Montana labor news., 1937-04-01
STE|NmETz IN RACE
FOR PRESIDENT OF
LABOR FEDERATION

0Lti4AAl AAAALpC
ions will have a candidate in the
field for president of the Montana
Federation of Labor at the biennial
election held in May. Bruce Stein
metz who has long taken an active
part in labor activities in this city
has thrown his hat in the ring and
was endorsed by the central body
of the unions at its last meeting.
Nominations to place his name upon
the ballot have been forwarded to
President James Graham at his of
flee in Helena. The candidacy of
MIR. Steinmetz is supported by the
Cascade County Trades and Labor
Assembly.
Mr.. Steinmetz is a member of the
Theatrical and Stage Employees or
ganization. For some time past he
has been director of the Works Pro-
gress Administration for this district.
He is also president Of the Cascade
County Trades and Labor Assembly.
He has been a delegate to the con-
ventions of the Montana State Fed
Grafton of Labor for many years and
served on many important commit
tees. He has also attended the ma
tional conventions of his own or
%ganization.
The Workers Alliance at Great
Falls presented a direct relief bud
get to the Cascade Trades and Labor
Assembly meeting. This budget is
based upon costs of relief and a
standard of living which the Work
ers Alliance feel is the minimum
that people on direct relief should
receive. The amount prescribed in
the budget varies from SIS for one
person to $45.30 for ten people. The
central body of Great Falls con-
Cured in the proposed budget and
requested the other unions to also
approve of it.
Rumblings of the c I. o. were
heard in the Assembly when the
United Radio Workers requested that
they be seated as fraternal dele
gates. It was moved and seconded
that the request of these men be
tabled, but on d standing vote the
motion was lost.
A letter from the Bartenders was
read requesting members of organ
lied labor and their friends not to
sign petitions to invalidate House
Bill No. 1876 which provides for the
sale of liquor at retail establish
ments. The letter mentioned the
sale of liquor by retail establish
ments would provide work for a
great many people.
Just at this moment Mr.. Clavier,
Deputy Collector of the Bureau OF
Internal Revenue, was admitted and
advised the delegates that labor I'M
ions were classed as employers I'M
der the Social Security Act and
hence were required to pay taxes
of all officers under pay. The amount
to be paid to the government is
per cent of the wages or salary re-
ceived by an officer or officers of
the union. Mr.. Clavier then re-
NAMED at the meeting and after adj
journment assisted some of the sec
retaries in preparing their forms
Nearly all of the unions are two
months in arrears in paying then
old age social security tax.
The Billings organizations agar
advised the Great Falls unions thai
the Pierce Packing Company wa;
still unfair.
The unions of Great Falls have en-.
dorsed Charles Johnson of Butte anc
E. T. Ellefson for the position Of
electrical Inspector. The secretary
was instructed to notify the Rail.
road Commission of the action o.
the Cascade Trades and Labor AS.
sembly in endorsing these two men
Great Falls Afraid of Gas
Perhaps the central labor organ.
ization in Great Falls will initiate {
movement to have an investigation
or survey made of all gas lines If
Great Falls. The possibility of max.
ing such a survey arose when a com
munication was received in the AS
sembly stating that many gas ex.
plosions recently in Great Fall,
should command more general at.
tention and perhaps the return o.
the use of coal. The letter also re.
ferred to the Texas disaster and re.
ported that the Great Falls High
School was heated by gas.
Congressman O'Connor is much in.
terested in wages paid on WPA prof.
ects and assured the unions that he
would use his influence to make
WPA wages correspond with pre-.
vailing wage scales.
The War Department is investi
eating the home of the Good Shep
herd in Helena on allegations tina
had been made by the unions anC
other people in Great Falls that thi
institution was interfering with pri
vate laundries.
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