JULY 3, 1937. Miss OLIE DAVID, Sioux City, Iowa. DEAR MISS DAVID: This is your acknowledgement and receipt of check in the amount of $50.00 to apply on the account of the Packinghouse Workers Union bill. "Glad to hear that you are so close to 100%; as we are only 75 to 80% down here." I remain Mr. SHAEFFER, (Signed) WALTER BLEVINS. JULY 1ST, 1937. President, Cudahy Packing Company, Sioux City, Iowa. "Just a line to let you know that we are still here and alive and that is about all." Next to last para: "Omaha is asking for a meeting with Mr. Rae next week in regard to closed shop. Please get in touch with him and get the news. We need some action here at once. We need it now and not next month." Mr. SHAEFFER, (Signed) NICK. JUNE 14, 1937. Cudahy Packing Company, Sioux City, Iowa. "Just a line to find out what you are doing in regard to getting members more money." Last para: "Let me know by return mail what you have under way at your place. (Signed) NICK CALLOWICK, Pres., P. H. W. U. of Kansas City. Miss OLIE DAVID, LOS ANGELOS, CALIFORNIA, Dec. 19, 1937. Cudahy Company, Sioux City, Iowa. "What you done concerning the proposal from the company concerning the new clause of the contract? Mr. Yocum was here last week and explained the company proposal for us. We held a vote of the entire membership as to whether to accept or reject it and the members voted "no" by a large majority. We feel that if we accept this, we would be slipping and, after all, if we can't make progress, we might as well fold up." Next to last para; How are you getting along with the grievances? We have submitted some 148 to date and have had at least 75% of them act satisfactorily. (Signed) DAVE STRATTON, Sec.-Treas., P. H. W. U. Los Angelos. Mr. ROY SHAEFFER, Cudahy Packing Company, Sioux City, Iowa. AUGUST 24, 1937. In this letter: mentioned something about the 90-day clause and that they doubt if the company will renew the 40-hour week and time and one half and they would appreciate receiving reply to this letter and tell them what they intend to ask for. Miss OLIE DAVID, (Signed) DAVE STRATTON. P. H. W. U. OF OMAHA 5012 SO. 33RD STREET SEPTEMBER 17, 1937. Cudahy Packing Company, Sioux City, Iowa. In this letter he states they would like to have the unions attitude toward centralizing; also they have taken it up with the board of directors and they advised them to correspond first and see what the other people think about it. They have requested them to give their views on it. (Signed) C. L. POLSEY. SEPTEMBER 15, 1937. Miss OLIE DAVID, Cudahy Packing Company, Sioux City, Iowa. They state they have met with Mr. Yokum and discussed the 40-hour clause and agreed to extend the clause until Jan., 14, 1938. (Signed) R. C. AKROMIS, President, P. H. W. U. of Omaha. P. H. W. U. of SAINT PAUL SEPT., 28, 1937. CHAIRMAN & BOARD OF TRUSTEES: In that letter they discuss a centralized office and desire their reaction to it. (Signed) E. L. Ross, Fin.-Sec., Newport, Minn Miss OLIE DAVID, Cudahy Packing Company, Sioux City, Iowa. SEPTEMBER 28, 1937. In this letter the discuss the matter of a member who used to be of the union and joined the union in St. Paul and ask what they wanted them to do about it. (Signed) E. L. Ross, Fin.-Sec. P. H. W. U. OF SANTIAGO, CALIF. Mr. ROY SHAEFFER, President, Cudahy Packing Company, Sioux City, Iowa. In this letter they tell how many members they have 119 out of 130 and they are in hopes of having 100% in the very near future. (Signed) L. I. BUNCH, President. P. H. W. U. of WITCHITA, KANSAS, 2307 No. BROADWAY, December 4, 1937. "Will send you this note of explanation as in answer to you telegram of the 2nd." According to the minutes of the Omaha meeting, in which question of time and one half over 8 hours in any one day; 40 hours in any one week was brought up. This clause was to be on a 90 day trial period. They were very generous in extending time until January 14. Last para: "Will you please answer by special delivery just what the Packinghouse Workers Union of Sioux City has did in regard to this question?" (Signed) F. E. KUHNS, Fin-sec. MINUTES OF THE MEETING Organized on April 30, 1937. Roy Shaeffer, president. Matt Hoss, Vice-president. James Bradshaw, financial secretary. Olie David, recording secretary. Roy Mann, sargeant at Arms. Tex David, outside guard. 1st meeting April 30, 1937 at Teutonia Hall. Meeting called to order by Frank Smith, temporary chairman. A committee was appointed as follows: Anna Zebus; Steffie Tumas; Frank Corcoran; Jim Sutherland; Ed. Alexander; Matt Hoss; Stanley Yakeibowski; Alfie Boles; H. J. Bauce; Henry Davis; Gene Irwin; Domonic Tierno; Grant Fry; J. Cunningham. L. B. Forsling, attorney of Sioux City presided and endeavored to explain the NLRB act and read the by-laws drafted by him. [Is this true?] Frank Grochowski moved that the by-laws, as read by the attorney, be adopted. Written vote called it unanimous. Nominations for various offices were made. Officers were voted by ballot. They were distributed by tellers appointed. 2nd meeting. May 1937. Teutonia Hall, Matt Hoss of beef and Rex Stevens of hog and John Brown of mechanical and president Roy Shaeffer. Nothing much accomplished at this. 3rd meeting. May 21st, 1937. Anna Zebus was appointed to act in Olie Davids place. They met to discuss changes in the articles of the association, whereas the financial secretary and treasurer would be appointed by the board of trustees. Article 5-being ammended to insert the words "of each division" after the word "members". Voted for financial secretary at this meeting. Nominated trustees for various divisions. At this meeting the president informed the members that delegates from the various unions of the Cudahy Company planned a convention in Omaha. [Who called this meeting?] NOTE.