LABOR: Strike at G.E.

Bargaining between James Carey, president of the International Union of Electrical Workers, and General Electric on a new contract was—as usual—stormy and tough. Once the ten-man G.E. team stomped out after Carey cussed out Chief G.E. Negotiator Philip D. Moore. Last week Carey’s demands for more than G.E. was willing to offer had got himself and his union into a strike neither really wanted. Snapped G.E.’s Moore to Carey at one of the last sessions: “You think there is something else coming. Well, there isn’t now, next week, next month, or any other time. Now get that through your thick head.”

The union wanted a 3½% raise effective immediately and another 3½% raise in October 1961, plus cost-of-living increases and a two-year contract. To increase job security, the union asked for a guarantee that no work will be farmed out and no overtime worked by some employees while others are laid off. When plants are closed, unneeded employees would be given preference for rehiring at other plants. The company demanded a three-year contract, offered to raise wages 3% immediately and 4% in April 1962, but refused to include a cost-of-living clause that was a part of the expiring contract. It offered only to retrain the unneeded employees it chooses for new jobs.

As the strike deadline neared, Carey offered to extend the deadline—and con tract—but G.E. refused to extend the contract. At week’s end representatives of all I.U.E. locals (which represent 70,000 of G.E.’s 240,000 employees) met in Manhattan, voted to strike. G.E. announced it would keep its plants open for all employees who wanted to work.