Toledo union journal. [volume] (Toledo, Ohio) 1942-current, 1950-06-16

lprices for the items purchased
from it.
/ 6. In many cases Colonial
Hardware did not even deliver
1.-The items ordered by the Build
ling Corporation or Local IL, but
simple ordered the materials
from other normal sources and
laoded a high commission or
override in it's billing to Local
liz or the Building Corporation.
7. We know that Brother Cos
ser and Brother Schultz ordered
That all Local IL and Automo-
tive Workers Building Corpora
ltion purchases for the Summer
Camp and the so-called Retire
ment Farm be made from Colo
Inial Hardware and Sporting
Goods Company.
:. 8. On March 8, 1948, Brother
Gosser issued a memorandum TO
all international Representa-
tives. Local IL Full Time Of
ficrs, the Camp Director and the
Farm Superintendent instruct
ing them to submit all purchases
, for the Summer Camp and farms
to him for his approval. At this
time Brother Gosser was the
duly elected international Vice
President of the U.AW. The Of
ficers of many units of Local IL
, and the officers of other local
unions of the U.A.W have been
subjected to press from
Brother Gosser, Brother Schultz
or their assistants, to purchase
all sporting goods and other re-
lated equipment from the Colo
nial Hardware and Sporting
Goods Company. Some Of these
officers have advised us that
: they were offered certain per-
centage cutbacks in event they
! placed their orders with Colonial
Hardware and Sporting Goods
, Company. We believe that these
4 officers will privately testify to
your Board.
9. We would submit to your
Board a number of specific ex-
, amples which may be verified
! from original records and a
reasonably thorough investiga-
ton:
/ (a) Brother Gosser ordered
] the purchase of a speed boat for
! the Summer Camp at cost oi
e So, $4,000. This speed boat is not
t in use at the Summer Camp
| having been moved elsewhere by
a Brother Gosser's order. Brother
e Gosser offered to reimburse Lo-
, cal IL for this speed boat but
9 has not yet done SO to our
: knowledge.
(b) Brother Gosser ordered
one of the best cottages at the
= Summer Camp set aside for his
= personal use.
: (c) Either Local IL or Auto,
n motive Workers Building Cor
: poration funds were used in re-
J. modelling this cottage and ir
: purchasing expensive furnish
n ings for 1t. Many of these fur
r nishings and other items oi
d equipment we're purchased from
Y the Colonial Hardware anc
e Sporting Goods Company al
n higher than prevailing retail
Is prices.
u I'D Brother Gosser has USED
J. this cottage only at infrequent
= intervals, thus depriving the
= Summer Camp of the proper use
= of this facility.
e (e) We believe that the rec
e ords of the Automotive Workers
e Building Corporation and of Lo-
v cal IL will disclose that thou
s sands of dollars worth of equip.
l. ment and materials used in fur.
e nishing and remodeling the Lo.
n cal IL Summer Camp have beer
S purchased from, or through, Co.
Il lonial Hardware and Sporting
II Goods Company without the
i benefit of competitive bids ir
z any single instance.
: (D We further believe that
s many thousands of dollars have
been expended with Colonial
4 Hardware in the purchase oi
! useless and unnecessary items
! which Colonial Hardware hap.
!. Ipened to have in stock and want.
ed to sell.
J, (g) We submit that the Who'll.
n ly inadequate and unsatisfactory
: system of receiving reports al
: Local IL, the Summer Camp
= and the so-called Retirement
4 Farm is such that no one knows
s whether our union ever received
e the goods purchased from Colo
I. NAL Hardware and Sporting
= Goods Company. We further
S submit that an audit of Colonial
n Hardware and Sporting Goods
: Company invoices will reveal
: serious discrepancies in this re-
c spect in addition to thousands
of dollars in over-charges.
a (h) We cite the purchase ot
}, the double-deck iron beds ano
i mattresses as one example. A to-
S tai of $50 of these hunks were
S ordered on competitive bid by
n the Cafnn Director Rrnfhar Mel