to courage and conviction. They will Communists and other extremist ele- hysteria, it took courage for a politi- which I dedicated my life 25 years need a man committed to progress. ments from the Minnesota Farmer-La- cian to make that kind of speech. For ago." They will need a man who can con- bor Party. Hubert Humphrey it was typical. "I like to be considered pro-labor," vert contention to cooperation and Running for the U.S. Senate in 1948, Hubert Humnhrev said on another oc- conflict to constructive action. Humphrey made repeal of the Taft- As Vice President casion, "just as I like to be considered Hubert Humphrey is such a man. Hartley Act a major issue in his cam- More recently, as Vice President of pro-peace and pro-liberty. He is a man to trust for our times. paign. the United States, Humphrey looked hack: The Senate years "For 16 years I served in the U.S. As a Senator, Humphrey worked Senate and for those 16 years . . . I consistently to repeal that anti-labor did not hesitate to try new things, to Rafferty's Record Tarnished law. He also championed Medicare, my support of the objectives and aims aid to schools, minimum wage im- be an innovator. I never flinched in provements, the Peace Corps, arms my support of the objectives and aims control, the job Corps and other meas- of organized labor. I didn't then and By Truth ures urged by the labor movement. I don't now. teacher remembered that he On 86 key votes compiled by THE "I have never had the labor move- And then there's Max Rafferty, One Heaven help us. repeatedly turned down her re- What a wild, crazy, contradictory quests for speech therapy for one record this man has put together. child. "Why, he's only a Mexican," Cranston Knows The Score He headed an illegal, unauthor- Rafferty told the teacher. ized, unrecognized student organi- HE WAS also quick to cut off his The choice for U.S. Senator on (Rafferty has denounced the farm zation on the UCLA campus — of critics, vengeful and vindictive November 5 is clear-cut. workers' boycott on grapes, along the very kind that he denounces to- when he felt himself crossed. Every section of the labor move- with Reagan and Nixon.) day as "disrupting and disgusting." Some people in Needles admitted ment in California—the AFL-CIO, CRANSTON calls for an end to He became a school teacher be- that they supported Rafferty solely the Teamsters, Auto Workers, and violence—in our cities and in Viet cause he couldn't get a job on a because he was in a position to hurt Longshoremen—is urging its mem- Nam. newspaper. the town and its schools. bers to vote for Alan Cranston. Justice is the key to violence in DURING World War II, he hob- Rafferty was litle known, even The reason, they say, is partly the cities — full recognition of the bled about the desert town of so, until he made a speech in La because Cranston has a first-rate inequities and injustices that un- Trona, where he was teaching, on Canada. It was an all-out, super- record back of him and a first-rate derlie the unrest and dissatisfac- a cane after he was rejected by the patriotic, 200-percent-Americanism program ahead of him. tion of the nation's poor and mi- draft because of his flat feet. speech. IT IS also partly because they do norities. The standing joke in Trona even He called for the indoctrination not want to be represented in the Jobs — education — training — today, according to the Long Beach of students in patriotism. "Indoc- U.S. Senate by Max Rafferty whose housing : these are the answers to Independent, is : trination" is not an ugly word, he record behind him is muddy and unrest. Higher police pay, better "Max Rafferty celebrated V-J insisted, but "if it is ugly to teach full of weird meanderings, and training, Federal support — yes, Day by throwing his cane away." children . .. to hate communism whose proposals are rash and ir- but most of all, justice and under- Rafferty says now that the cane and its creatures like hell, then I responsible. standing, equal rights and equal op- and the war were just a coinci- say let's be ugly and revel in it." Cranston offers a voice of reason portunity. dence. But before being rejected he SOME objected to teaching and intelligence. Cranston wants to end the war in went to every end to avoid being school children "hate," some op- Rafferty sounds off in a voice of Viet Nam now. drafted. posed the whole idea of "indoctrina- recklessness and danger. HE CALLS for a halt to the AND THIS is the man who, to- tion" as education. Alan Cranston has been a foreign bombing, for guarantees of free day, sneers at anyone seeking to But Rafferty continues to ex- correspondent, an author, a busi- elections and home rule for all the avoid the draft as "creeps, cowards, pound the same 200-percent-Ameri- nessman. He was elected to two people of South Viet Nam, quick and Communists." canism today. His definition of terms as State Controller, the sec- and honorable resolution of the He taught at Trona, later at Big "communism" goes far beyond any ond time by a record-setting mar- Paris peace talks. Rear, Simi Valley, and Needles. His rational definition and anything gin that is still unequalled. Cranston supports expanded aid competence as a superintendent of that earns his dislike may be HE IS an old and sturdy friend to education to improve teachers' schools is often praised and the re- threatened by the same angry, of labor. He is an outspoken oppon- pay, reduce class size, and end half- norts seem to agree that he did a vengeful appeal. ent of the so-called "right to work" day sesssion. first-rate job at Needles. Perhaps his greatest menace is laws that are aimed mainly at He proposes to close the loop- But he developed, too, what one illustrated by the fact that he is weakening or destroying unions. holes in taxes and urges property teacher referred to as "the caste substantially financed by H. L. He was a valiant fighter in the tax reform. system of education." Hunt. the Texas oil billionaire. who historic campaign in 1958 against On every count, the choice be- The student who lagged behind is financial uncle to all kinds of the "right to work" proposition. tween Cranston and Rafferty is lust a little was ignored. Rafferty's right-wing, union-bating, race-bait- He supports the efforts of Cali- clear-cut. only concern was for those bright, ine. organizations.
