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United Automobile Worker
-
1953-07-01
-
Vol. 17 No. 7
-
UNITED AUTOMOBILE. WORKER
Page 10
July, 1953.
ClO, AFL Back Social Security Bill
To Increase Payment Maximum to $200
WASHINGTON—An
ments
omnibus bill to lift the ceiling of pay-
under the Social Security Act from $168.75 to $200 per
benefit from $25 to $35 a month was introduced in sicaacdages this
Lehman Urges
GOPs to Recall
Campaign Pledges
improvements. ,
WASHINGTON—Senator Herbert H. Lehman
(D-Lib., N. Y.)
told the Senate, in introducing the
month in total family benefits and. raising the minimum basic
month by 11 Senators and 10 Representatives.
Both CIO and AFL endorsed the bill, the CIO ‘oladne out
that, while it does not do the whole job, it would bring great
The bill, whose
Lib., N. Y.), would
prime
also:
_ @
Extend
benefits
to
@
Extend
coverage
sponsor
cover
was Sarater
temporary
and
Herbert
H. Lehman
permanent
and provide for more effective rehabilitation work;
1. Farm
to 13 million
operators
having
persons
workers
earning
covered,
of at least
$400—
ommerer
in any
annual
nef
earnings
at
$50
from
least
calendar quarter—910,0005
disability
not now
3,200,000;
2. Farm
total
(D-
one
including—
8. Professional
groups, including lawyers, sebouritants, architects,
undertakers and engineers with earnings from self-employment
of at least $400 per year—about 250,000;
omnibus
the
Social
bill “sets
Security
the
bill,
immediate
that
goals
for a thorough-going revision and
liberalization of our Social Security
laws.
“Promises were made during the}
last campaign to enlarge the scope
and coverage of Social Security.
The bill we are introducing would
accomplish just that. It represents
the
results
of several
years
of
study and review of this subject. I
hope the Administration, as well as
all forward-looking groups and
Domestic workers, paid at least $50 “by one employer in a calenforces in America, will urge the
dar quarter—120,000;
enactment of this legislation.
“The Social Security bill enti5. Employes of TVA, certain state and local government employtled ‘The Social Security Act
es, Wisconsin employes, Housing Authority
employes, college
Amendments of 1953’, is a bill deand university employes—150,000;
signed
to
bring
the
Social
Security
Fishermen on boats of 10 fons or less—30, 000;
system now in effect into line with
Citizens and resident aliens working on vessels or aircraft of
current realities.
It would
make}
foreign registry when services are performed for an American _
our Social Security system not a
employer;
perfect system, but a better sys8. Active members of the uniformed services—38,600,0003
tem, a more just and more Pompe
@ Beef up benefits by averaging the highest 10 consecutive years of hensive system.
“It would do this first by incovered earnings, excepting periods of disability;
creasing the,level of social insur@® Increase benefit rate two per cent a year for persons who delay re-| ance benefits. Then
it would grant
tirement after 65 or return to work after retirement;
protection against long-term
and
permanent
total disability; and
@ Raise taxable earnings base from $3,600 to $6,000;
against’ temporary
disability...
It
@ Raise earnings permitted without suspension of OASI benefits from
would also greatly encourage the
$75 to $100 per month.
rehabilitation of the disabled.
The new coverage for rehabilitation services, cash sickness benefits
“Finally, this bill proposes to exand permanent and total disability insurance benefits will protect the tend the coverage of Social Secufive per cent of the civilian population between the ages of 14 and 65 rity to numerous groups of our
who are unable, on an average day, to go about their regular duties citizens who are not now covered.”
because of disability and the more than two per cent disabled for seven
or more.
months
Cash
sickness
benefits
would
tated insured workers.
be
provided
for
temporarily
incapaci-
TOO
ROUGE el
“ SORT
ts A
es
Ts
ee
on
amet. FOGG
isis
en 65 eee
an Wk ka .ee-
Granting
oa es ota ts ses ee
oa hsv Feaeictdnes
diets ese te
Se
1959 and 1960 ...... jaws se eS oo Ob de eweses os Oe
1961 and thereafter ............-. Poked
ae nee xs
4%
(These
than
under
would
step-ups
the
present
finally
which
law
amount
does
to
not
%
of one
provide
each
ee
eee
Cee
each
per
benefits
cent
for
more
tem-
porary incapacity, rehabilitation and permanent total disability. The
step-ups would be made about 10 years earlier than under the present
law.)
