Panama, December, 1947 Page Resolutions Adopted At Convention TODAY TRENDS emand of Democracy time APPRECIATION OF DON DISCRIMINATION AND MINIMUM WAGE By FOSTER BOURNES ENRIQUE JIMENEZ, EQUAL WORK OPORTUNITY The tumult dies. was never spoken of our Local Union. The WHEREAS: Non PRESIDENT OF THE citizens harsh baying of the hounds has become a common occurrence, WHEREAS. Non citizen employees of the Panama and at long last we are learning to live with it. We must realize REPUBLIC OF PANAMA employees here in after de Canal Zone are underpaid, that Local 713, unlike other Unions, is a test tube baby, and that WHEREAS: Don Enrique Jisignated as Silver menez, President of the Reployees have established an receiving less than 20c per the significance of every word and deed is comparatively disproportionate. The guardians of the destiny of this Union cannot unblemished record of ser hour; and public of Panama, has vice with the Government WHEREAS. The cost of living the strength of their convictions. In short they must toe the mark afford the dubious pleasure of ferice straddling. They must have proven himself to be a good friend of our Local Union, of the United States on the Canal Zone; have displayed has increased far above the all up and down the line. Let think in terms of service first, or else. In this connection, a decided attack on self is indicated and in their tasks, assignments, earning power of the aver there expect rewards afterwards. If our house is built on a solid WHEREAS: He lent his efforts throughout the history of loyalty, and have won a high WHEREAS: There is no estab foundation we need not fear the howling gales which circle Local 713 United Public, mark in workmanship on the lished minimum wage for round about us; we will be safe inside. o0o Workers CIO, to the idea Canal Zone, and silver employees which will assure them of a decent stan 713 is an exemplification of the spirit of true democracy, which of unity among all workThe election of Pascual Ampudia to the presidency of Local WHEREAS. Silver employees ers of the Canal Zone; dard of living; have eprived of eque BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED: THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: is the keynote, the life blood of any labor organization, anywhere.
job opportunities by denial That the International Re The laborer is worthy of his hire. That is the Christian conThat Local 713, UPW CIO, of promotions to positions presentatives, Local Officers, for which they are qualified, exert its full power on the cept, and we believe it. Pascual, no scholar he, has demonstrated and Delegates in Convention Government of the Panama by his unmitigated zeal, his unrelenting determination and his here assembled do express WHEREAS:The denial of earnCanal Zone to establish a almost sacred devotion to Logal 713, that his heart is in just the through this medium a full minimum wage of forty right place. Let us then, man our battle stations on the good measure of appreciation of ed promotions and lack of cents per hour, and ship, Local 713. Let us calculate trajectory, then throw all that recognition of the services the said Don Enrique Jiwe have On Target. This much we owe to Pascual Ampudia and ices BE IT FURTMER RESOLVED: of Silver employees are menez, President of the Reto ourselves.
That this Local give its full discriminatory practices public of Panama. o0o which support to the United Pubare not only injuri lic Workers International Confront any racist with the achievements of Dr. Charles APPRECIATION OF GOVERous to employee employer relationship, but are in sharp Union in bringing about Drew, world famous serologist and genius of blood plasma. The NOR MEHAFFEY AND conflict with the basic prinanswer you will get runs something like this: Oh! He an exceplegislation providing for a OTHER GOVERNMENT ciples of forty cents per hour mini tior, which is no answer. Sure, he an exception. So were LeoOFFICIALS THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: mum wage in the Panama nardo da Vinci, and Toussaint Le Overture; Abraham Lincoln WHEREAS: General Joseph Canal Zone, a bill to the ef and Frederick Douglas. Contemporary exceptions are many and That United Public WorkersMehaffey, Governor of the fect now being in the Con varieti. Einstein, physicist; Meitner, mathematician; Barrow, CIO endeavour to curb gress of the United States.
pugilist; Richardson, labor; Churchill, stateman, ad infinitum.
Panama Canal Zone has through legislation the disA combination of the life work of hundreds of exceptions makes granted recognition to Local criminatory system extant, DECENT RETIREMENT civilization possible. The common garden variety of the human 713, United Public Workers and demand equal work opCIO, and has given his supportunities in the various WHEREAS. The non citi the dauntless courage, and the sacrifices of the exceptions; and herd owes its very existence and well being to the ingenuity and port to our program; and Government Agencies for the zen employee who serves the humanity accepts the gifts they bring without question as to the WHEREAS: Colonel Frank Silver employees on the Panama Canal the greater race of the giver.
Wang, Executive Secretary Canal Zone.
part of his life, works for low of the Panama Canal Zone wages, and under poor, livhas by his humanitarian EDUCATIONAL FACILITIES ing conditions, and BETTER RECREATIONAL THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVE principles exemplified the WHEREAS. When the FACILITIES That we, in convention astrue Democracy WHEREAS. The educational comes that the Panama Casembled, do hereby express THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: facilities and opportunities nal authorities decide that WHEREAS. Recreation is of our heartfelt thanks to Paul That the members of Local made available to the chil his services are no longer vital importance to the well Robeson for his selfless and 713, United Public Workersbeing of every worker and dren of non Citizen em needed, and through some devoted efforts on our bethrough their delegates CIO, ployees of the Canal Zone his family, and medium declare Kim physihalf; and in this Second Annual Con are inadequate, cally unfit to work, he is WHEREAS. This lack of adevention, extend a vote of WHEREAS: Classrooms are then terminated and placed quate educational and re BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED:thanks to Governor Joseph That a letter be sent to Mr.
greatly overcrowded, and on what is called Cash Recreational facilities is iniurious to our youth, in that Mehaffey; Robeson carrying out the equipment is inadequate and Frank Wa Juvenile Delinquency breeds sentiment of this resolution.
