The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1934-03-26
MONDAY. MARCH %. 1884.
A STRIKE AVERTED

ME nation will breathe easier now that
the automobile strike has been avoided.
Heroic efforts of the President and General
johnson speak for themselves. AS for the
employers and union representatives, the
White House is authority for the statement
that both groups co-operated in a good public
spirit
During the tense days of negotiations the
public had time to realize the cost of this dis
pute unless settled. Not only would it have
crippled a major industry and brought suf-
fering to the large number of strikers and
their families but it also would have slowed
down the national recovery procession in
which this industry has been one Of the lead
ers. Hence the JOY today all sides.
Doubtless that joy colors in part the ex-
IRENE words used by the President in describ-
ing the terms Of the settlement. He calls it
"a pioneer effort in human engineering on a
basis never before attempted" and adds, 1--WE
have set forth a basis on which for the first
time in any large industry, more compre-
hensive, a more adequate and more equita-
BILE system of industrial relations may be built
than ever before"
Since the specific settlement provides a
much more limited form of collective bargain
ing and union recognition than is common in
most organized industries, and since it con-
tains the so-called merit clause not included
in the law or in most NF2A codes, the assump-
ton is that the President gathered from his
conferences with the employers that they are
willing to go much farther than the letter of
the settlement.
Both sides agree to accept as final the de-
cisions of a board of three, with a neutral
chairman, on questions of representation dis
charge and discrimination. But that board
lacks the wider powers of the national labor
board, which it supplantS in this industry.
Specifically there is no provision for super
vised secret elections to determine representa-
ton Nor are there any provisions, through
the board of three or otherwise, for adjudica-
ton of contracts regarding hours, wages and
other familiar clauses of labor disputes
despite the fact that the automobile workers
already openly plan increased wage demands.
These provisions are, of course, common to
most industries having collective bargaining.
Viewed, therefore, as a limited unsigned
pledge, this settlement does not carry COM
plete assurance of peace in the automobile
industry.
Nevertheless, it is a big step forward for an
industry which hitherto has had no form of
effective collective bargaining. In a situation
of this kind in which face-saving for both
sides is inevitable in any compromise agree
ment, the spirit behind the settlement can
become much more important for good or i'll
than the letter.
Peace and prosperity in the automotive in
dustry will depend on the cooperation and
intelligence of the employers and the or
gained workers in dealing with all of the
disputes which arise. 1t is happy omen that
the President in these negotiations has found
both sides imbued with that spirit. If they
continue to cooperate intelligently in the
coming negotiations they and the public will
be spared the calamity of strikes and lockouts