This is your CCFON Local 713 Official Organ UNION PAPER UPW CIO SUPPORT IT!
Non political Vol No 17 PANAMA, FEBRUARY 10, 1949 FREE So The of Wants To Organize Us ATTITUDE TOWARD SILVER WORKERS REVEALED So the of has revealed their true motive in sending a committee to investigate discrimination on the Canal Zone. Yes, the cat is out of the bag, the of wants to set up a silver union. Our first reaction to this proposal is to laugh loud, long, and contemptuosuly up our collective sleeve. But on second thought, this is such a brazen proposal and comes with such colossal effrontery that we thought we would devote a little attention in our column to it.
First would like to dig up from our files a letter sent by William Green, President of the of to Sam Whyte, President of the PCWIEA. This letter is a reply to the request of the PCWIEA to affiliate with the of February 20, 1930.
Mr. Whyte, Representing Colored West Indian Employees of the Canal Zone Box 295, Balboa, Dear Sir: Your letter of January 31st is before me. You refer to the West Indian Employees of the Canal Zone, locally known as silver employees to become organized and be part of the American Federation of Labor. You refer to previous correspondence with this office with regard to matter.
Our records show that on several different occasions applications for charters were made to the American Federation of Labor by the Colored West Indian Silver Employees. The records also show that the Executive Council of the American Federation of Labor declined to issue these charters, but to Above jose Stamp, Scholarship Winner, is meeting with Mordecai Johnson, President of international unions whose trades are represented, and further Howard University.
that the American Federation of Labor does not issue chatters Reading from left to right on photograph are: Albert Carter, President. Howard Uni to workers in foreign countries. That action stands as the versity Branch. UPW CIO; Jose Stamp, Winner of Scholarship; Roy Eldean, International position of the American Federation of Labor with regard to Vice President. UPW CIO; Thomas Richardson, Chairman; Anti Discrimination Comission, UPW this subject.
Clo; Dr. Mordecai Johnson, President. Howard University; Lewis Downing, Dean School of Very truly yours, Engineering and Architecture. Howard University.
William Green, President American Federation of Labor Notice the bland hypocrisy! Green says, The American Federation of Labor does not issue charters to workers in UPW Scholarship foreign countries. If the of were really sincere, how Winner to Study could they justify the issuance of charters to gold employees Engineering who worked for the same government in the same divisions and in the same Canal Zone. Surely, if the silver employees were working in a foreign country, then so were the gold Jose Stamp, winner of the employees. And was Mr. Green blind to the fact that, at the UPW Scholarship, arrived in very time he wrote his letter, the of had chartered It is high time that the local rate theory of wage the United States on December locals in Canada, which isn exactly leased territory by the scales be exposed to fact and logic. This theory did 21, 1948, for enrollment at HoUnited States.
not begin when the local rate and states rates labels ward University. He was met, If they now want silver employees in the of it were handed out last November. Its beginings are upon his arrival, by Thomas Rishould be correct to assume that the of leaders have rooted in the dim and reactionary past.
chardson, Chairman, UPW CIO (Cont. on Page 3)
Under this theory, wages for the so called silver Anti Discrimination Commisemployees are supposed to bear a close relationship sion, Profesor Hurley, and Lewith wage scales in the locality. The local wage rates wis Downing, Dean School most frequently cited are those prevailing in Panama, of Engineering and Architecand specifically, those in the terminal cities of Colon ture, at Howard University.
and Panama. The reasoning behind this theory runs According to previous agreesomething like this. When the United States employs ments the winner of the scholar labor in or close to a foreign country, it should try to ship was to study at Hampton approximate the wage scales in that country so as to Institute, but inasmuch as Hocreate the least possible disturbances in the economic ward University offers a much life of that mation. The argument continues that, if broader educational program in the United States were to pay substantially higher wage subjects leading to an engineerrates than the prevailing ones in Panama, the disparity ing degree, UPW officials were would cause great unrest in the Republic and would uccessful in having Stamp subject the employers there to unfair wage demands.
errolled at Howard.
The convenience of this argument is that the whole Stamp, upon reaching the question of what is a living wage is neatly sidestepUnited States, stated have ped. The important consideration under the local a feeling of deep gratitude to rate theory is what are the wages in Panama not Local 713, my father union, the United what wages will provide a decent living for the workPublic Workers, ers or how much has the cost of living risen during CIO, and Paul Robeson, for the past year.
giving me this opportunity to study at Howard University. Any wage principle which disregards these vital wish to go to college because questions is fallacious, unethical, and iniquitous. If the ir is the best means, in my In the above photograph Local President Pascual Ampudia principal determinant of wages in the Panama Canal opinion, of achieving my pro and Cecil Hall, Financial Secretary. Treasurer of the Union are is to be the Panamanian scales, then the best thing for fessional goal. Civil engineers, about to conclude an interesting conference with Panama PresiLocal 713 to da would be to go into Panama, organize along with other skilled pro dent Domingo Diaz Arosemena. Important discussions on labor (Cont. on Page Cont. on Page 4) conditions in the Canal Zone were held.
Jose Stamp Enrrolled At Howard University LOCAL RATES BELONG TO THE PAST BIBLIOTECA NACIONAL ERNESTO CASTILLERO