-Matter in brackets ink notation. Next meeting June 4th, 1937. Elected shop stewards. At this meeting Mr. Shaeffer presented contract and agreement to the members; discussion followed various phases of the contract and agreement and move was made, seconded and carried unanimous to accept it. A motion was made to have the trustees given the privilege of signing the contract. Bills for the hall and expenses of Mr. Shaeffer's trip to Omaha were read (Vogt: "Did you tell me yesterday that, altho, you paid your expenses to Omaha that they were allowed by the company in the contract?" Shaeffer: "No." "What did you say"? "I said the union paid my expenses. The company would not allow it because they claimed the agreement was not in affect at that time." "They never took care of it?" "No, they said the agreement was not in effect until a later date, but if it had of been, I could have collected.") Next meeting June 18, 1937. A letter was read from Mr. Carney, superintendent of Sioux City plant, in which he acknowledged receipt of list of trustees. At this meeting they presented bill for membership cards, buttons and Forsling & Cover $14.68, $9.27 and $100.00 respectively. Next meeting July 2nd, 1937. Next meeting July 16, 1937. Next meeting August 6, 1937. At this meeting Archie Jackson resigned as steward of sweet pickle. Showed that the buttons came from the Western Badge & Novelty Co., of St. Paul, Minnesota. Next meeting September 3, 1937. Nothing much accomplished at this meeting. Next meeting September 17, 1937. "What is the business of the Sunlight Produce Company?" Poultry and cream department owned by Cudahy & Company. Next meeting October 1st, 1937. Nevt meeting November 5, 1937. Next meeting December 10, 1937. "Mr. Carney and Mr. Yocum said they were never working over 40 hours a week, unless it was absolutely necessary and if you find any company signed by the CIO or AF of L that says they have a 40 hour week, show me." Next meeting December 17, 1937. Next meeting January 7, 1937. Next meeting January 21, 1937. 218054-40-vol. 23-10 Next meeting February 14, 1937. Are you incorporated? Yes. How about the articles of association, contract and agreement? Yes. How many paid up members? Around 600 on the last report. Financial record examined by Vogt. 7-1-37 Roy Shaeffer_-_ Forsling & Cover Frank Grochowski__. BILLS J. J. Fitzgerald (legal service) [Omaha]. Gene Bradshaw (salary). $32. 15 50.00 2.50 10.00 2.00 10.00 20.00 20.00 50.00 6. 00 9-2 46 7.00 20.00 Vogt: "Roy Shaeffer and Olie David will raise your right hands. Do you swear you are telling the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth so help you God?" We do. Are the records you have produced the only records that are within the company union and that the union has and that there are no other records and files that have been purged, either upon the advice of the counsel or advice of the trustees or any other official, from where you get your authority? Mr. Shaeffer: "There are no more that I am aware of. We endeavored to get everything and as far as my knowledge is concerned, this is all and nothing has been changed." Miss David: My answer is the same and nothing has been changed. What is your name? Richard Heddid, 1600 So. Magnolia, Sioux City, Ia. How long? About 10 years. Are you a member of the company union? I am a member of no union and never have been. In 1932 I joined the A F of L but never paid anything but initiation fees. What is your story? We were all setting in the dressing room and one of the boys came in and handed us blank pieces of paper with a little lettering on top; something about a union. I didn't read it. I heard it was an application as to whether we wanted a union or not. Dominick Tierno handed us the papers. Everyone was enthusiastic about this union and they all signed. I studied it for a few moments and then signed it. It wasn't long after that I got a card. I didn't know what the card was for. It looked like a dues record card. Have you paid your dues? No. What does the dues book show? It has a stamp in it. What does that prove? Nothing to me, it is still in my locker room. Why did they give it to you? I don't know. If they gave you a stamp without paying dues and they gave you this book, why couldn't they give the same to the rest of them? They could. Why do you think this union is a company dominated union? I didn't pay much attention to it but just recall the way it was brought up. I signed the application and, as far as I was concerned, I didn't even look at the book wth the stamp in it. Will you give it to Mr. Thompson? I will if I can find it. Did you ever hear any of the bosses talk to Harry Washburn? No. Did you ever hear hear them talk to him about unionism? No. Wm. Blivens asked me what I thought of Harry and I told him he was a mysterious fellow. What did the boss say? He laughed. Did they ever say anything about Harry to you? No. About outside unions? Not that I recall. I have never paid any attention. Do you remember the paper from the Tobin plant at Fort Dodge? I remember the paper and that is all. Do you think they favor the company union more than outside unions? I don't know. Have you seen anybody in the company solicit members? No. What is your name? Clarence Curley, 2718 Leech St. Sioux City, Ia. Are you a member of the CIO? Yes, since the first meeting in June or July. Were you a member of the packinghouse organization at Cudahy's? Yes. Still? No. Do you know how the Packinghouse Workers union was formed? They came out with petitions and wanted the boys to sign them. Who? The old conference board members; Matt Hoss, Ed Alexander, Jim Sutherland, and Oscar Nevins. Were you at the first meeting? No. Do they ever meet on company property? They have had the stewards meet in the conference board room, but I won't say the executive board met with them. What are the dues? 35¢ Did they ever collect them on company property? Yes. Who have you seen collect dues for the company union? Rex Stevens, in the hog kill. |