Because
federal
civilian employes,
members
of the armed
’ used in times of emergency, when contributions
federal government, at the President’s direction.
Dou elas
would
be paid
by the
the
aging’s
CLAIM GRANTED
services,
and the self-employed would not be eligible for cash sickness ‘benefits,
the total taxes to be paid by them, or on their behalf, would be lower
than those for workers in private employment.
The President would be given the authority to waive payment of
contributions by servicemen in combat areas, or serving overseas generally, or for servicemen in designated pay grades, such authority to be
that
productive power diminished
‘fupon his reaching life’s ebbing tide,’’ Referee Charles Rubinoff added, ‘‘It must be admitted with equal candor that
he (the claimant) cannot be expected to give up the business
of living for the altruistic purpose of supporting the employer’s interpretation of the law.”’
RATES
2%
The right of automatically retired workers to live as full a
life as their vigor will permit was defended in glowing terms
eree.
as follows:
TAX
“Can't Be Asked to Die,’
Referee Says of Retirees
last month by a Michigan Employment Security Commission ref-
The schedule of tax rates for workers and their employers would be
~ YEARS
SAN FRANCISCO — Jack Livingston, UAW-CIO vicepresident, gets a warm welcome from C. W. Werkau, CWACIO secretary-treasurer. Livingston, featured speaker at the
Communications Workers convention here, warned delegates of the increasing need for labor solidarity because of
the ‘‘deep, deep freeze’’ on the progressive labor policies of
the past 20 years now on in Washington.
After that resounding outburst,
Rubinoff granted the unemployment
compensation
Hughes,
“Tt’s me! ‘Around ners
cing the
winter months the boys have a
tendency to forget.”
ploye
of
68,
claim
for 25
General
of
years
Motors
in the Ternstedt Division.
sation.
Leonard Lesser, of the UAW-CIO
Social Security Department, showed
that Hughes subsequently obtained
a job with a lumber company, .
Upholding the right of the retired worker to decide for himself
whether he is no longer eligible to
be a part of the labor force, Rubi-
its (old age’s) grimness from a safe
distance, no one ean escape his own
‘Thanatopsis,’” Rubinoff wrote.
“For the ‘present’ is only a shifting
and old age
meet.
There is never a moment
when the new dawn is not breaking, and never a moment when the
sunset ceases to fade. A claimant,
| however, has a right to decide for
himself when the ‘final hour’ has
come to
tivities,”
useful-
from
life’s
ac-
NEWARK,
Delaware—The
UAW-CIO hung up another victory
in the white-collar field with the
office workers at the Chrysler Tank
Arsenal voting UAW in a recent
NLRB-conducted election. :
According to Norman Matthews,
Director
Chrysler
of the UAW
Department,
National -
results
of
the election were, UAW-CIO—160;
No Union—137,
Growing
be-|
half, to have the advice of counsel,
to cross-examine accusers, to call
witnesses in his own behalf.
Mrs. Douglas agreed that such
rules would have prevented false
attacks on Methodist Bishop Oxnam and the case of mistaken identity which resulted in an unwarranted attack on Mrs. Eugene
Meyer, wife of the owner of The
=.
Washington Post. .
withdraw
UAW WINS ANOTHER
WHITE-COLEAR UNIT
cused or adversely reflected upon
the following rights: Publicity limited to statements made in public
hearings, the accused allowed to
in his own
entitled |
to unemployment compensation, in
addition to their pensions. In this
case, GM contended that Hughes
was unable to work and thus did.
not deserve unemployment compen. —
point at which youth
Douglas would also give those ac-
a statement
em-
Hughes was on sick leave when
he was retired.
GM
usually ac-
ness, Senator Paul H. Douglas (D.,
Tl.) declared in a recent radio
broadcast. He was assisted in his
discussion by his wife, former Congresswoman Emily Taft Douglas.
