The Waterbury Democrat., 1946-02-14

NC0ntlnNfa aNOlA AAEN =
10 have him removed from the meet
ING al Klein Auditorium were high-
~ incensed against their internal
tional committee by two oroadoasts
DURING the day over TIE inter-plant
radio system BY Herman W. STEM
kraus president Of the brass COM
pany." -
lone broadcast" said Mr.. Robin
son, came Just an hour before ire
meeting ana SteinRrauS said: let's
nj permit anyone, whoever II may
be. TO tear down what your commit
tee and We have built Up over these
many weeks OF hard work.
TIE agreement between Local $40
and the Bridgeport Brass COMPANY
which averted a threatened strike.
provides for a 10 percent pay in.
CREASE. with a later adjustment based
on the steel strike settlement.
Drowned by Boos
AS President Robinson was ~
| troauced before q crowd OF l.5OO
bridgeport brass workers, tie han
was flied with Kisses and boos. The
uproar was SO great that he was
unable to speak. The crowd tAen
shouted approval OF a motion 10 have
the president removed from the
hall. within 10 minutes. the crowd
itself was gone.
Board member John MankowSki
Of this city and Ansonla was one OF
those Joining in the unanimous vote
By the executive board TO disapprove
the Bridgeport agreement
Mr. Robinson, Mr.. Mankowski and
other members Of a special commit
Tee OF the international were con-
steering the situation at q meeting
| in Bridgeport today.
Robinson Issues Statement
Robinson issued the following
statement on the action Of Local
$40. Bridgeport. In ordering him
elected from a mass meeting called
10 discuss terms OF a wage settle
ment made with the Bridgeport
Brass Co:
"A meeting convened at the re-
quest Of the Executive board Of the
international Mine, Mtll and Smell
ter Workers. at its quarterly board
meeting IN Chicago was held al the
Klein Memorial hall OF the men,
bers OF the Bridgeport Brass Work
ers Local $50. The International
Unions Executive board requested
this meeting be held after the
board had unanimously disapproy-
ed Of the offer made by the Bridge
port Brass Company OF q ten pei
cent wage increase.
This offer was tied with the
further vague promise Of granting
whatever wage increase which
would be finally won by the stee
strikers. The entire wage offer o!
the company was coupled with
price increase for brass. The ISSUE
has been confused by the company
using language that would infer
} settlement on the same wage scale
, as finally arrived at in the stee
industry.
Tries 10 Break Strike
The company has no intention
> OF meeting the same schedule o
wages granted in the steel indus
, try. The company hopes to use tn
Offer 10 the Bridgeport brass en-
ployes to break the solidarity o
the brass workers strike in Con
necticut and New York, thus at
| tempting to prevent the brass seal
J ever eQualing the steel rate. %
ly through the struggle OF the unit
ed brass workers will an aoequat
wage scale be established in tn
brass industry.
The strike of the steel. auto an
electrical workers will not estan
: liSh a wage scale for the bras
u workers even though their courage
Gus struggle will greatly strength
en- the brass workers cause. 'Th
committee elected by the Inte!na
tional Executive board was Inter
national President Reid Robinson
I Board Member Homer Wilson, Ala
p bama; Angelo Verdi, Illinois: job
= Mankowsd, Connecticut. and Con
: mittee Member Jack Clark Of Nor
}. tana.
: No Chance 10 Talk
The meeting adjourned short
o after 1t was convened on a motto
I TO ask Reid Robinson 70 retil
h from the meeting. The meetir
acted upon the motion without gi'
ing either President Robinson or an
d other member Of the committee Z
: opportunity 10 explain the positlt
OF the international Execute
N&