The Waterbury Democrat., 1943-03-30

EateF @0sso would get q raiSt
Of only six cents an hour while q
worker making $3.50 an hour, Il
given n IS per cent increase, would
net raise OF - l-2 cents an hour
II Is MurrayS contention that
such percentage. hikes In wage
rates merely increase the disparity
between wage groups, and Is bound
TO promote further unrest,
URGES FLAT INCREASES
The c. I. o. president therefore
proposes that determination should
be made TO give workers SUFFICIENT
increases In dollars per week, cor
responding TO increases In cost OF
living per week, ans these same In
creaseS amounted to "a week for
basic 40-hour week, that would be
on increase OF 10 cents an hour, and
the DEMONSTRATIONS worker and
the $l,50-an.hour worker would
both get that amount,
This theory OF fiat increases to
meet rises In the cost of living, as
opposed to percentage increases, was
first presented by Murray at a G. /,
o. executive board meeting IN Feb
ruary, but II was given its first pub
lie airing before the Truman COM
mittee investigation OF labor eiff-
cheney, On It's face, the theory has
considerable merit, and as q critl-
ciSm OF War labor Board policy It
Is hard to kiss of, Murray goes on
from this premise TO assert that the
War Labor Board has "disregarded"
the wage sterilization law of Octo-
Der 2, 1912, which charges the board
10 correct inequities and correct
EMBELLISHMENTS,
This Is perhaps the most con-
Structive criticism OF the War Labor
Board and the Little Steel formula
that has been made thus far, but
the situation It presents Is not one
TO which the board itself has been
blind.
For an example, you need 60 back
no farther than the Big Four pack
Ing house workers case last Febru-
airy, In which the War Labor Board
rccommbended "a general wage In.
crease Of i.2 cents an hour for all
employees" Furthermore, THE panel
unanimously recommended the IRON
ing out OF inequalities within the
wages Gales Of particular plants as
well as inequalities between packing
plants IN different localities" Note
that the board did not correct the
inequalities itself, leaving that to 10.
cal negotiation.
RECOGNITION OF WEAKNESS
George w. Taylor. vice chairman
OF the War Labor Board, writing
the opinion In this packing house
case, pointed out that THE Little
Steel formula was not designed TO
equalize in cents per hour or In per-
centages, the general wage increases
IN all industries, that have been
made available 10 some industries.
General wage increases have not
been uniform In times Of peace and
could not be made so In times OF
war, particularly at time when
the national policy Is TO stabilize
wages at September IS levels"
There you have recognition Of
this weakness In the Little Steel
formula. The War Labor Board has
attempted TO meet this point In
several ways, principally by Its order
OF March II, setting up O short
cut procedure, giving regional
boards authority TO determine Sub
standards Of living" and grant in
creaseS to bring wages up to so
cents an hour or $40 a week, without
going through the formality Of @
full dress War Labor Board case.
In spite Of this effort TO adjust
inequities In lower income brackets,
1t has not been possible TO correct
q sufficient number. In the mean
time the cost Of living has advanced
some % per cent since January l,
l94l. Prices have not been frozen,
though better Job Of freezing
wages has been done.
If prizes and the cost Of living
had been frozen at September IS
levels, the Little Steel formula
might have held. Prices can't be
lowered, so It Is becoming increas-
ingly apparent that the Little Steel
formula may have to give and II 1t
does, here we go up the first round
Of the ladder Of imitation.