Talks Stalled, SUP Takes Strike Vete Records Union's Opposition To

SlU DEMANDS END TO MWED Records Union's Opposition To Government InteiTerence in Coiiective Bargaining WASHINGTON—^The Seafarers International Union stood hard by its strict trade union position Official Organ, Atlantic & Gulf District, Seafarers International Union of NA at a hearing before the Maritime War Emergency Board here early this week, and voiced vigorous VOL. XI NEW YOHK. N. Y., FRIDAY. NOVEMBER 18. 1949 No. 31 opposition to continuance of the board's existence. "We wish to return to fr-ee collective bargain Enemies Of Labor ing, without being hampered or interfered with by Talks Stalled, government agencies or boards," SItJ representa The article in the last issue of the SEAFARERS LOG, tives declared at the hearing. exposing the Trotskyites (Socialist Workers Party) for The hearing was attended by Matthew Du- SUP Takes the anti-union wreckers that they are, was long overdue. shane, SlU Legislative Representative; Paul Hall, Considering that the Trotskyites have been around for Sectetary-Treasurer of the Engiheera Beneficial Asao- some twenty years, the job should have been done long lantic and Gulf District and elation — sided with the ship Strike Vete First Vice-President of the In owners and favored continuance ago. But, as the letters that have been coming into the ternational; and Morris Weis- The threat of a tie-up on the I.OG office from all over the country and all segments of of the board to settle disputes West Coast developed this week berger. East Coast Representa over war risk bonuses and in as the Sailors Union of the Pa the labor movement show, it was a job that was apprecia tive of the Sailors Union of the surance. The ClO-shipowner's cific began taking a strike vote. ted by all who have ever come in close contact with these Pacific and SIU Vice-President. view was also shared by the in Results of the'balloting will be self-styled "revolutionaries." Our only regret was that The other AFL seagoing un dependent Marine Firemen's Un made known on Monday. lack of space prevented us from an even longer study of ions at the hearing—the Mas ion. ters, Mates and Pilots, and the Meanwhile, SUP men held their scabby organization. We should have liked, particu Dushane, in presenting the po Radio Officers Union—supported sition of the SIU and the other stop-work meetings in West Coast larly, to have recounted the story of the Kronstadt sailors, the SIU stand. ports to jliscuss the status of AFL unions, pointed out that the union's negotiations for a an episode which the Stalinists and Trotskyites have never The position of the SIU and the Board was originally "set up new contract with the operators. been able to live down. the other AFL maritime unions to provide machinery for the is based on the confident feeling settlement of disputes" during No date for a strike has been The Kronstadt sailors — 2J,000 strong — were the backbone of the Russian Revolution and the civil war that, they can secure more for the war. But the war is over, set, but will be decided upon if their membership in war bonuses and the Board no longer has the vote authorizes a strike. against the reactionaries in the years that followed. Trotsky and risk insurance, through im- valid reason for existence, he •Negotiations have been imder called them the "flower and pride of the revolutionary restricted collective bargaining, stated. way for three months, with the forces." than would be obtained from ar TO IGNORE BOARD SUP demanding a pension and When the fighting ended, in 1921, the Russian work bitrary awards made by the Therefore, the SIU spokesman welfare plan, wage increases from ers called upon the communists to ante up on the promises Board. said, the Union wished to record $10 to $25 a month, and reten At the hearings, however, the the fact that it does not recog tion of union jurisdiction on they had made. Particularly they wanted the wartime CIO maritime . unions — the Na nize the board's jurisdiction over coastwise yissels in the Alaska restrictions abolished. They demanded freedom of the tional Maritime Union, Marine bonuses to be paid seamen trav trade. {Continued on Page 2) Cooks and Stewards and the Ma- elling in waters where floating mines and other war hazards may exist. The SIU is anxious for a re Seafarers Asks NLRB To Speed Certification turn to the procedure followed before establishment of the Mar itime Emergency War Board, when it negotiated the highest Of Union As Bargaining Agent For CS Seamen bonus scales in the industry for its membership. ' Citing the' Cities Service Oil Cities Service Oil Company and To date, 185 Cities Service em fused to sign are among the 185 In the famed War Bonus Strike Company's brazen defiance of the American Tankermen's Asso ployees have been