The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1954-05-14
WHAT DO YOU THINK?
What the boys are saying >.
Out On the Picket Line
BY GRETCHEN G. BILLINGS

read: "WHEN THE DBL GOES
BACK WE WILL" and ION STRIKE
NO MORE SPEED-UP" East Hell
ena Smeltermen working at the
American Smelling and Refining
Company have picket headquarters
1t was there l found about 20 OF
the men and their strike committee
Wednesday afternoon. The strike
committee, Albert C. Yuricic, chair
man John NJ. Predvich, V. ]. Stip-
cich and C. J. Morello are the Of
fetal spokesman for the wildcat
or "walkout" group of smeltermen
from A.S.&R., however the ans
wers to my questions came from all
of the men and were reiterated and
emphasized among all of them.
@. Is this strike something that
came up all of a sudden or it is the
elimination of many grievances?
A. 1t has been coming along for
some time. They have been adding
more work with less men. If there
was too much for the men to do the
bosses would jump in and help. That
is strictly against the rules. Every
time a foreman goes to work he
breaks the contract.
Q. What happened that caused
the men to walk out?
A. DBL fellows have been having
trouble for about two months when
the company changed to one furnace
from two furnaces and we were US
ing only six of the nine machines.
Management decided to add another
machine, and it is the practice to
add another man when another ma
chine is added. That adds more work
and the department where they work |
is dusty and hot and CASEY. Instead |
of doing one job the men usually |
have to do more than one job to
keep the machines going. The Union
met with the company through regu
lar channels asking for arbitration.
The Company refused. The men asked
to meet with the Company a second
time and were refused and the Com
pany would not shut down the extra
machine. After two or three attempts
at a settlement the Union warned
the Company that they would not
be responsible for the actions of the
men.
@. When did this come to head
and the men walk out?
A. Thursday a. m. MAY 81 the /
men refused to work unless they had
only six machines to keep going. The
Company insisted that they would {
run seven. The men refused to work
The Company fired them. When they
we're fired and walked home the rest
If the men in the plant walked out
With them. I
@. When you run 9 machines are
you using two furnaces?
A. Yes. I
Q. When did you cut down to
TX machines and one furnace and t
low many men were let go at that +
ime? i
A. We cut down to six machines C
about the first of April and about b
10 men were laid off at that time. b
Q. How many men are involved t
n this walkout? I
A. Between 220 and 240. After p
hey fired the men and everyone C
walked off, meeting was held, and
he membership Of the Union asked n
he officers to mediate the walkout. v
The Union officers contacted the h
Management refused a
o any meetings until the men went i
Jack to work. The men refused. They V
would not go back to work and still c
will not go back to work.
@. Is there any liaison between f
he Management and the Union now? b
A. John Clark international pres h
dent of Mine-Mill) has called for o
meeting but Doerr has refused to t
leet. The Union has contacted the =
'ederal Cancellation Board but the e
company refused to meet with them. p
Q. Then everything is in a dead c,
,ck at the moment?
A. Yes. When Mr.. Doerr gets off el
is high horse we will. We are open tt
or a meeting any time the Manage al
ent wants to talk, morning, noon N
: night. d.