The potters herald. [volume], September 09, 1943, Image 1

About The potters herald. [volume] (East Liverpool, Ohio) 1899-1982

Image provided by: Ohio History Connection, Columbus, OH

                
New Minimum Wage Ef
fective Under New Piece
Work System
RETROACTIVE CLAUSE
Board Approves Request Of
Wallace Employees For
Division Of Local 113
Huntington Park, Calif.—A. writ of
approval. was received from the War
Labor Hoard, tenth regional district.
San Francisco, of our application for
:i wage adjustment in the decorating
lepart men! of the Vernon Kilns.
After many conferences with the
company in an effort to secure these
wage adjustments, the decision of the
War Labor Hoard was very gratify
ing. Tor years we have suffered be
cause arbitrary action by the em
ployers in the pottery industry have
been responsible for the establishment
of unreasonably low rates of pay. The
agreement with the company and the
Brotherhood in this case provides an
increased rate of pay.
These new rates will become effective
af.ter a two-week experimental period
under the new piece-work system.
When approved by the War Labor
Hoard wages will' be retroactive to
May 10. 1J 4.*5.
The Vernon Kilns is operating at
considerably less than capacity produc
tion, as a result of labor shortage
throughout the plant and especially in
the clay shop. When one of our trades
men
is railed to the armed forces we
are unfortunate because it is impos
sible to secure a. competent workman
as easy as it was back in the "Pool."
The writer recalls that you had only
to stand in the Diamond and he as
sured that sooner or later a competent
1wwuld apin-ar and the- p^
(Turn to Page Five)
U S. Labor Chiefs
Visit Latin America
Seek To Promote Better Un
derstanding Of Unionists
Among Republics
Washington. I). (ILNS).—To pro
mote better understanding among the
working peoples of the Americas, three
United State labor executives are pay
ing ollicial visits to labor unionists of
several of the neighborhood republics.
After short stops in Colombia an.l
Peru, the delegation is spending two
weeks in Chile, returning the recent
visit here of Hernardo Ibanez, secre
tary general of the Chilean Federation
of Labor. Panama, Mexico and Cuba
will be visited on the return trip.
The lT. S. labor leaders, Kd J.
Brown, president of the International
It rot hcrhoud of Electrical Workers,
representing .the AFL. David J. Mc
Donald. secretary treasurer, 1'nited
Sleelw orkers of America, representing
the CIO. and Samuel C. Phillips, vice
president, Brotherhood of Loconiotiin*.'
Firemen and Enginoinen, representing
the railroad broiherhoods, are accom
panied by John llerling, labor consult
ant of tiie Office of the Coordinator of
Inter-American Affairs.
Wil.^llinyloll. It.
1'.
IJfJ 1)1)1
Labor Board Approves
Wage Adjustment At
Vernon Kilns Pottery
iVnK).—f'hiM
labor is making a big come-back, as
predicted months ago by the American
Federation of Labor in opposing re
laxation of laws and regulations gov
erning employment of children.
So far this year, 17 states have mad**
chajiges in their laws that either low
ered or relaxed child labor standards,
it is revealed by records of the Chil
dren's Itureau, I". S. Department of
Labor.
Illegal employment of boys and girls
is also soaring. State labor officials re
port an increasing number of viola
tions of state labor laws. The same
report is made by Federal inspectors,
who have found that the number of
children employed in violation of the
Fair Labor Standards Act increased
from 1.701 in the year ending June
:i0, 1041 to 4..""07 in the year ending
June 30, 11)4.'?.
Million I'nder 15
More than 4,000.000 children be
tween the ages of 14 and 17 are work
ing in factories, stores and fields,
Children's Itureau figures indicates.
A million of these child workers are
in the 14-15 age bracket and half a
million are toiling in factories. Many
EUAS REISBERG DIES
ILGWU VICE PRESIDENT
New York City. Elias Reisberg.
vice president of the International
Ladies' (iarmertt Workers' Fnion, died
at. his home. 840!) Talbot street, Kew
Carrions. L. I., on August 18. ilis age
was "7.
