(The ticket referred to is as follows:) Nominations opened for president. Those nominated: H. H. "Pop" Faucett and Leo D. Veal. Nominations for vice president. Those nominated: E. P. Crowe. Nominations for recording secretary. Those nominated: Lloyd Ellis and Jeff P. Bohannon. Nominations for financial secretary. Those nominated: Chuch Wintrode and George C. Vincent. Nominations for inside guard. Those nominated: Jim Romans. Nominations for executive board. Those nominated: Grady Miller, Johnny Stewart, Arneil McBeth, and Bob Williams. Nominations for finance committee. Those nominated: W. B. "Blackie" Cole, Ed Fisk, and Troy Burson. Nominations for business manager. A. F. King. Those nominated: J. E. Craddock and Nominations for business agents. Those nominated: Ray L. Miller, Ralph Lewis, W. L. Clark, J. F. "Buck" Collier, Mike Barrackman, “Baldy” Evans, Sam Brandon, and Clarence Merrill. Mr. DUFFY. I will mention Mr. Craddock's opposition at that time was Mr. A. F. King, and the position he was running for was reelection as business manager of that local. The CHAIRMAN. Craddock was running for reelection as business manager? Mr. DUFFY. Yes, sir. The CHAIRMAN. That was 1955. Mr. DUFFY. And there has not been an election since that time, Senator, in this particular local union. The CHAIRMAN. There has been no election in that union since that time? Mr. DUFFY. That is correct. Senator ERVIN. Did you have an opportunity to investigate and ascertain whether any members of other locals were transferred into 798 for the purposes of this election as in the case of members of 706? Mr. DUFFY. Senator, I checked that and it would indicate, but I wouldn't want to testify to it, that there were other people also transferred from other locals at this particular time. Senator ERVIN. I can realize that in view of the many different places where the election was conducted, the many different locals Scattered throughout the country, that would have been a task that would take a man years to complete. I just wanted to make clear whether you did or did not have an opportunity to make as complete an investigation which would cover that. Mr. DUFFY. I didn't make as complete an investigation as I would like to have done, Senator. As you say, it would take a lot of time to do it. The CHAIRMAN. I think it would be well at this point to have printed in the record from exhibit No. 19, which is the constitution of the international union, section 154, under the title "Clearance Cards." Apparently the constitution was not complied with in the issuing of these clearances for them to vote down in Baton Rouge in that election. Mr. DUFFY. I think the section reads that these men had to be cleared into this local 60 days prior to the election. Of course, the record shows that they were cleared in 11 days prior to the election. Mr. ADLERMAN. Of importance is the fact that the card had to be signed personally in the presence of the secretary of the incoming local and the secretary of the outgoing local. The CHAIRMAN. Let sections 153 and 154 both be printed in the record. (The sections referred to are as follows:) NO PERMITS SEC. 153. No permits shall be given or issued to anyone (by any Local Union or representative thereof) who is not a member of the United Association or who has not been accepted by the Local Union and is paying an application fee for admittance to the United Association. Upon failure to comply with this section Local Unions will be subject to discipline according to the Constitution by the General Executive Board. CLEARANCE CARDS SEC. 154. There shall be a card known as a clearance card, issued to members in good standing who may desire to clear from one Local to another. Said card to be signed by the member who receives it in the presence of Secretary issuing same. Upon the member depositing this card he shall again be required to sign his name in the presence of the Secretary receiving it for identification purposes. The Financial Secretary shall forward all clearance cards to the General Office within 48 hours after acceptance of same by Local Union. For failure to comply with this section the Financial Secretary shall be assessed not less than $25.00 nor