Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-05-01


above S1.35 an hour.
Wilson said:
I'VE made an offer 20 the
union; We have carefully re-
viewed and compared with other
facts Obtainable and find that
our present wages are entirely
competitive. We have also re-
viewed wages paid by other in
dustries; we find Increases I'm
steel, electrical and other In
dustries still leave average
hourly rates which they are pay
ing less than General Motors Is
now paying.
1.-THE problem Il really how
much should General Motors
pay to avoid a STRIFE.
"How much Is II fair to ask
General Motors to increase
labor costs above those of other
heavy Industries when we will
all be working on national de-
tense production on n COMPETE
tive basis? We think that this
Is the strength of the General
Motors position.
I'VE are not asking any spe-
cial fayors, or any special sub
sidies; we are not expecting to
make big profits; we are not
asking for more than our share
OF national defense work. We
are willing to do our part"
A-xrrn x-Unxsc T-UTun
On this issue Thomas said the
unions stand was:
General Motors, I'm the cur
rent negotiations Is a hold-out
against the wage policy of
American industry. Although
General Motors earns the
largest profits In the nation It
has taken the most backward
position.
There Is no economic rea-
son why General Motors cam
not equal the wage increases
which have been granted In
recent weeks by the entire steel
industry, the soft coal operators,
General Electric and Westing-
house In the electrical supply in
dustry, the clothing industry, the
meat packing industry and the
aluminium industry. to mention
q few.
I'VE repeat, none of these in
dustries are as profitable as
General Motors. On top OF that,
General Motors has been favored
beyond any other single cOrpor-
alton. barring perhaps one. in
the placing of national defense
orders. Its adamant, short
sighted and selfish wage policy
IL a menace to stable labor re-
lations and national defense.
1T Ii generally granted that
the burden OF new defense tax
alton will fall i'm the years i'm
mediately ahead on the small
wage earners. II II not disputed
that many items in living costs
have risen and will continue to
rise. The facts show that over a
period Of years General Motors
does not supply year-rOund work
and year-round income. For all
these reasons. the UAW-CIO
will insist on Its wholly reason
able demands for wage increases
and increased vacation allow
ances."
GM ON CLOSED SHOP
Regarding the closed shop con-
troverSy, Wilson said.
THE UAW-CIO II still press
Ing for the closed shop. or some
form of what they call additional
union recognition. / think all of
you know the corporations posi-
ton on this issue. We firmly
believe that a closed shop would
not be good for the country,
and that IL such a form OF labor
organization should come about
Congress should take the re-
sponsibility, and not the corpor-
alton by agreement with the
union"
Thomas statement on the closed
shop was:
The corporation is attempt
ing to raise the issue of the
union shop as smOke-screen
to conceal Its backward position
on the other issues. In an early
stage OF the present negotiations,
the corporation even refused to
negotiate on other issues I'M
less the union shop issue was
dropped. In arbitrary fashion,
the GM spokesman invited our
union to strike on that issue.
THE union refused TO be ma
neuvered into such position.
1t refused, at the same time,
to withdraw our demand for in
creased union recognition"
On the other issues Thomas
said:
THE corporation knows that
during the last six months there
have been almost 600 grievances
appealed from the plant man.
agements by workers. II knows
that adjustment of these griev-
ances has been slow and cum
bersome, giving rise to unrest
and frequent threats of strikes.
Only through extreme patience
and diligence has the interna-
tional union kept the GM plants
operating.
THE union proposes to elm
mate this serious source of
friction by placing grievance adj
justment authority to a greater
extent In the plants, where the
grievances arise. We have asked