I torn in the Ukraine, Russia, in
18S0, Mr. Reisberg came to the United
States in 100(5. He joined the ILCWU
in 1!HK and took active part in the
garment workers campaign of that
year" to abolish the sweating system
in the needle trades, lie served as
IHiWt* vice president since
From July, 103 "», until his death he
served as first director of the cotton
C.arment Department of the ILGWF.
Thompson Makes
Report Of State
Meeting To 124
Urges Every Labor Voter In
State Be Registered For
Coming Election
ATTENDANCE GOOD
Red Cross Sends Letter Of
Thanks For Donation
To Shenango
The summer vacation is over and
starting with our first, meeting in
September we will work every week.
The by-weekly meetings did not prove
satisfactory to the majority of our
members as .the amount of business
that has to be transacted for a local
this six really-wills for. wguhfr' week
ly meetings.
The manner of notifying the differ
ent shop committees when they are re
quested to appear before the local wafc
up for discussion with the majority
being of the opinion .that a more suii
able way should }e found than by
merely sending word to the shop. Carris
will be printed and mailed to each
individual in the future and failure
appear when you receive these cards
will subject you to a fine.
A letter was received from the local
chapter of the Red Cross thinking us
for the card tables donated to Camp
Shenango. We were glad they found
these useful and we hope to make an
other donation in the near future.
Itrother Koy
Thompson,
delegate to
the Ohio State Federation of Labor
convention in Columbus, made a very
interesting report of the proceedings
of
Hint
body.
He
told of the fight that
labor made to safeguard the working
standards of the people of our state
and stressed how close the French Hill
came to becoming a law. He stressed
the importance of every laboring man
and woman being registered for the
coming election and the part they can
play in ousting the
Four Million Children, 14 To 17
At Work In Nation, As States
Relax Child Labor Standards
"enemies
of labor.''
Itrother Van Fossen, delegate to
Trades Council reported that the man
agement of the restaurant in the Uus
Terminal had signed an agreement
with the union and the contract has
been forwarded to the War Labor
(Turn to Page Two)
others even younger than 14 are work
ing, officials of Hit* bureau think.
In 10 states requiring work permits
from young people, 1,800.000 took out
papers in May and June this year,
indicating that more than half of the
high school students of the nation have
been working during the similiter.
The War Manpower Commission is
doing little to discourage this revival
of child labor. While agreeing in prin
ciple that many of the youthful work
ers should go back to school, the WMC
is apparently looking with complacency
on their employment.
Tragic Situation Seen
In announcing that at least 2.(500.000
workers must change jobs from non
essential to war-essential industries
before next July 1, Paul V. McNutt,
chairman of the War Manpower Com
mission, said that employed school
children "have an obligation to see
.that the war stays won, that this is
the object of their education, and that,
therefore, current work is not th
whole answer for themselves or tin
nation."'
Hut at the same .time Chairman
McNutt declared that communities and
/Turn to Page Six)
Paden City Potters
Join Civic Bodies
In Honoring Boys
Honor Roll Dedicated With
Impressive Ceremonies
Sunday, Aug. 29
Paden City.—Very impressive cere
monies marked the dedication of the
community Honor Roll Sunday. August
20, when members of organized labor
joined with civic and fraternal organ
izations in paying homage to the boys
in the service. Rev. Father Thomas C.
Fitzgerald was the principal speaker
and urged each and every one of us
not to let our spiiit die with the cere*
lnony today, but back these loys
the limit with the purchase of war
bonds. Thi\v are giving their lives, all
we are asked to give is our money,
surely we owe them this much.
There seems to be quite a discussion
through the shop these days over the
editorials that have been appearing
in the journal. Certainly it is time we
take the stand that labor is not to be
pushed around by capital and say
nothing about it. We enjoy these edi
torials and hope they will continue lo
show the I'eglers and supporters of the
Smith-Connally bill their days ar?
numbered.
Howard Young, kilnfireman. and
Shirley Watkin. kilnpiacer are firing
them up in North Africa. Hoth bro
thers send gr,»etings to all their friends
i.n the trade.
We are sorry to report Brothers Jo(*
Medley and Clay Snyder havty been
reported missing by the war depart
ment, and Frank Slender has been re
ported as wounded in action. These
brothers when last reported were in
North Africa.
Superintendent, Rockwell has re
turned from a fishing trip and the
usual alibi "no fish "•«—water too high.