“T think each committee should
define in advance and in writing
the purpose of the investigation and
should keep to it,” he said, “that
no meeting should be called unless
approve,
a majority of members
and also that a majority should approve of any report that is issued.
make
retired are
workers
working
CHICAGO (LPA)—Congressional
investigating committees should
raise their standards and could do
their
automatically
that
RIGHT TO DECIDE
“While youth may not appreciate
an
Proposes
impairing
principle
Francis
Of Witch Hunters
without
the
noff closed his decision with a plea
for special tolerance for. the aged.
Limits on Powers
so
cepts
MONEY FOR CARFARE is Sedasiiead to the VAW-CIO Drop- In Center by the UAW Regions 1 and 1A Women’s Committee. Women in the picture are, 1. to r., Elaine Stinson, program director of the Center; Estelle Finzell, Committee chairman, who is presenting the
check; Caroline Davis, director of the UAW Women’s Bureau, and Gwen Thompson, the
_ Committee’s financial secretary. Regulars at the Drop- In Center, located in Local 154’s hall,
look on with complete approval.
Near Chicago
CHICAGO (LPA) — The Chicago
Industrial Union Council will become the Cook County Industrial
Union Council starting September
1. The change was made because
a greatly increased number of CIO
members
now
live
and
work
in
plants outside Chicago’s city limits,
Cook
but within metropolitan
|
County,
|
R
E
K
R
O
W
n
L
T
B
O
M
o
T
v
t
A
D
‘UNITE
Aid
lo Save ‘on Foreign
nn GTON—The Republican-controlled Congress is advertising to the
2 SF
Free World that it puts economy above security in the world-wide contest with
i. the Kremlin.
Before he left office in January, ex-President Truman rec- ommended $7.6 billion for military and economic aid to other
|
nations in the fiscal year beginning July 1, 1953.
2 _ Purposes.
Funds authorized by the For‘eign-Aid Bill which has now
serve notice on our allies that un-
passed House snd Senate and |.
goes to conference will come out
at around $5 billion.
_ "AFT WRITES CHECKS
But this is only an authorization.
Appropriations must be voted be-
_
fore any money is available. The
amount finally appropriated prob-
ably will fall somewhere
between
$4 and $4.5 billion. This will compare with $6 billion appropriated
last year.
As reported in the Fane “Auto
Worker,” Senator Taft is flying
the flag for his isolationist foreign policy. He sees no hope in
cooperating with our friends of
the free world. And he offers no
alternative plan for coping with
the threat of international Communism.
President Eisenhower picked up
Taft’s challenge and answered it—
cannot
we
said
He
speeches.
in
stand alone; we must have friends
and allies.
But when it comes to cash on the
line to back up-his speeches, Hisenhower is not putting up any kind
of a fight. He asked Congress for
too little and agreed to take less.
What he will get is a’ huge slash
in foreign aid funds, proving to our
friends and allies that while Eisenhower makes the White House
speeches, Taft writes the vouchers.
INSULT FREE WORLD
~WNot content with this, the SenteeSvoted into the bill a declaration
21 funds appropriated for foreign
aid in next year’s session of Congress will be the last for that pur-
pose.
Actually this session of Con-
gress cannot bind the next one.
This vote is only a gesture. It has
no binding effect.
_
less they agree with us on all
points we intend to abandon
them. It is based on the assump-
tion that we can
friends and allies
After 10 Weeks
Iridiana — Borg-Warn-
er’s speed-up efforts at the Warner
Gear plant here were beaten back
in the strike settlement, which followed lengthy negotiations headed
‘by Secretary-Treasurer Emil Mazey
and Region 3 Director Raymond
abandon our
and take on
All of this year’s cut in funds is
in economic aid. The bill that just
passed the Senate authorized $460
million MORE for military aid than:
was appropriated last year. But the
economic aid authorized by the
Senate bill falls short of-last year’s
appropriation by nearly $1.3 billion.
Bernat.
|
Extension
Tax
_ufacturers, etc., it actually is only
the curtain raiser for a larger tax
open
drama that is to
uary.
