The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1962-06-22

better job of getting it's people to
the polls.
MPCo.'s ANTI-LABOR
POLICY HIT
Butte IBEW's Goeckel, in explain
ing the impasse surrounding negotia-
| tions with iIontana Power by the
union linemen, said that for 1913 years
we've had good relations" with the
company. Now. he said, "we've come
to deadlock. MPCo.'s labor spokes-
man George O'Connor is following
the ''get tough with labor" policy he
urged upon Montana contractors in
speech last january.
Pointing out that Local Al and
MPCo. first started negotiations on
new contract on February 10, Goe-
excl said they had had 10 or IL meet
ings, and that the company had stead
lastly refused to make other than a
small wage increase offer. The "arro-
gance" of company officialdom, Goe-
excl asserted, has brought major de-
gree of unity among the $50 linemen
involved, a unity which eliminated
in am overwhelming vote to strike
late in May.
MPCo. linemen, he pointed out,
were in 1947 on a parity or above
inemen employed by other utilities
in the region, wage-wise. Today,
MPCo. linemen are at the bottom of
the pile, with wages tagging as much
as 81 cents an hour behind Washing
ton Water Power and Pacific Power
& Light. Yet, while the wages of
Local A members lag far behind, the
revenue per manhour of MPCo. line
men to the company is the highest
in the nation at $20.97. National av-
erage revenue per hneman manhour
ranges from $13 to SIS. For other
utilities in this region, the revenue
is approximately SIG per manhour.
The linemen force has dropped from
4S0 to $50 since 1858. This cut back
has been accomplished in two ways,
said Goeckel: 1. Lack of maintenance,
and service TO customers; 2. Automa-
ton and chronological improvements. |
Montana Power, he said, doesn't
plead inability to pay the IS cents
per hour Local 44's membership is
asking. In fact, that utility has the
highest net income record of any
utility in the nation. And, with
the new $2.3 million increase in
gas charges, MPCo. will further
enhance it's earning ability.
The convention extended its whole
hearted support to Local "A should
they go out on strike in order to cope
with the Arrogance" of MPCo. Of
UNJUST CLOSE RANKS"
John Caldwell, in the major adj
dress of Saturday morning, empha-
sized it is necessary for Montana
abor to undergo "rethinking" pro-
cess in order to "close ranks. He
said we can win the economic strug-
es. only to lose those gains in the
arena. eve haven't the time
% fight among ourselves" the SC&-
Me leader declared. Joined together,
lie continued. 1--WE can win this fight
we can use our collective strength &
1T the polls to preserve collective !
whether with private en-
,loyers or the State.
Calling attention to the pending ,
;uit brought by a handful of dis /
sruntled highway engineers to knock |
tut SCENES union shop agreement
With the Highway Commission, Cald-
veil said that vicious lawsuit is
rery dangerous thing, suit which,
f lost can deprive all unions of the
light to collectively bargain with the
State. eff the right of collective bar !
Gaining is destroyed he said, "then a
'olitical democracy is gone".
In closing, he pledged his 1900 n
member organization, with members 7
n all counties of Montana" to work I
n closest harmony with the rest of
he labor movement. a
By a 57-48 delegates vote, Bill a
ings was favored over Kalispell for :
he site of the 1868 convention. =