The latest to leave our midst are the
Long brothers, pottery twins, .their
friends can reach them by writing
Uncle Sam.
Itrother AHier- Va* Oamp, Jr., the
sage of the dipping department, has
moved to Clarksburg.—O.C. 140.
Labor Chiefs Ask
Stable Economy
McNutt Taking Part In Radio
Program, Hails Union Aid,
Warns Of Shortages
William (Jreen, presjric.nl of the
American Federation of Labor, and
Philip Murray, president of the Con
gress of Industrial Organizations, de
manded in a Labor Day broadcast,
(lovernment stabilization of wages ami
prices to remedy industrial ills. Paul
V. McNutt, War Manpower Commis
sioner. took part in the program.
"With wages and prices stabilized
at September (1042) levels, workers
will break all previous records for
steady, uninterrupted and increasing
production," Mr. (Sreen predicted. He
called the ("Joverninent's efforts at sta
bilization a tragic failure.
Messrs. ("Sreen and Murray pledged
labor to redoubled effort, but each
urged that labor have a greater voice
in determining national policies. Mr.
(Sreen, at Tampa, Fla., urged repre
sentation for labor at the peace con
ference and immediate preparations to
avoid a post-war depression.
He said that labor would demand
affirmation of the rights of workers in
all countries to join free and demo
cratic trade unions, establishment of
democracy throughout the world, resto
ration of freedom and territory to
victimized countries and assistance in
their rehabilitation, and punishment
for war criminals and mercy for their
peoples.
Calling for a rollback in prices, Mr.
Murray, at Detroit, demanded also "a
fair tax system" based on ability to
pay and legislation "in the spirit of
national unity behind the win-the-war
policies of our Commander in Chief.'
lie pledged maintenance of hfbor's no
strike agreement.
Greater use of labor's political
rights, Mr. Murray said, would fur
ther the war effort, and consequently,
he added, CIO is promoting "the
greatest campaign of political activity
in its history."
"If Congress has fallen short," lie
said, "it is up to Hie people to elect
the members to make their influence
felt."
Mr. McNutt, speaking at Washing
ton, commended organized labor for
its "sure-footed" voluntary cooperation,
but warned that extreme adjustments
were necessary to meet acute labor
shortages.
1 le described the task of mobilizing
manpower as an enormous traffic prob
leni again in need of,having its entire
system tightened, adding:
"We have yet to drive home our
(Turn to Page Five)
Official Organ
of the National Brotherhood of Operative Potters
VOL. XLVII, NO. 19 EAST LIVERPOOL, OHIO, THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 1943 $2.00 PER YEAR
Wage Conference
Committee Meets
Thursday Morning
Meeting Called To Order At
9 A. M. In Brother
hood Auditorium
DETAILED REPORT
Executive Board Asks For
Review Of Regional
Board's Directive
Members of the 1!)45i conference com
mittee assembled at Headquarters this
morning to consider
Hie
Following is the ruling hanried down
by the War Labor B':inl:
REGIONAL WAR LAKOR BOARD
Cleveland, Ohio
August 24, 104:{
Ca.-e
No. :"-D-129
111 1082-D
In the matter of:
THI-: 1'NITED STATES POTTERS
A SSI M'lATION
EAST LIVERPOOL. OHIO
and
NATIONAL BROTHERHOOD OF
OPERATIVE POTT KI IS. AFL
EAST LIVERPOOL. OHIO
DIRECTIVE OUDEK
The Regional War Labor Hoard for
the Fifth Region, pursuant to the
powers vested in said Hoard as the
duly authorized agent of the National
War Labor Hoard, hereby adopts the
recommendation of Lts Panel and pur
suant thereto directs that the issues in
the above-named case In* disposed of as
follows:
1. The Southern Potteries, Inc.. is
hereby directed to establish a separate
department in i.ts plant where "Lining"
can be done exclusively. Employees
working in this dej.wrtment. shall y»
paid 7"c per hour until such time as
suitable piece work rates can be estab
lished iu this department. It is fur
ther directed tiiat there be no change
in the wage rate of fiH/a cents per hour
for employees engaged in hand-painl
ing which does not involve "lining."