The
real tax
Jan-
next
policy
of the
Eisenhower Administration is not
for taxing corporations’ profits,
but for throwing more and more
of the tax burden on small taxpayers. This won’t be done all at
once. To reward its fat friends
without losing all its little votes,
.
the Administration is drafting a
long-range tax. program
which
will
move
step by step.
First
come
step
out
toward
for
in
the
its
objective
program
continuation
of
Excess Profits Tax.
But far
long? Only six months.
This
cost the big corporations
_
_
is
the
how
will
no more
than $500 million. That’s a small
price to pay if it deceives the country’s voters into thinking their in-
terests are being
_ Administration.
protected
by
of
the
the
Profits
year,
Tax
the
at
stage
the
Amount
one year’s
seniority,
In 1953—well,
look on and
That
has
broad
excise
sales.
taxes
at
been
the
manufacturing level, and the states
will levy theirs at. the retail end.
It all comes to the same thing. It
all comes out of you.
VACATION
to inbucks
see for
.
PAY
;
es ad ha Vs i
a a
es ae
| TR seteree eee aaa gags
tis ek een Gk cs
i
os eee eee eee rage
RN
ok ook ec
cE ea cass Crag chika tees
SOG,
ee
Seas Rie ures yeu
SUE oe hela cece ccs
be ees ce peu Rea ew eh os
DR
re ks oko eh
es on
.
SAG 00 oo
kk sh oe
ae a easwhack
RIGA 5
ae Oe Reiss
a a wk
$246.40 cS
Sikes <s Be
eee ces Pectin
908.96...: ee are
a 6 Sa on ws Bie OR mpagesee
ee
ee
ee
ree
eS
SOR BU 5 ea ss.
their favored means of soaking it
to the little people. So what we
will probably see is a compromise
—the federal government will levy
$4,000 family 57 cents a week and
the $100,000 family $80 a week.
With this reduction in revenue
added to the expiration of the
Excess
;
State governments don’t want the
federal government muscling in on
NOTHING FOR WORKER
Next step is to reduce the individual income tax 10 per cent starting January 1. This will save the
Total,
Year
1940
1941
1942
1943
1944
1946
1947
1948
1949
1950
1951
1952
1953
$1,597.20
. and
during
$237 in dues!
those 12%
years,
this same
major
assembler
paid only
turn
is set
to
put Congress to work looking for
That’s
new sources of revenue.
where the sales tax comes in,
|
Trainmen Salute
‘Living Documents
The Brotherhood of Railroad
Trainmen complimented the UAW-
CIO on making the. “living document” principle work in an editorial carried in Trainmen News,
the Union’s official publication.
The
to
with
the history of the Union’s year-by-year struggle
benefits. Before 1940—nothing. In 1940—forty
A MAJOR ASSEMBLER WITH 15 YEARS’ SENIORITY
HAS RECEIVED THE FOLLOWING IN
get it in the neck,
Ways and Means Committee is
about to meet for the first time in many weeks, with the expec- the sales tax field.
This is what President Eisenhower wants. Played up in the press
as a bold, brave move in opposition
to the National Association of Man-
You will see
crease vacation
and that’s where small taxpayers
House
House for debate and action the
Sadlak Bill which extends the
Excess Profits Tax until December 31.
- WORST YET TO COME
Vacation pay is not one of those Union-won benefits that wins
newspaper headlines. There are other things more important, we
agree. But this one benefit is worth, in cash, about seven times
the amount paid in dues to the Union.
The settlement ending the 10yourself.
week walkout resolved all producYes, it’s vacation time , } . and thanks to the UAW-CIO and the
tion standards disputes and includ- |
ed adjustments in wages and men and women who built it... this year we HAVE VACATIONS!
pensions similar to recent gains neHISTORY OF BRIGGS VACATION PAY
gotiated in the automobile indusMonth
Seniority
Amount
As already noted, the cut prob- try. Highlights of the package Year
were:
the
when
larger
even
be
will
ably
BONO 6k as knces s Og tees 0 04 $ 40.00
SBR.
December
1940
actual appropriations are voted.