more than $50.00. Mr. DUFFY. The requirement of the constitution states that that man will sign that clearance card in local 798 in the presence of the secretary-treasurer. These men never made the trip to Tulsa, Okla. Senator ERVIN. In other words, the transfer of these 40 or more persons from 706 to 798 was made in violation of the constitution of the union. Mr. DUFFY. I think we can adequately say that, Senator. Senator ERVIN. And after these transfers were made in violation of the constitution of the union, in some instances those who were unable to go to Baton Rouge for the purpose of voting had some other person substituting to act in their name. Mr. DUFFY. That is correct, sir. The CHAIRMAN. Is there anything further? If not, thank you. Mr. Yocom, please be sworn. Do you solemnly swear that the evidence you shall give before this. Senate subcommittee shall be the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you God? Mr. Yocoм. I do. TESTIMONY OF ALFRED M. YOCOM, ACCOMPANIED BY COUNSEL, TOM GENTRY The CHAIRMAN. Mr. Yocom, state your name, your residence, and your business or occupation, please. Mr. YoсOм. Alfred Yocom. The CHAIRMAN. Where do you live? Mr. Yocoм. 1306 West Sixth, El Dorado, Ark. The CHAIRMAN. You have counsel representing you, do you? Mr. Yocoм. Yes, sir. The CHAIRMAN. Mr. Gentry, will you identify yourself for the record? Mr. GENTRY. I am Tom Gentry, attorney at law, with an office in the Tower Building in Little Rock, Ark. The CHAIRMAN. Mr. Yocom, you are a member of Local 706 of the Plumbers & Steamfitters' Union, are you, at El Dorado, Ark.? Mr. YoсOм. Yes, sir. The CHAIRMAN. How long have you been a member of that local? The CHAIRMAN. What official position do you hold in that local? The CHAIRMAN. You are what? Mr. Yocoм. The inside guard. The CHAIRMAN. That is a new one. I never heard of that one. What are the duties of an inside guard? Mr. Yocoм. To check the members when they come into the hall and go out during sessions. The CHAIRMAN. Do you have any other duties or responsibilities? That is, official duties or responsibilities other than to check the members as they go in and come out of a meeting? Mr. YoсOм. That is all at the office. The CHAIRMAN. That is all at the office? Mr. YoсOм. Yes, sir. The CHAIRMAN. What do you mean at the office? Mr. Yocoм. Well, in the field, I am job steward in the field. The CHAIRMAN. You are a job steward in the field? Mr. Yocoм. Yes, sir. The CHAIRMAN. You are not president, vice president, or any other elected officer? Mr. Yocoм. Yes, sir; I am an elected officer. The CHAIRMAN. You are elected as a steward? Mr. Yocoм. No, sir. The CHAIRMAN. What offices are you elected to? Mr. Yocoм. Inside guard. The CHAIRMAN. That is an elective officer, inside guard? Mr. YoсOм. Yes, sir. The CHAIRMAN. What are the duties of inside guard? Is that, as you say, to check the men as they come into a meeting, a union meeting? Mr. Yocoм. Yes, sir; during a closed union meeting. The CHAIRMAN. You check them to be sure they are eligible? The CHAIRMAN. You take the password? Mr. Yocoм. Yes, sir. The CHAIRMAN. And your duties outside of the office-you said something about your duties inside the office and outside the office. What other duties do you have in the office and not out in the field? Mr. Yocoм. No other duties in the office. The CHAIRMAN. You have nothing to do with the records? Mr. Yocoм. No, sir. The CHAIRMAN. The keeping of the records or anything in that regard? Mr. Yocoм. No, sir. The CHAIRMAN. What are your duties as steward? Mr. Yocoм. Well, to settle jurisdictional disputes between the other crafts, between my craft and other crafts, should one arise. The CHAIRMAN. That is the only function you perform as a steward? Mr. Yocoм. Yes, sir. The CHAIRMAN. Do you have any control over the men, the union members, who are working on the job and who are members of local 706? Mr. Yocoм. Do I have any control over them? The CHAIRMAN. Any authority to direct them what to do and what not to do. Mr. Yocoм. Sometimes; yes, sir. The CHAIRMAN. In what respect? Mr. Yocoм. Well, to tell them when union meetings are or when we are in a jurisdictional dispute or something like that. I might tell them I