Wang, Executive WHEREAS. After termination poor; Secretary, and other officials WHEREAS: Teachers in said of service, such employee is on such conditions, and of the Canal Zone, in apAPPRECIATION OF EDWARD schools are not provided required to leave his Canal The lack of adepreciation of past cooperaZone quarters and move into AND ESTHER CHERESH quate recreational facilities the opportunities for adtion and in anticipation of is vanced education to qualify the Republic of Panama deterrent to physical their continued support.
WHEREAS: development; them to teach secondary where the cost of living is THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: The workers termed Silver very high, and employees of the That Local 713 urge the DECENT HOUSING Panama WHEREAS: The curricula of WHEREAS: It is impossible to Canal Zone have been exploitWHEREAS: Housing provided Canal Zone Government to fered to our children are on the Canal Zone for Silcope with the high cost of provide adequate recrea ea ed for many years, and narrow, limited and not con living in the Republic of Paver employees is inadequate tional ducive to the full developWHEREAS: facilities in these for decent family life, and nama on the meager Cash These workers had failed in ment of their talent and communities in the form of WHEREAS. This inadequacy is Relief paid to the faithful skills, unfortunates.
more and improved club their previous attempts to form injurious to health, as so THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: houses, athletic facilities a Union capable of representmany persons are compelled ing them to the fullest extent, playgrounds, That Local 713, convengymnasiums, to live in unsanitary congesThat Local 713, United Pubtion assemble, call for a and other recreational ne and lic Workers CIO, institute a WHEREAS: tion; with relatively insufcessities, and major expansion and imficient sanitary fixtures, series of negotiations in an BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED:These oppressed workers are provement in the educationeffort to secure without hot water service, decent a al facilities in our retirement plan for the NonThat every delegate to this now united under the Charter and munities; convention institute in his of Local 713 which is affiliated WHEREAS: These conditions citizen workers of the Panama Canal, and Chapter an active program with the United Public Workare contrary to the concepts AND BE IT FURTHER BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: which will demonstrate to ers Cio, and RESOLVED: of morality and the true the Canal Zone GovernWHEREAS: That we call the Interstandards of decency, insoThis organization has fully far as the conditions themThat Local 713 call for adment that the members of national Union to vigorously demonstrated its ability to give vanced educational opporLocal 713, UPW CIO selves are disruptive of famiare redouble its efforts to tunities to be offered for our us full representation, and ly life with a tendency to achieve legislation strongly behind this resowhich lution for WHEREAS: present and future teachers better recrearetard the educational prowill provide a decent retireWe are enjoying this privito qualify them to teach tional facilities in our comgress of children and proment program for our retired lege and help through the lamunities.
mote juvenile delinquency, secondary and higher edu employees.
bors of Brother Edward Cheand cation.
PAUL ROBESON resh and Sister Esther CheMACSHERRY REPORT WHEREAS. large number of resh the silver employees are AFFIRMATION OF FAITH WHEREAS. Paul Robeson has BE IT THEREFORE forced through lack of adaWHEREAS: General MacSher agreed with the Interna RESOLVED: quate housing to seek resi WHEREAS:Local 713 and Unit ry, Labor Advisor to Gov tional Union, UPW CIO, to That a vote of thanks on dence outside the Canal ed Public Workers of Amer ernor Joseph Mehaffey, sing at a series of six con behalf of Local 713 be given ica are composed of people comparatively has made a survey of labor certs beginning January 1948 Bro. Edward Cheresh and higher rentals, which they who are unswerving in their conditions on the Panama and Sister Esther Cheresh in apcannot afford loyalty to the support of Canal Zone, and WHEREAS: Paul Robeson is of the preciation vital part THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: democratic principles and WHEREAS: He has submitted a turning over to United Public That a decent Housing caminstitutions; and report of his findings of said Workers of America a sub they played in the organization of Local 713, United Public paign be included in the pro BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED: Survey to the Governor of stantial portion of the pro Workers CIO.
gram of Local 713, United That we, the members of the Canal Zone, ceeds of these concerts for AND BE IT FURTHER Public Workers CIO, and Local 713, United Public THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: the welfare of Local 713, RESOLVED: BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: Workers CIO, in Convention That Local 713, United Pub UPW CIO; and assembled, do affirm That the International That a copy of this resolulic Workers CIO make a WHEREAS: These proceeds will tion be sent to Brother Edour Union undertake to have faith in democratic institu formal request to General provide a scholarship fund this matter of Decent Houstions and guarantee our Joseph Mehaffey, Goverto enable deserving teachers ward Cheresh and Sister Esther Cheresh in the United ing brought to the attention determined opposition to nor of the Canal Zone for a of Local 713 to take college States.
of the Congress of the Unitanything that threatens copy of the MacSherry Re instruction in the United ed States.
security.
port.
States. Continued on Page BIBLIOTECA NACIONAL ERNESTO CASTILLERO to Colonel lief. and WHEREAS: The courses; and comupon the zone, at