The potters herald. [volume] (East Liverpool, Ohio) 1899-1982, 1941-11-13
Information On
Social Security

Employers who anticipate layoffs IN
their plants because of shortages Of
materials or curtailment orders were
today urged by Federal Security Ad-
ministrator Paul V. McNutt to report
their problem at once to the nearest
state employment office. This is the
first step, the Administrator said, in
obtaining government action to de-
termine the possibility of utilizing the
plant and its workers for defense pro-
duction.
Mr.. McNutt said that in accordance
with the OPM's recently announced
plan for combating priorities unem-
ployment, State and Federal Employ
ment Service officials had already sur
veyed more than 200 threatened
plants in various parts of the country
as the basis for action by the Labor
Division and the Contract Distribution
Division of OPM. An analysis of these
200 reports by the Bureau of En-
ployment Security, Social Security
Board, shows that about third Of
the 10000 workers normally employed
| NY lHS HIIIiS lldu DcSIl, VI "CiC S->-
pected to be, laid off.
! Most of these were small firms, the
Administrator said, employing less
than SEQ workers and engaged in non
defense work such as electrical house
hold equipment and parts, domestic
aluminium products, and stove manu-
facture, and foundry work. They
were located mostly in small manu-
featuring towns supported by one in
dustry.
Similar surveys are now being made
of number of other firms, Mr. Nc
| Mutt said, so that wherever feasible
the Contract Distribution Division Of
OPM may recommend ALLEGATION of
defense contracts to firms which
would otherwise be forced to shut
down or greatly curtail operations. If
the plant cannot be converted to de-
fense production, the Employment
Service, Mr.. McNutt said, is response
BILE for prompt action to move dis
placed workers into defense plants,
and where necessary to arrange for
training courses which will fit them
for new jobs.
In addition to obtaining reports on
individual plants, the Bureau Of En-
ployment Security is also surveying
entire communities when it appears
that whole city or town will be serl-
ously affected by shortage of ma
terials or curtaiment orders. In such
cases thorough study is made to de-
termine the total amount Of employ
ment in the plants affected, on defense
and non-defense work; anticipated
layoffs and their cause; and reem-
ployment opportunities for workers
expected to be displaced. A number
! of such surveys are being made, the
!. Administrator said, as the necessary
basis for special OPM action to get
materials or defense contracts into the
community and thus prevent wide
spread Distress.
Typical of the 200 plant reports al
! ready available are the following
brief summaries:
A total Of 2S firms located in nine
cities in Ohio employing 5000 work
ers have laid off or expect to lay of
G, 400 workers. These firms manufac-
ture household aluminium, electrical
equipment such as washing machines
and refrigerators, metal furniture
and stoves. Mansfield appears to be
one of the cities which may be seri-
ously affected. Seven major employ
ers and Ia small employers surveyed
employ approximately II 900 out of .
total Of 1900 workers in the com
munity About 300 workers face lay
offs, the exact date of which will de
pend upon last-minute attempts to OBJ
tain needed materials or stagger hours
of employment. An additional 4,G0t
workers may be affected in the neai
future if the materials are not oD-
tanned. Opportunities for immediate
expansion of defense contracts and re-
employment of Mansfield workers ap.
pear very unlikely.
One firm in Michigan employing
900 workers expects to lay off about
300. 1t is believed that these workers
could be reemployed in nearby defense
centers but it would be necessary fol
them to commute.