1941
December
2
, WOOT, cia ok ee bee ce
eae $ 45.00
1—Change from the old to the
C8 eae $ 45.00
seniority...... pias
1 year
December
1942
index,
cost-of-living
BLS
new
AIDS RED STRATEGY —
OME BOUIN
6 ic ek eka heck eae
$ 90.00
using the formula first negotiThe slashing of economic aid will
1943
December
© VOR
BOTIOTUY Ss ok ea ic ce ei
$ 45.00
ated with General Motors.
do us greatest damage throughou
gh
bog
ge
i
ts
|
UE
ss
area
nye
aren
$
90.00
infactor
ent
rovem
2—Imp
the underdeveloped areas of the
45.00
$
as
es
ea
vind
og
Eo
OR
Te
December
1944
five
to
cents
four
from
crease
world. -For those areas the Senee
FORTE
MONIT
565
ons
bow
a
FPR
$
90.00
1953,
13,
October
effective
cents,
ate bill authorized $260 million as
52.40
$
ee.
ee
leu
ck.
«idee
WONIOrity
SORr
5.
June
1946
ent
adjustm
of
the
one
cent
with
compared with $350 million approTe
VOU
GOTIOETGY
2
so
8s
os
vee
sb
iw
$104.80
ely.
immediat
effect
put
into
When the
ago.
a year
priated
1947
June
ONE
as co 6 os ee eee $ 57.00
3—Ten-cent increase for skilled
appropriation bill comes along, the
VOOTe SOOTY 2 us eS nek ves ee 8 $114.00
workers.
cut likely will exceed $100 million.
1948
June
De
EY
os ict
osc ck a weno: $ 57.00
4—Pension
ceiling
raised
from
5 years seniority....... de wees Tes. $114.00
These are the areas of the
$117.50
to
$137.50,
with
propor1949
June
1 year seniority..........
ere $ 62.20
world where ‘the struggle with
tionate
adjustments
for
workers
5 years seniority......... be Sao ats g eo $124.40
Communism can most easily be
seniority.
years’
30
than
less
with
1950
June
1 year
seniority....... ee see
a Wine $ 62.20
won. The best we have done in
5—Pension agreement will be
o:
SB VOOre SOOTY 6g ho
cee ke $ 93:30
economic aid to these areas in
reopened in August, at Which
OD WOAIS SCTHOLNY ou 6 Fi one
wb wae eae $124.40
the past has been far too little. °
time Union will attempt to liber1951
June
1 year
seniority— 40 hours pay...... $ 69.60
Now we are to do less.
alize pension eligibility rules.
|
3 years seniority— 60 hours pay......$104.30
As is true also with respect to
5 years seniority— 80 hours pay......$139.00
parmay
workers
ed
6—Retir
the defense
appropriations, the;
15 years seniority—120 hours pay...... $208.20
and
hospital
in
group
ticipate
sums provided for foreign aid are
a
\
(Using Trimmer’s Rate $1.74)
surgical benefit plan,
being determined more by Republi1952
Sune
‘year
seniority— 40 hours pay......$ 74.60
can
campaign
promises
than
by
The strike settlement and ‘con3 years seniority— 60 hours pay......$111.90
what the safety of our country and tract issues were adopted over5 years seniority— 80 hours pay......$149.20
the freedom of the world require. whelmingly at Local 287’s member15 years seniority—120 hours pay...... $223.80
Tax reductions were promised; na- ship meeting after Mazey explained
(Using Trimmer’s Rate $1.86%)
tional defense and international aid the terms and pointed out that the
1953
June
~
1 year
seniority— 40 hours pay......$ 76.20
must be cut to fit.-Economy comes speed-up threat had been beaten
3 years seniority— 60 hours pay......$114.30
first; security second.
back successfully.
- 5 years seniority— 80 hours pay...... $152.40
15 years seniority—120 hours pay...... $228.60
(Using Trimmer’ s Rate $1.90%)
WASHINGTON—Blown up by the newspapers as a major
policy i issue between Hisenhower and the old guard Republicans,
the Excess Profits Tax extension is not much of an issue at all.
tation that it will send to the
Briggs workers who were on the job before 1940—the year we
won our first vacation pay’ agreement—remember
well those “no
vacation—no pay” days. Then they got their first checks ... and then
they watched their Union make those checks grow year by year.
for a guy
To Set Stage for Sales Tax
At this writing,.the
(Editor’s note—Hundreds of thousands of UAW-CIO members are either on, gust back from, or about to start their vacations .. . vacations made possible by the Union. What follows
is from a leaflet outlining the vacation story specifically for Briggs
workers, but tt also 1s the story of vacation pay throughout the
entire UAW).