2. It is hereby directed that all
Member Companies of the Tinted
Slates Potters Association grant all
employees one day's vacation with pay
for each year of employ men up to a
maximum of one week's vacation with
pay.
The question of whether the one
week's vacation shall consist of five or
six days shall be determined by nego
tiation between the parties.
The t'nioii's request that certain
employees be paid time and one-half
(Turn to Page Five)
Potters Pledge
Support At Bond
Rally Wednesday
Every Local In District Rep
resented At Meeting In
Brotherhood Hall
With every local anion of tin' Na
tional Itrotherhood of Operative Pot
ters in this district pledging coopera
tion in the Third War Loan Drive,
which gets under way today. President
.lames M. Duffy assured Raymond S.
Buzzard, East Liverpool chairman,
that organized labor will support the
drive to the finish, at which time the
Itrotherhood chieftain stated we will
reach our goal.
Mr. Huzza rd addressed over one
hundred members of the Itrotherhood
Wednesday evening and outlined plans
that were to be followed in canvassing
the different
plants,
lie urged all
to
put forth every effort that our loved
ones who are "over there" will not be
found wanting the necessary supplies
to finish their job.
The combined quota for East Liver
pool and Wellsville is $2,740,0(10, but
the two cities will work under separate
organizations.
This goal may seein high to you
people, but it can be reached if every
worker in the plants and factories
today will purchase one extra bond
during September.
STRIKERS NOT "IDLERS/
WMC OFFICIAL SAYS
Washington, D. (ILNS).—When
the War Manpower Commission de
clared idleness a "aondeferrable ac
tivity/' there was it" intention of in
cluding strikers, Lawrence A. Apply.
WMC executive
dir.
tor, told a press
conference.
"We meant only iironic idlers,"
said.
"Work Or Fight"
Law Drastic But
Protects Rights
Strikes And Prevailing
Wages Protected Under
Proclamation
Washington, D. c. (ILNS i. North
Carolina has a "Work or Fight" law.
1'nrier it, anyone not working hours
a week may be placed Ln jail as a
vagrant.
I'nder the war
decisions of
the Regional War Labor Hoard in
their recent ruling on wage proposi
tions submitted by the National Bro
therhoori of Operative I'itters and the
Fniteri States Potters Association.
power-
There h.-i~ been
.f t.-ite gov­
ernors. such a law could Income a
strike-breaking, union-busting instru
ment if administered by anti-labor
officials.
fear .ji!•*«I i..«.
union leaders of a wave of anti-union
"work or fight" proclamations by gov
ernors.
Safeguards Please Labor
So there is satisfaction rfn the part
of labor in the proclamation issued by
(!ov. J. Melville Broughton of North
Carolina which protects strikers from
jM»ssii)le anti-union prejudices of the
local county committees set up to en
force the 3~i-hour law. Section 0 of the
proclamation reads:
"The provisions of this proclamation
shall not apply to persons temporarily
unemployed by reasons of ttoua fide
differences between employers and em
ployees acting in groups or organiza
tions nor to bona fide students during
the school term, nor to persons fitting
themselves to engage in a trride or
industrial pursuit."
Another protection to workers is
provided in the prevailing wage clause
of the proclamation—"at wages which
prevail in the county for work of that
character."
(}ov. Hroughton has made it a point
to seek labor-management coojeration
on manpower and other problems aris
ing during his ndminist ration ami has
invited unions to confer with him on
legislative matters so that the princi
ples of unionism and collective bar
gaining shall not bo impaired during
-the war emergency.
Aims To Make AH Work
Nevertheless, his proclamation makes
(Turn lo Page Tiuo)
Tobin Tells Lewis
AFL's Laws Stand
Teamsters' Chief, In Article,
Says Compromise Would
Weaken Organization
Washington. D. C.—Although Daniel
J. Tobin. president of the International
Itrotherhood of Teamsters, strongly
favors reatliliation of the 1'nited Mine
Workers with the American Federation
of Labor and promises that his union
will do iis best to bring about such
unity, he says:
"We cannot be expected to do the
impossible or set aside all the laws of
the (American) federation (of Labor)."
Writing the leading article in the
September issue of The International
Teamster, Mr. Tobin says that there
was a great deal of satisfaction when
tiie union led by John L. Lewis applied
for reatliliation.
