Newspapers / The Charlotte Labor Journal … / Nov. 7, 1946, edition 1 / Page 1
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AFFILIATE WITH YOU* CENTRAL LABOR UNION AND THE N. C. FEDERATION NOW! Unionists, Do Everything Within Your Power To Working For A Better Understanding Between Aid In the Sonfhern A. F. L. Membership Drive North Carolina AFL In ions and Employers of Labor Charlotte Labor Journal A Newspaper Dedicated To The Interest* of Charlotte Central Labor Union and Affiliated Crafts—Endorsed Bp North Carolina Federation of Labor and Approved By The American Federation of Labor. 1 J ' X ■ f: - “Were it not for the labor press, the labor movement would not be what it is to day, and any man who trie* to injure a labor pa per ia a traitor to tho cause.’*—Samuel Gompern. YOL. XVI; NO. 27 CHARLOTTE, N. C„ THURSDAY. NOV EMBER 7. 1946 Subscription Price $2.00 Per Year SOUTHERN DRIVE STRONGLY BACKED BY DRUM LEAGUE Washington, D. C. — The Na tional Uurabn League, at its reg cent convention in St. Louis, voted wholeheartedly support of the drive to organize the South and pledged every support to imple ment the campaign. Lester B. Granger, executive secretary of the League, which was organized for social service among Negt in a letter to AFL President William Green, in which he enclosed a resolution adopted on this subjeot, said: “Needless to say, we view the Southern organizing campaign with the greatest hope and en thusiasm. Negro and white work ers in that oppressed region must join together to advance their mutual interest in industrial de r mocrary and freedom of oppor tunity. “They deserve, and desperately need, all the aid possible in this effort from all organisations truly interested in making democracy meaningful for all the people.” In its resolution the League "* promised 'support in the current efforts of democratic unions to organize ithe South and urge their full support by the Negro com munity, apd urge discriminatory and nondemocratic unions to dis continue their practices.” BRADLEY FEUS FOR , VETERANS WHO WASTE JOBLESS BENBTTS Washington, D. C.—Stern warn ing that there is rough sledding ahead for veterans who are ex hausting their unemployment ben efit* recklessly was sounded here by Veterans Administrator Omar Bradley. “I am greatly concerned over the rate ait which many veterans are expending their readjustment allowances,” General Bradley said in an interview. “A veteran who lies idle for a year, living on unemployment checks in a period when jobs are more plentiful than they may be later, might find it hard to get work and to get to work when his readjustment allowance ends,*' General Bradley warned. “That veteran is losing senior ity and experience leading to a better job. “He is forfeiting the cushion of his deferred unemployment payments—a cushion that is like money in the bank, assuring him of an income should he lose his jeb any time within the two-year limit after the war has been of ficially declared ended.” Unemployed veterans are al lowed $20 a week for a maximum of 62 weeks, or $100 a month for 10 2-6 months if they are self employed but without income. General Bradley said he is eager to get back to Army life, but hope* to continue as Veterans Administrator long enough to complete important unfinished business. TRUMAN DOESN’T TXlrAT TO) CALL SPECIAL 8ES810N Washington, D. C. — President Truman has made it clear that he has no intention of calling a special session of Congress. When questioned at a recent news con ference to clear up speculation on this subject, the President em phatically stated that such current rumors wire untrue. Truman Refuses To Resigi TEAMSTERS UNION WARNS AGAINST WILDCAT STRIKES Stern warning that wildcat strikes had become a national menace was served upon member unions of the Interna tional Teamsters Union (AFL), in an article published in the current issue of the International’s magazine, “Inter national Teamster.” The article arid in part: “Some members of this organization believe that strike benefits are automatic. They think all they have to do is to quit work and the International begins paying them. These members are mistaken, as many of them learned to their discomfiture after disconnecting themselves from the payrolls. “To receive strike benefits a strike must be authorized by the International. But before the question is even re ferred to the International for approval, several specific steps must be taken by the local union, the most important of which is a secret ballot of the membership. Unless a strike is approved by a two-thirds vote, the International cannot consider it. The preliminary steps to a strike