Not very long ago, the first day of summer had no interest or
meaning for Briggs workers. To be sure, it was the beginning of vacation time ... but at Briggs, as well as elsewhere in the auto industry, there was no vacation pay before the Union came to town.
Walkout Ends
MUNCIE,
the Kremlin single-handed. This
is the false and suicidal policy
that Taft is peddling,
Profits
Brief
|
to
intended
it was
Apparently
these
for
billion
$5.5
only
requested
budget
___Bisenhower’s
Warner Gear
Page 11
News
said
editorially:
‘‘President
Kennedy
(of the
Brotherhood) appropriately described as ‘democracy in action’ the
recent prompt revision of the contract between General Motors Corp.
by
represented
and its employes
Walter Reuther, president, Auto
Workers Union, CIO. The revised
agreements with the auto manufacturers give deserving benefits to
auto workers.”
MODERN LINES dominate the design
cal 174, The model above shows how the
story buildings, will look. Construction is
the union home for 30,000 UAW members
for the new union hall planned by West Side Lo$300,000 structure; to be composed of three onescheduled to sta
in November. The hall will who work in Preivc
plants.
re
-.
*
FELLOW
UNIONISTS
get a wel-
a
come aboard the S. S. United States
from Odrie Simpson, ship chairman.
L. to r—dJacob Potofsky, Clothing
Workers president; Joe Curran, Maritime Union president; Simpson, and
UAW President Walter P. Reuther.
x
-HILLMAN AWARD WINNERS—lIrving Fagan (left),
columnist for Labor Press Associated, and Herb Block, cartoonist for the Washington Post, were among the five
winners of the $500 1952 journalism awards of the Sidney
Hillman Foundation. Fagan’s award was for his columns
syndicated by LPA, Block’s was for ‘‘The Herblock Book.”’
id
&
de
“Well, if this Isn’t rich—and you head of an engineering firm
-
TO GIVE AWAY—Officers and committeemen from Lo
cal 357, UAW-CIO, prepare to ship one of the ranges they
make in the Cribben and Sexton plant in Chicago to Ottawa,
Illinois, Union Center where it will be given away to a member of Region 4.0n Labor Day. They are, 1. to r.: Clarence
Brens, president; Walter Totos, Gus Szczerbinski, Joseph
Odwazny, Joseph Zegar, George Borowski, Steven Dodro,
George Szweda, Tom Grippanvo, Lawrence Bunge and Jules
Salburg. Labor Day brings a massive turnout to the Union
Center with fun and prizes for all.
LARGEST CLASS of union counselors ever graduated
in the state of Illinois was awarded diplomas by Pat Greathouse, Director of UAW Region 4 (behind mike). The 60
union counseling students who completed an eight-week
course at the Tenth Congressional Citizenship Club, Forest
Park, are members of UAW-CIO, USA-CIO, IUE-CIO, and
United Rubber Workers. A spaghetti and meat balls dinner
was served the graduates by the Tenth Congressional Citi-
zenship Club and Jim Kalasardo, maintenance committee-
man of Local 6, VAW-CIO.
POSTMASTER: Send copies returned eadier
labels No. 3579 (Canada, labels No. 2amp
to 2457 East Washington Street, Indiamap-
en
ae
G
«
ie
SLINKARD
LENWOOD
lQOzZ2
3 MO
CITY
K ANSAS
olis 7, ‘Indiana.
x
PREPARING FOR THE BASIC FIGHT, UAW Local 1083 stewards from the Kearney and
Trecker Company Milwaukee plant listen to a discussion of the Company’s defiance of the
NLRB’s certification of the UAW as their bargaining agent. After 600 days in which the
Company refused to bargain on a contract, members of the Local are preparing to take strike
action if necessary just as thousands of other UAW members had to strike for union recog-
nition years ago.
a
SR ROO
y
aes,
¢
- Item sets