fired by the dismissed to date. of 1941, the SIU negotiated pre the laws governing labor-man ciation—^both of which were pre company because they were sus The company's policy has been cedent-setting bonus payments agement relations and its policy viously ruled illegal by the pected of Union sympathies and to openly ignore the democratic after a government board at of mass firings and coercion of NLRB, the SIU recalled." activities. Charges of unfair la processes and has blocked le tempted to arbitrarily establish employees with Union sympa In urging the Board to speed bor practices have been filed gally-guaranteed rights of its rates of payment. The govern thies, the SIU Atlantic and Gulf action, the Union said that the against the company by the men personnel to choose their own ment stepped in when negotia District this week called upon company must be made to real involved with the NLRB region collective bargaining agent free tions between the SIU and the from cooericion and reprisals. the National Labor Relations ize that the law governing labor- al office. Yet dismissals continue operators were stalemated, and at an accelerated rate. The Cities Service Tanker Board to speed action on certi management relations "is not a recommended payments that the fication of the SIU as collective Men's Association is a continua Union regarded as being entirely mere scrap of paper." It must COMPANY THREATENS tion under another name of the bargaining agent for CS tanker- also be demonstrated to the com insufficient. Cities Services also is attempt Unlicensed Employees Collective , men. pany's employees that the com The strike was called despite ing to force company-dominated Bargaining Agency of Cities Ser warnings from the government In a telegram to tlie Board in pany is not all-powerful and ex union (Cities Service Tanker vice Oil Company which the Washington, Secretary -Treasurer empt from the law the Union mediators that it would recom Men's Association) on its em NLRB ruled was company-dom mend nationalization of the mer Paul Hall pointed out that "de said. ployees and threatening repris inated, and of its successor the spite designation of the SIU by chant marine. As a result of the The complete text of the Un als to those refusing to sign American Tankermen's Associa- Union's militant stand, the mem Cities Service employees in two ion message, addressed "to Frank pledge cards. Men who have re (Contimied on Page 3) NLRB elections, the company bership won a 100 percent bonus Kleiler, Director of the NLRB, for travel in war areas, plus five brazenly refuses to answer the follows: Union's repeated requests to en dollars for every day spent in ter collective bargaining nego TEXT MM&P Delays Strike For Month ports in combat areas, plus $150 for every time they entered war tiations." The SIU A&G District re One hour before the scheduled extended until 12:01 AM, Dec. zones. This later became a pat The telegram revealed that 185 spectfully urges the NLRB to deadline, the-AFL Masters, Mates 16. tern for the industry. Cities Service crewmen had been speed action on its pending cer and Pilots last Tuesday post The threatened strike would The SIU's insistence upon un fired to date by the company be tification as collective bargain poned for 30 days a strike call have tied up tight all shipping fettered negotiations was again cause of their Union sympathies, ing agent for unlicensed per which would have tied up all on the East and Gulf Coasts im proven successful in 1946, when and that dismissals vfere contin sonnel in the Cities Service Oil Atlantic and Gulf coast shipping. mediately. The member unions of it called the general strike in uing daily. Company to halt company's con The strike deferment was made the powerful AFL Maritime protest against the War Stabil tinued flagrant disregard of pro CTMA PHONY at the request of goverrunent Trades Department announced ization Board's ruling that raises visions of the Labor-Manage mediators, who are attempting to that full support would be given won from the operator in col- Moreover, the Union message ment Relations Act. settle the dispute between the its affiliate, a decision reached (Continued on Page 3) declared, the company is attempt Despite designation of SIU by officers union .and the operators at a meeting in New York early ing to force CTMA, the company Cities Service employees as col over a new contract. this week. dominated "union," down the lective bargaining agent in two The peace plan is subject to Attending the MTD meeting throats of its personnel, threat NLRB elections — the company approval of the MM&P mem were representatives of the SIU, New York Meeting ening reprisals to those refusing brazenly refuses to answer Un bership and the employers.

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