The potters herald. [volume] (East Liverpool, Ohio) 1899-1982, 1943-02-25
Back 48-Hour Week
(Confinued From Page One)

advisable in the interests of efficiency.
1t was also brought out during the
conferences that the longer work day
in Great Britain-averaging ten hours
lis made necessary by conditions
which do not exist here. For instance,
there can be no outdoor work in ship
yards and other establishments at
night in Britain because of the black
out. Roundthe-clock production, such
as is possible in America on a three
eight-hour shift basis, is much prefer
able from the standpoint of production
results, as well as the individual
workers health and endurance.
Many vitaly important war prob
lens were thoroughly canvassed at the
conferences, including manpower, wage
policies, taxes rationing systems and
restrictive legislation.
The AFL representatives We're deep
! ly impressed by the insistence of the
visiting delegates that the British
| labor movement would 'object most
strenuously to the imposition of wage
ceilings by the Government or by any
one else"
Sir Walter Citrine explained that
wage matters are still left in Britain
to collective bargaining between en-
ployers and the trade unions. If they
cannot agree, the dispute is referred to
arbitration courts.
However, Citrine emphasized that
Dri oh l,h TO
any rigid wage formula which would
restrict wage increases.
This policy was especially interest
ing in view of the American Fedora
ton of Labor's current demands thai
the Little Steel wage formula which
now restricts wage increases in this
country to Is per cent above the wage
level of Jan. 1, 1941, be abandoned fol
a more flexible system which would
permit consideration of each wage
case on its merits.
Nevertheless, a comparison of th'
status Of British and American labo
at the conferences showed that il
England workers are for the mos
part much more closely regulated ant
restricted than here. The chief re
strictions result from essential worl
orders" which freeze workers to thei
jobs and from compulsory service
laws which permits the Government t.
order workers to take jobs whereve
the authorities see fit. This has re
suited in breaking up many homes be
Z, Il ln r,s
Quired to leave their families and g
to work far from their home cOmmt
mites
The latter part of the conferences
which President Green described a
most significant and highly success
full" were taken up with Il discussio
of postwar objectives. 1t WAS foun
; at the outset that much research wor
must be done in this field before
! will be possible for British and Amer
can labor to arrive at joint under
; standings for postwar objectiveS. l
was pointed out that the Internationa
t Federation of Trade Unions is nov
conducting exhaustive studies into pro
l posed postwar social security pro
2 grams which will be helpful whe
| these problems are given further con
| SideratiOn at future sessions.
1t was decided that the next meet
ing of the joint committee will be hel
during the first week OF July in LoI
don, England.
q AFL representatives on the conmi
tee included President Green and Vic
Presidents Hutcheson, VOL, IarriSo
and Brown. The British delegates II
cluded Citrinc, Andrew Conley, Joh
Marchbank, Frank WolStencroft an
Harry Harrison.