fornia farm workers to win union LABOR — united labor, — urges nniek -learning youngsters — like Hunt obviously knows a soulmate recognition and higher wages. your vote for Alan Cranston. himself. when he sees one.
Utility Reporter – October, 1968 – Page Six A Dream Come True Be it ever so humble, there's no place like our new headquarters. Things finally seem to be falling into place and the staff is acclimating to the new sur- roundings, The entire staff helped with the final move; but some of the local peo- ple put in many additional hours getting the building ready. I would have to be a poet to be able to put into words the sense of pride and accomplishment that accompanies this move. This building represents much more than just better working conditions for the staff. It is indicative of the suc- cess and accomplishments of Local Union 1245 over the last 16 years. We hope that our membership realizes the sense of ownership that is rightfully yours. This building belongs to you and it is a common link that binds us all together.
This is Ron Weakley in his new office.
This is a front view of the new office building in Walnut Creek.
Edith Veloza is the receptionist and will greet you when you stop in to see us.
Virginia Wimple tells us how much she likes the new building.
Patricia Byrd thought she could hide in her machine and supply room, but Charlene Herd cut off 2 hrs. of travel time with our move and you can see I found her. how happy she is about that.
Utility Reporter—October, 1968—Page Seven 7ted 90e0 Periodically, around this time of year, we deal with the technique of dressing some species of game in this column. Here then is a rundown on said technique for dressing one of the most colorful game-bird targets in the land: The Chinese pheasant, otherwise known as "ringneck."
1 . .. This luckless bird flushed a In this ribbon-width stretch of the upper Metolius River of Oregon, in the shadow of majestic Mt. Jefferson, little too close to an unerring scatter- about 300 miles, as the fish swims, from the ocean—and; conceivably, another 700 miles from a starting point gunner and got a load of buckshot– in the ocean depths comes the relentless Fall Chinook salmon, returning to its natal stream, to spawn and die. for keeps. Pheasants, if properly dressed, are top table fare.
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11■11111 -411MIR 5 . . . Pull skin away from breast, 3 ... Reach in under the breast and 4 ... Birds may be dressed either by then pull out along legs, wings and pull out entrails in one group. Lungs dry picking–best done while bird is neck, and away from back. Sever legs may be taken out separately. Slit skin still warm–or using scalding water at knee joint and wings at wrist joint. to remove crop if full of food. Wipe and wet picking or skinning as shown Tail feathers may be pulled out or tail excess blood and intestinal juices from here. Start at any break in the skin and cut off completely. Wash thoroughly 2 ... Pluck feathers from around body cavity with dry cloth, leaves or start by tearing with fingers. with cold water, removing shot, feath- the vent area. Then take knife and slit grass. (Cleaned gizzard, heart and ers and blood clots from meat. around vent, and up to the top of the liver may be put back into body breastbone. Now pull vent and at- body cavity. ) tached intestines out a few inches. 3bati Every year, thousands of men are killed in hunting accidents in the United States. Is this your year to bag your hunting buddy? Are you going to brush some bushes and be someone elses "game"? Let's hope not, but it happens every year. Hunting is a great sport and it can be a safe one, but it requires 100% alertness at all times. There are certain basic safety rules you should follow. Wear bright clothing so as to be seen. Do not shoot at anything until you can mmikomm' see exactly what it is. If you are hunt- 6 ... If game laws specify that iden- . . . It may be cut up for frying, as ing with others, always stay abreast tity of the sex must be retained, and 7 . . . Meat must be readily pre- preferred by many. The parts should of each other and do not move into you'll be dressing the bird in the field, served by freezing in plastic bay. Bird be soaked in a saltwater solution for their line of fire. These are just a few the head should be left "attached" to may be left whole for roasting if that's several hours to remove excess blood. of many safety rules you should fol- the body until you reach home. the way you prefer it. Good luck! low. Be careful and good hunting.
Utility Reporter–October, 1968–Page Eight