are clearly set forth in the International constitution, which governs the procedure of all local unions. “Once the International approves the strike, the sky is the limit. No expense will be spared to win it. “Strikes have become a national menace. They are an invitation to inflation and depression. They must be cur tailed or the nation will sink into chaos and organized labor will perish." NEW YORK SHf-TRUCK TIE-UPS 00 IS COMPANIES GRIT WA6E RAISES New York City — The moat serious transportation tie-up ever experienced here came to an end when the shipping and general trucking strikes were brought to a quiet end and picket lines were withdrawn. The tracking strike came to a virtual end in its 58th day when holdout truck operators broke ranks and rushed to sign agree ments with the APL teamster unions on the basis of the Bohaek wags award of 81 cents an hour increase. Operators* ‘terminals were scenes of intense activity as hey prepared to get their trucks 'oiling again. The 28-day tie-up of 1,181 ves sels in Atlantic and Gulf ports ended when the membership of ‘he Masters, Mates and Pilots, u American Federation oi Labor affiliate, ratified an agreement reached here between union offi cials and ship operators. Pickets were immediately removed from the dock-side of 410 ships here and there were promises that the vessels would be moving within a day or two. In the track strike union estf-v mates were that about 1.100 men employed by 110 firms were still idle, but Theodore Kheel, deputy director of Mayor William O'Dwyer’s division on labor rela tions, announced that in so far as the division was concerned, the “back of the trike has been brok en.” Mr. Kheel added that “it is our expectation that the few employers who are still unsigned will settle up.” Officials of the three tracking unions involved—Locals 807, 282 and 818, International Brother hood of Teamsters, American Federation of Labor affiliate, pa«»ed a busy day signing wage contracts and sending settlement word along to idle union mem bers. Among those signing con tracts with Local 807 were two of the biggest trucking concerns in the city, the United States Track ing. Corporaion, which had 360 tracks tied up, and the Motor Haulage Company, with 400 VALUE OF DOLLAR DOWN 31' SINGE 41’ BIS STUDY SHOWS Washington, D. C. — The pur chasing power of the dollar shrank 51 cents between January, 1941, and last September 15, it wag revealed in a study by the Labor Department’s Bureau of Labor Statistics. The shrinkage up to last June was reported at 24 cents. One official said the shrinkage would probably continue as a re sult of Office of Price Admini stration action in removing price ceilings from all but 3 per cent of foods. Poods account for 44.3 per cent of the items priced by the department's consumer index for measuring the purchasing price of a dollar. The BLS report said in a study of wage reopening clauses in un ion contracts that this is the principal reason why unions are seeking cost-of-living pay in creases for more than 8,000,000 workers whose contracts can be reopened for wage negotiations. BLS said jthere had been a big increase since the end of the war in the ntnai&’&i' union contracts which provide for wage reopening in event of a rise in the cost of living. It said that in 1939, the number of contracts that could be reopened on wages was 5 per cent. It rose to 40 percent by 1942. Then wage stabilization was enacted by Congress and the War Labor Board ordered these clauses eliminated or suspended. Toward the end of its existence, however, the board authorized re opening of wage contracts if there was a significant change ;n Government wage stablization pol icy. BLS said this brought a sharp rise in the number of con tracts with reopening clauses. More than 70 per cent nov> con tain them based on a study of 99 key contracts which set wage paj£ terns in 22 major industries. “These unions do not want wages to remain frozen a year or longer, depending on the length of the contract term, in the face of important recurring price and other changes in the economy which may* seriously undermine the standard of living of the workers affected by the contrast,” the bureau stated. “In a stable economy, with an adequate supply of goods and services on the market at fairly stable prices, the monetary wage comes pretty close to measuring also the wage earner’s real wages. But when wages remain un changed and prices rise, the pur chasing power of the dollar de clines and workers suffer a de crease in real wages and, conse quently, also in their standard of living." PUBLIC WORKS SPENDING INCREASED BY SU5.tM.9M Washington, D. C.