Evening star., 1949-11-28
Clio Electric Workers
Organizing With Goal
Of Pensions, Raise
By the Assoeioted Press

BY the Associated Press
PHILADELPHIA, Nov. 28.-The
CLOS new electrical workers
union opened its week-long
founding convention today with
its sights already set on $780,
a-month pensions and a fourth
round wage boost.
Those economic aims were an
nounced yesterday by James B.
Carey, acting leader of the re-
Gently formed -right-wing organ
ization-the International Union
of Electrical, Radio and Machine
Workers.
The conventions keynote speech
today is to be delivered by CIO
President Philip Murray. His re-
marks are to be "off the cuff, :"
but many delegates believe Mr..
Carsey-in a statement yesterday
sounded their one-an anti
Communist blast.
Refers to Custer.
Mr.. Carey's statement. dis
tributed to delegates today, was
in reference to the CLOS recent
custer of the United Electrical,
Radio and Machine Workers OF
America on grounds of being
Communist controlled, the state
ment said.
"The Congress of Industrial
Organizations took action at its
18th constitutional convention in
Cleveland less than month ago
to purge itself.
"It purged itself. not of a
union, but of a small group OF
ideologically-enslaved men who
had gained control of the ap-
paratus of our great labor union
and who sought to conduct the
affairs of our union so as to
pervert political democracy and
democratic trade unionism -"
Announces Pension Drive
In another pre-convention state
ment, Mr.. Carey-as chairman OF
the Unions administrative COM
mittee-announced the organiza-
ton will seek $100-a-month pen
sions and a fourth round wage
increase for its members.
Mr.. Carey said the IUE in its
negotiations wants employers
committed to a minimum speci-
fed contribution so that should
the Federal Governments social
security program be broadened as
to benefits, the savings would not
accrue to the employer but will be
used to liberaliZe the benefits or
to build the reserves of the plan
We adopt"
OF the unions wage boost. pro-
gram. he said no attempt would
be made to resort to Alice in /
Wonderland tactics or demands.
The IUE will attempt to obtain
wage raises to "at least partly
compensate for existing inequali-
ties and for increases in working
productivity" he declared. /
Claims Quarter of Million.
The new union opened its con-
vention. with the claim that in the
few weeks since its inception it
had picked ups approximately a
quarter million members.
Declaring it had issued charters
to 134 locals representing a total
of around 225,000 members, the
union announcement added:
''This total represents more than
one-half of the membership of the
UE at the time of its convention
six weeks ago in Cleveland
UE spokesmen have challenged
all of the IUE's membership fig
ures.
, Albert j. Fitzgerald, president of
the UE. said in a statement Satur-
day that an Overwhelming ma
jority'' of his unions members are
remaining loyal and "are not be-
ing stampeded into the company
union type of organization which
CIO top officials have set up to
make back-door deals with EN-
ployers."
Union to Be 'Hardheaded."
Mr.. Carey said the average
hourly rate in the electrical in
dustry is $1.448 and the average
for all durable goods industries is
$1.481, or 3.3 cents higher.
In making it's demands. Mr..
Carey said, the new union will be
hardheaded, realistic and prac-
tical."
In support of his recommended
demands. Mr.. Carey submitted q
13-page economic report" which
declared, in part, that "the elec-
trical industry has enjoyed a dec
ade of unparalleled expansion and
probability" and that so far as
outlook is concerned, the industry
stands in a unique and favorable
position" .