am dissatisfied, or something like that, with it. The CHAIRMAN. I am talking about authority. To supervise them or direct them in how they do their work or don't do their work or what they should do with respect to the union or not do with respect to your local. Do you have any authority over them like that? Mr. Yocoм. Not on telling them-I have authority to tell them the right and wrong thing that they should do. I mean like on jurisdictional work. The CHAIRMAN. I know if there is a jurisdictional issue between your craft and another craft, you say you have jurisdiction in that or authority in that to tell them what to do in that dispute. Mr. Yocoм. Yes, sir. The CHAIRMAN. But beyond that area do you have any authority or supervision or jurisdiction over the men who are members of the union and who may be working on the job? Mr. YoсOм. No, sir. The CHAIRMAN. You understand me, I am sure. I am trying to make the record as clear as I can. Mr. Yocoм. You mean as to putting them on the job or taking them off, or something like that, in a supervisory capacity? The CHAIRMAN. Yes. Mr. YoCOм. No, sir. The CHAIRMAN. How long have you held this steward's position? Mr. Yocoм. Inside guard, I would say 10 years. The CHAIRMAN. Were you elected to it? Mr. YoCOм. Yes, sir. The CHAIRMAN. When? Mr. Yocoм. I think it was in 1950, Senator. The CHAIRMAN. In 1950? Mr. Yocoм. Yes, sir; 1949 or 1950. The CHAIRMAN. 1949 or 1950? Mr. Yocoм. Yes, sir. The CHAIRMAN. Were you reelected at any time? Mr. YoсOм. Yes, sir. The CHAIRMAN. When did you have your last election? Mr. Yocoм. I don't recall, but I believe it was 1956. The CHAIRMAN. How was that election held? Mr. Yocoм. How was it held? The CHAIRMAN. Yes. Mr. Yocoм. It was held at our local union by secret ballot. The CHAIRMAN. Who else were the candidates in that election? Mr. Yocoм. Well, there were several, Senator. In fact, a whole page of them, I think. The CHAIRMAN. I beg your pardon? Mr. Yocoм. I suppose there was a whole page of them. I could name some of them. The CHAIRMAN. Were any records kept of that election in the minutes of the meeting, or proceedings, or any record kept by your local showing that such an election was held, and the results of it? Mr. Yocoм. Well, I am sure there was. There always is. I mean, they kept minutes on the meeting, each meeting. The CHAIRMAN. If such an election was held, they were supposed to keep a minute of it and a record of it? Mr. YoсOм. Yes, sir. The CHAIRMAN. So the last one was held in 1956? Mr. Yocoм. I believe that is correct. The CHAIRMAN. During the time that you have been inside guard, and held that position and the position of steward, was there a substantially large Government construction project at Pine Bluff, Ark., known as the Pine Bluff arsenal? Mr. YoсOм. Yes, sir. The CHAIRMAN. What position did you hold in your local during that time? Mr. Yocoм. Inside guard. The CHAIRMAN. Inside guard? Mr. YoсOм. Yes, sir. The CHAIRMAN. Did you function as such during that construction job? Mr. Yocom. As inside guard? The CHAIRMAN. Yes. Mr. Yocoм. Yes, sir. The CHAIRMAN. Did your local have jurisdiction of that work, local 706? Mr. YoсOм. Yes, sir. The CHAIRMAN. It had complete supervision jurisdiction, did it not, by an agreement that was entered into between it and locals 155 and 655? Mr. Yocoм. I believe that is correct. The CHAIRMAN. What other services did you perform in connection with that project and in services to your union other than settling or helping to settle craft disputes? Mr. Yocoм. What other duties? The CHAIRMAN. Yes. Mr. YoсOм. That is all. The CHAIRMAN. No others? Mr. Yocoм. No, sir. The CHAIRMAN. Did you give instructions to the foremen with respect to their duties and what they should do in connection with the collecting of dues and assessments from the members? Mr. Yocoм. Yes, sir, I did do that. The CHAIRMAN. What was the situation with respect to dues at that time? What dues were being charged by your union, by your local? Mr. Yocoм. What dues? The CHAIRMAN. Yes. What were the dues charged at that time! Mr. Yocoм. Well, there was a monthly dues. The CHAIRMAN. How much was it? Mr. Yocoм. I could not say positive, but I think about $4 a month. |