The Home Journal

Pledges Total CIO Support Behind V.I. Workers

David Sternback, CIO representative for Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands, pledged Monday the full strength of the Congress of Industrial Organizations, its organizational, educational, legal, legislative and other departments, and its 6,000,000 members and what they stand for, to aid the workers here "in their struggle for better living standards, for better working conditions and for full dignity as human beings."

Speaking at a rally sponsored by the St. Thomas Labor Union, Local Industrial Union, CIO No. 1812, at the High School auditorium, Mr. Sternback declared:

"Whenever in any part or corner of our great nation a section of workers are living under conditions below the standard of the rest of the nation, there CIO must go-to organize, educate and battle to raise the standards of our brothers and sisters there."

He asserted that CIO has not come to St. Thomas to make war on employers, or make impossible demands on industry, but we are here to see that labor receives its just participation in the wealth created by labor. We are here to work for the enactment of just laws that protect the workers and their security.

Mr. Sternback came out vigorously in favor of a law now before the legislature to provide for dismissal compensation. Similar laws are in effect in many places, and there has been accumulated a great deal of experience in the application of these laws, and abundant jurisprudence is also available, he stated.

Other speakers included Atty. Francisco Corneiro,

Normil Named To Staff of CIO

Appointment of Leonard Normil as CIO Organizer in St. Thomas was announced on Monday by David Sternback, who represents the national labor organization in this area. He will devote full-time to the position.

Mr. Normil, an officer of the St. Thomas Labor Union, which is affiliated with CIO, is serving on the Governor's Committee to study wages and general economic conditions.

Councilmen Percival H. Reese and Earle B. Ottley, Union President Albert Sewer, Leonard Normil, & Rodney Penha. Miss Greta Hall received ovations for her singing. A motion picture was shown. The "Gravediggers" orchestra also played. Despite the threatening weather, a large crowd was present.