—A budget estimate just released by Presi dent Truman states that Federal spending for civilian publie works this fiscal year will exceed the 190,000,000 limit he set August 1 by SI06.000,000. BRICK OUTPUT PICKS UP New Orleans, La.—The most critical production difficulties re sulting from wartime and recon version problems have been over come in the brick and tile indus try, J. Earnest Fender, president of the Structural Clay Products Institute, announced. He pre dicted that the brick industry “will soon face a period when inventories can be rebuilt to i mal proportions.** W. U. TELEGRAPHERS GET 50 MILLIONS SINCE VJ-DAY Denver, Colo—Reports to the convention of the Western Union Division, Commercial Telegraph ers Union (AFL), in session here, showed wage 'gains of $85,000,000 a year for 50,000 employes since V-J Day. The last increase amounts to $22,044,000 annually. This sup plements the War Labor Board award of last December, repre senting a gain of $47,000,000 a I year. The 85-/nillion figure in cludes back pay and the cilrrent award. Twice during the convention the delegates hurled at the Western Union the threat of a strike. De spite the company’s acceptance of the recent 16H-cents-an-hour recommendation of a fact-finding board, delegates reported whole sale chiseling and the start of a so-called economy program which, they declared, was aimed at nullifying the increase. The second strike threat was sent i when delegates received wora1 from members back home that, although »h» gg—tf meet officials awl^fronout the controversy, antfanion practices were being continued. J. A. Bayne was reelected na tional president, beginning his sixth term; Henry G. Steinbren ner of Chicago, was elected to be legislative national vice president, a new position, and Adam Bauer was relected as national secre tary-treasurer. The regional directors elected were Jerry Waiters, Los Angeles; 1. Douglas Holcombe, Denver; T. T. Freeman, Cleveland; E. S. Ed wards, Charlotte; F. C. Poll, Washington, and J. F. Fitzgerald, New York. The above six, to gether with seven regional chair men elected by referendum, com prise the national executive board. The next convention will be in October, 1947, in Los Angles. RECORD PICKLE CROP Chicago, 111.—According to a report from the National Pickle Packers Association, the nation’s biggest pickle crop on record ie practically completed. A total of 8,532,(24 bushels came off a rec ord acreage of 143,838 and topped a previous record of 8,307,000 bushels in 1942. INCREASES UP TO 600 PER CENT NOTED IN PRICES ASKED OVER 7-YEAR PERIOD Washington, D. C.—The almost unbelievable climb in liv ing costs in the United States in the last seven years is thrown into bold relief by a comparison of food advertise ments published in Wrashnigton newspapers in June, 1939, and those appearing November 1, 1946, Increases as high as 500 and 600 per cent were noted in basic and routine items on the average American table. In the field of mt\at an examination of the advertise ments by the same chain store revealed that rib roast of beef on June 23, 1939, was being sold in Washington at 25 cents a pound and had soared by November 1, 1946, to 69 cents a pound. PRINTERS VOTE nhuion-i-yeiir' STRIKE RESERVE Chicago.—Unofficial returns of a referendum vote taken October 2.1 among the 80,000 members of the International Typographical Union (AFL) show the members on record for assessing them selves $1,000,000 annually for con duct of strikes if necessary and for increasing benefits for strik ers . This was one of 15 propositions adopted at the ITU convention in Miami in August, all of Which had to be put to a referendum by the membership as amendment to the constitution. The defense-fund proposition was adopted by Local 16 in a vote of 2,968 to 592. It provides that a minimum fund of $500,000 be maintained at all times by the ITU, though the Iqvy of a one half of 1 per cent assessment on earnings gf all active ITU members, for three months after the fund reaches the minimum. At the convention Don Hurd, ITU secretary-treasurer, estimat ed that the assessment would equal $1,000,000 annually if the strike fund remained below $600, 000 because of benefits paid to strikers. The new strike-benefit plan would increase weekly strike ben efits of married members to 60 per cent of their weekly wage scales and for single member to 40 per cent Present benefits ars 40 per cent for the ITU member who is married, and 26 per cent for the member who is single. Jewraal advertisers are friends sf Labor—-bay from them and say yea saw it in The Labor Journal. INDEPENDENT PEDDLERS OF SOFT DRINKS HELD FULLY SUBJECT TO UWOMZATION