Official Organ This is your of ACETON UNION PAPER Local 913 UPW CIO SUPPORT IT!
Non political Vol. No. PANAMA, DECEMBER, 1947 FREE CONVENTION BRINGS ABOUT SWEEPING CHANGES Sweatshop At Pacific Bakery then approved the the personnel of Richardson and Weinstein in Stirring Speeches Union Moves in.
Mayor of Pcnama Attends Our New President The Second Annual Isthmian Convention of Local 713, UPWThe Pacific Bakery scanCIO, held November 8th and 9th at the La Boca Clubhouse, dal will go down in Local 713 was colorful, impressive, and productive of much sane planning history as one of its most drafor the coming year.
matic accomplishments. The In attendance as special guests were Thomas Richardson, successful conclusion of the International Vice President, Robert Weinstein, Director of Orcase will also remove a shamecanization, Don Mauricio Díaz, Mayor of Panama City, and Mrs.
ful stain from the record of Thorbourne who delivered the invocation on the final day.
Panama Canal employee relaThe hall was gaily decorated tions.
with flags, banners, buntings, to every member and surround About five weeks ago a group and palms, but the center of at the local with a wealth of culof employees came into the La traction was the stage which had tural, educational, and recreaBoca office and related to as background four large char tional activities.
Union officials a horrifying and coal sketches of Phillip Murray, Vice President Richardson incredible tale of cruel and inAbram Flaxer, Thomas RichardSpeaks humane treatment of the Pason, and Robert Weinstein.
After greeting the assembly he cific Bakery employees by the Arauz Opens Convention mentioned that the delegates manager, Carl Kollman. The employees stated that the atby President Francisco Arauz, at and economic problems now conThe first session was opened were present to try to solve many depressing internal, legislative, mosphere and working condia.
tions in the bakery were more Brother John Watkis of Gamboa, ed, think that the responsiinvocation by fronting the Union. He declarlike a concentration camp Sister Virginia King led in the bility which rests upon your than a Canal Zone operation.
singing of the national anthems shoulders is an extremely great The manager cursed the emof Panama and the ployees on many occasions using States.
abusive and profane language President Arauz then one for it will be you who will of the most insulting nature.
made a strong plea for unity and have to go to the rank and file expressed his willingness to con them whether or not you have and members of this Union to tell Female employees were not tinue serving the Local.
immune to this treatment and lauded former Regional Director which will allow it to protect the put this Union on a foundation actually appeared to be the Cheresh for his important role interests of the rank and most frequent victims. One of file in the founding of the Local the employees complained that he had been physically abused Second Vice President, Alfonso dues paying members in the next by the Manager and was pushAlexis named and the Conven period of time.
He briefly reviewed the history tion ed and shoved around like a of of Local 713, from the appearlittle boy the following committees: CreNo Overtime dentials, Rules, Education, Re ance of Len Goldsmith, throughe out the directorships of Edward solutions, Publicity, and The employees stated that PASCUAL AMPUDIA stitution. President Arauz then Cheresh and Jack Strobel up to they had put in considerable nen his (Richardson s) first visit on If all the foul play of the introduced Mauricio Diaz, Mayor amounts Succeding Francisco Arauz as the overtime much as 20 or 30 hours per article, it would provide enough CIO, is Pascual Ampudia. as Manager were included in this President of Local 713, UPW OP Panama City, who gave a te Isthmus in April of this He short talk in which he com recommendations made during the fact that many deplored El month. but received no over material for a small sized book. Gran Luchador (The Great mended then mama berser essed here his first visit were never carried time pay for the entire month. Suffice it to say, that these Fighter. in whose veins flows strong Union and expressed the out with the result that the atmany amount of sick and rest leave were swiftly brought to the at Panamanian Carib Indians with more the blood of, the courageous be gained during the new year.
hope that greater victories may tention of the leaders was centhey had to their credit, they tention of the Clubhouse Direc a mixture of that of the Spanish tered on the clash of personalwere rudely turned away. They tor by Clarence Small, Greetings From Governor of ities and not on the full protecLocal experienced untold difficulties Organizer, and Joseph Sachs, Conquistadores.
Panama tion of the interests of the in obtaining leave and one em International Representative.
President Ampudia began After the reading of greetings members.
ployee had worked there for Union Victory working for the Panama Canal from Governor Velasco of, the He struck at the insinuations three years without receiving From then on things happenin 1906 and survived the trying province of Panama, the report that the International and its a single day leave although ed fast. Several meetings were economic pressure of the main followed and the fireworks start considerate of the welfare of construction period and the of the Credentials Committee representatives were not always he had applied for it on sev held with the employees at eral occasions to which various officials enance era but emerged with a ed when the Rules Committee Local 713. He said, want were The bakery was run like a present, including Tay keen desire to aid in improving presented its recommendations. tell you that your International sweatshop and the employees lor, Clubhouse Director, the lot of his fellow workers. He verbal explosion popped off on Union has one interest. We are were required to work a six Crooks, Walker, was a founder and First Vice the roll call vote the inclusion on nobody side. The only side of the Union of Canal of which was successfully block that we are on is the side of the Union the rank and filers of without so much as a fifteen Executive Secretary office. The ed on the Atlantic Side of the the Union.
minute lunch period or any officials were visibly impressed Isthmus, amalgamated with the Report of Regional Director Vice President Richardson rest period. The Manager nice by the stories and facts they Canal Zone Workers Union, and Max Brodsky, Regional Direc touched on the bills now pending ly told them they could have a neord from the lips of the em finally was absorbed by local 713. tor, gave his report in which he in Congress and on the awakenwhole hour off for lunch if ployees. series of significant described the gains of the Union ed interest of powerful orthey wanted it but it would cha changes and improvements When Len Goldsmith set up and the important part the In ganizations in the welfare of the have to be on their own time cam came as direct result of these the provisional administration and the ternational after they stopped work in meetings and negotiations.
of Local 713, Ampudia was electthe afternoon.
Insulting Sign In answer to the Union re ed Chief Steward, subsequently the Local. He reviewed the crisis of the fine gesture of Paul Roquest, not one, but two bul advanced to the Vice Chairman benight about by internal dis beson in giving a series of six senson of the wall saying: There are for the posting of regu and became a member of the strenuous battles ahead; and to Local 713 to be used for uus people around here who smell, lations and literature. The Local Executive Board.
outlined the productive paths to scholarships.
and if you don know who it first bulletin posted was Although President but a be followed in order that the In concluding he said, think is, ll put your name on a the one banning the use of month, the striking personality Local may enjoy its fullest your Union has to come forward o roll. The employees, of harsh and abusive language to of Ampudia has begun to pay growth.
with a great demostration of course, ripped off the insult employees. The employees were off. This imposing bronze Aston Parchment, Director of unity that will keep no doubts ing trash and kept it for the given a fifteen minute lunch figure, with silver streaked, un Education, delivered the report in the mind of anyone that this He later complained period. Everyone will be inform ruly hair and an infectious smile, of the Education Committee. Union means business. It has to that there were some sneaks ed at his request the has revealed native intelligence This report recommended an ex operate efficiently. It has got around who did underhanded amount of sick and rest leave beyond the ordinary and has tensive educational and recrea to change from operating at a work like removing his signs due him, and a procedure has been well received by the num tional program that will bring deficit each month. We are from the wall. Continued on Page 2)
erous meetings he has addressed. the spirit of true trade unionism (Continued on page BIBLIOTECA NACIONAL ERNESTO CASTILLERO of year.
assistants President played in record.
of