C.I.O. SETS UP NEW UNION OF ELECTRICAL WORKERS

Grey River Argus, 5 November 1949, Page 5

C.I.O. SETS UP NEW UNION OF ELECTRICAL WORKERS

In Place of Communist Line Union (Rec 9.15) NEW YORK. Nov 3. One of the bitterest battles in the United States Labour history loomed up to-day. This was when the executive board of the Congress of Industrial Organisations (the C. 1.0. issued a charter to the new Electrical Workers’ Union, to replace the old Left Wing Union of Electrical Workers. The old union was expelled yesterday, by the C. 1.0., for following the Communist Party line on foreign and domestic issues.

The new Union has been called the International Union of Electrical Radio, and Machine Workers, and it has a prominent C. 1.0. official, Mr James Carey, as its temporary chief. Mr Carey said that the new "Union would ask all of the employers holding current contracts with the expelled union to break them, and to sign up with the new Union. He called on the members of the Left Wing union to join up with his new group. Branches of the expelled United Electrical Union have now arranged ballots to determine which union the members would choose. The whole question of, which Union owns the members’ contracts and funds is expected lo be aired in the Courts foi a long time.