"The application had to be acted
upon in accordance with
the
laws of
the federation." lie explained.
"Tin1 AFL in my judgment, would
accept the mine workers and be very
happy about it if the mine workers
would decide to confine themselves to
their own jurisdiction that is. the
mining of coal—and have in their
membership only those
who work
ill
and around the mines.
Stand Of The Miners i'nion
"However, the 1'nited Mine Workers
insist on retaining in membership indi
viduals belonging to many other trades
and mr.de a statement to the Executive
Council that after they got into the
federation they would sit down and
talk the matter of jurisdiction over
with any union aggrieved."
Mr. Tobin, who is chairman of the
three-man committee which conferred
with Mr. Lewis on the proposed reatlili
ation, added that "perhaps that
pro­
cedure might work out," but the AFL
council, "due to many protests and
many inquiries, believed it was too
great a responsibility and referred the
application to the convention of the
federation which opens on Oct. 4, 1943,
in Itoston."
While he hopes and trusts that
"some solution of this very important
question will be found by the conven
tion in October," and that his union
will do everything it can to bring about
a repproachment of tlit? miners with
.the A. F. of L., it could not do so at
the expense of the Federation's laws,
lie adds.
Preservation Of The A.F.L.
If these laws were set aside, lie
continues, such action would "have to
apply to all those outside the Federa
tion. that is. becoming reaftiliated with
(Turn to Page Two)
New Yori: ity. Half a loaf
bread under democratic system
government, with its promise for the
future, is letter than a full 1m»wI of
Japanese rice or a loaf of Nazi ersatz
pumpernickc!.
Sri say# .Ma\ )..•!. •••-.--1 -r: v•
officer for the First District I New
York) of the itakery and Confection
ery Workers' I'liion. in aunoiuicing
that the 1S.INK) members of his union
have given more than $loo.iK* in con
tributions to the AFI* section of tie
New York 1-atMir A^'ar Chest. Addi
tional collection are exiMH-ntl to swell
llli- in, .. In 1_C..0U0 b*
V
Tins silicosis condition v.wuid !mi
any change, no matter how had the
conditions under which the -employee
had to work, notwithstanding the brow
beaten tactics by unscrupulous fore
men until they were
forced
cp
VV
n r- it ,-v W •wbuhwh w^rpwTWi'
til.. H,n:r- nJnnnnr.Tin nnnnnnnnn
Army Unit Will Pay
Training Visit To East
Liverpool, September 27
BAKERY UNION DONATES
$100,000 TO WAR CHEST
i »T.
Kilnmen Discuss
WLB Decision At
Friday Meeting
Physical Examination Could
Be Used "As Weapon For
Union Activity
CRONIN IN ARMY
Elimination Of Dust Hazards
Would Prolong Lives Of
Employees
The attendance at our las: ting
was nothing like it should l»een
considering ile- fact that the recent
decision of ii. War Labor Hoard on
questions that: were submitted by the
N. I!, of O. P. and The I'.S.I'.A. would
1m a vital topic for discussion. The
sentiments expressed by the luemliers
was. if theTleelsfnn was twrrectiy re
I»orted by the local press. lal»or has
far more to lose than gain if they
accepted it. It was pointed out the
doctor's examination clause would de
prive all elderly employees of a chance
to change jobs, b"i*Mn" most men who
have worked in pottery industry
for 2"» or 30 j.mi- have absorbed
enough dust to give tin::, a ::i-• r
less silicosis condition.
to quit.
This local had a vivid example of this
fact brought forcibly to its attention
during a recent meeting. It was also
brought to the attention of the mem
bers how this could be used against
any one who takes an active part in
the interests of his trad* to the iKtint
of fighting for his trade union prin
ciples. could be earmarked for slaugh
ter by the underground boycott be
tween existing •Tii'l'-r-i.-Mi'Iin^s" by
the U.S.P.A.
I am not saying that any r«u«:h
boy­
cott is now in existence, but it could
easily be brought into practice if the
doctor's examination clause should tie
adopted. This was the sentiment of
the members who were hmd in their
denunciation of such a plan.