S'nr York City — Member* of • union cannot be compelled to service independent dealers of soft drinks beverages, and such independents are themselves sub ect to unionization, under a rul ing handed down by the Appel late Division of the Second De partment here. By the terms of this finding, the court voided a temporary in junction signed last Jon# 19 by Supreme Court Justice Algernon I. Nova in a representative action filed by more than 300 distribu tors who sell mainly to household ers and who allegedly operate “a one-man business." Principals ig che action were the Soft Drink Workers Local 812, International Brotherhood of Teamsters (AFL), and the Five-Boroughs Carbon ated Beverage Manufacturers As sociation. “The peddlers are proper sub jects for unionization,” the court ruled. “The members of thg un>on cannot be compelled by in junction to load the trucks of non union peddlers, or to continue employment with an employer who persists in dealing with such non-union poddl«r*.M In their motion papers, the plaintiffs contended that they owned and operated their own trucks and had no helpers and, as self-employed individuals, did not have to be members of a union to operate their businesa. They held that they could gain no benefits from an association with the union. The union, through its attorney Leo Greenfield, took the position that the peddlers constituted a threat to the established stand ards and working conditions of its membership. It was further charged that the peddlers were in unfair competition with dis tributors who were union mem bers and also sold to the retail trade. "There is no basis for any such injunction," the decision con tinued. "While the decisions in this state sustain the contention of plaintiffs that since each con ducts a 'one-man business’ with out employes, a 'labor dispute* (Coatiaaed Oa Pago I) Chuck roast, which seven years ago sold for from 15 to 17 cents per pound, is being currently of fered at 45 cents. Leg o’ lamb, which went beg ging at 27 cents a pound, now draws 65 cents, if and when tt can be had. i Pork roast in the middle of 1939 was being advertised here at 11 cents a pound. Today it was listed at 63 cents a pound. Hams, which sold seven years ago at 25 cents a pound, today bring 49 cents. Veal cutlets, priced at 33 cents in 1939, today are 69 cents a pound. Eggs were advertised in 1939 at two dozen for 35 cents. To day a single dozen sells for be tween 49 and 75 cents per dozen. Peas back in 1939, in No. 2 cans, were being advertised two cans for 23 cents. Today they are being offered at from 13 to 29 cents for the same size can. Coffee was being advertised in 1939 at two pounds for 35 cents. Today the same brand is being offered at two pounds for 61 cents. Tuna fish, which seven years ago sold at two seven-ounce cans for 23 cents, today costs 34 cents per can. Sliced peaches, which could be purchased in 1939 at two cans for 25 cents, now sell for 25 cents per can. These are only a few typical examples of the enormous soar ing in American living costs with in the last seven years. Atten tion has been called repeatedly ^y labor leaders to these steadily increasing living costs as justi fication for requests in pay re visions. Speculation plays no part in these reports. They are taken soley from paid advertisements in daily papers. Some other articles highly ad verve rtised in 1939, but for which no immediate comparison is found in current food advertise ments, are: Beans and pork, three one pound cans at 10 cents; strip bacon, 17 cents a pound; shoulder real roast, 13 cents a pound; frankfurters, 19 cents a pound; bologna, 17 cents; fresh cherries, 14 cents • pound; toilet tissue, four rolls at from 15 to 25 cents. This is only a comparison of food and other important item costs and does not take into con sideration the accompanying in crease in other necessities, in cluding clothing and home fur nishings. Government agencies reporting on the increased cost of living, and a number of private indexes, have differed on their conclusions chiefly because their studies are reported to have been spread over varying periods. However, it is unanimously con ceded by reports of all these sur veys that the cost of living in the United States throughout the war and since has experienced s tremendous increase. The most recent report of the Bureau of Labor Statistics puts the shrink sge of the dollar at 31 cents be tween January, 1941, and last September 15.
The Charlotte Labor Journal and Dixie Farm News (Charlotte, N.C.)
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Nov. 7, 1946, edition 1
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