We have heard numerous times when
(Turn to Page Ta-o)
Chicago (ILNS i.— Day nurseries or
day-care centers, supervised recreation
before and after school, hot lunches
at school, housekeeper service and
flexibility of work shifts are necessary
if working mothers are to maintain an
adequate home life for their children
while doing their work efficiently, ac
cording to a recent study of wartime
care of children of working mothers
in Elmira, N. Y.. a wartime lioom town.
The study, revealing problems typi
cal of many war boom towns, was
made by the New York State Depart
ment of Social Welfare and the El
mira Council of Social Agencies to ob
tain from working mothers themselves
opinions on care of their children and
to determine what assistance was
needed from .the community and from
industries.
Active in bringing about the survey
were defense plant officials who want
ed more women workers and were
eager to cooperate in child care pro
jects. the American Public Welfare
A ssocia ion re m»its.
Day Work Preferred
Information from t2r mothers inter
viewed covered many items—size of
family, age of parents and children,
ihh"wTp^mBnnUlnrW*J(il\l
200 Soldiers And Equipment
Will Set Up Camp At The
High School Stadium
WILL TOUR PLANTS
Labor Joins With Civic And
Fraternal Organizations
In Program
The Army will literally take over
Li-i Liverpool, Monday. September
27th. iii .: visit that will afford the
coinniu
.ii.»
?js well as outlying dis­
tricts an unprecedented chance to see
the 'inside' of Army life and give the
soldiers a char-ce to see that organized
workers iu this district are behind
ihern 100 per cent. The caravan will
roll into the city «luring the morning
of September 27th and will l»e the
feature of a series of events climaxing
in a gigantic display of war equip
ment at the High School stadium.
The visit to East Liveqiool will give
war l»ond buyers a chance to see some
of the equipment which their money is
providing to help win the war. It will
be in connection with a training course
through which the troops are passing,
it will be part of an arrangement
by
'lie Fifth Service Command which
allows the troops in the course of their
training to visit 4 Ohio cities of 8.000
to 4».(MH» imputation for the dual pur
pose of enabling civilians to rub
shoulders with army life and ierrait
the soldiers to tour our district plants.
The soldiers will le on a rigorous pro
gram as they adhere rigidly to the
Army routine.
Foundation steps toward the unusual
event
were
laid Tuesday afternoon
when representatives of various com
munity organizations and labor repre
sentatives met
ai
the city
hall with
Army ^jtokesiuen. Captain T. J. Perry,
(Turn to Page Tvio)
Local Union 177
Holds Fish Fry
Vice Presidents Wheatley^
And Chadwick Attend
Party At Robinson
Robinson. 111.—Local Union 177 held
their annual fish fry on the hanks of
the Wabash Friday evening. August
27, with a record crowd in attendance.
Each year our little party seems to
grow and judging by remarks heard
from the brothers, there was not one
thing the committee overlooked in the
way of entertainment. A vote of thanks
was extended Brother Itay C.riswold
and hi- as[gtants br their splendid
work.
We were honored ar this year's
party by the presence of Vice Presi
dents Wheat ley and Chadwick, who
wert' here to help us negotiate a new
working agreement with the W. A.
Case Manufacturing Co. These bro
thers are not strangers in our city and
the doors of Local I'nion 177 are al
ways open to them.
Itoth were called upon for remarks
and their wise counsel was instrumen
tal Ln settling grievances that have
been hanging fire for some time. We
(Turn to Page Two)
Efficiency Of Working Mothers
Found Aliected By Worry Over
Their Children Left Unsupervised
salary
"f each parent,
length
of
em­
ployment of mother, health of family,
type of neighborhood, why mothers
were working or why they stopped,
attitude of family toward mother
working, how they managed their
homes,
how they spent their money,
what plans they had made for their
children and what the community
con Ul do to help them while they were
employed.
Most mothers preferred the day
shift, finding it less disrupting to
family life, but even under this ar
rangement children in more than 80
families were unsupervised before
school, at luucli time or at both
periods.
Work
of
mothers was affected be­
cause they worried about danger from
fire, unrestrained play, association
with older undesirable companions,
poor eating habits and inadequate
diets of their children.
Some Children Alone All Night
In homes where the mother worked
on the evening shift there was very
little family life, and most children
made themselves a nuisance in the
neighborhood. It was found when
[Turn to Page Six)