Toledo union journal. [volume] (Toledo, Ohio) 1942-current, 1944-08-04
Whats
New!
By
Eduard Duck
Educational
Director,
Local II
CAUSE AND EFFECT

intolerance, and an inclina-
ton toward discrimination on
the part of corporate manage
ment and coupon-clippers,
there would be no unioniza-
ton of the working people, no
need for protection.
II it were not for economic
injustice and abuse of the
privilege of ownership, reg
ulstion by legislation would
be unnecessary.
II experience had not prov
ed that free enterprise as we
have come to understand it
means freedom to exploit the
wage Garner and the con-
sumer, we would not be so
violently opposed to it.
II poverty, starvation, and
disease had not become 50
we'll known to one-third of
our Country's population,
pronouncedly so under the
unspeakable Hoover regime,
we would not be insistent on
the passage of the Wagner
Murray-Dingell Bill or other
forms of social legislation.
MAKING STATEMENT
If conservatives had not
overstepped the bounds of
fair play and of social and
economic justice, progressives
like LaFollette, wagner
Lucas, Pepper, Kilgore and
others would not have be-
come the statesmen that they
are, and the Republican re-
actionaries would be having
an even merrier holiday than
they have been enjoying.
"As you sow, so shall you
reap" is a biblical quotation
which could bear repeating
right here and now. II will
indeed be interesting to wit
ness the harvesting of the
bumper crop of discomfort
ment, the seeds of which were
planted after the workers
voluntarily surrendered their
only effective weapon-the
right TO strike.
On the other hand, those
corporations which wisely
do not agitate or provoke
their employees, or take sd-
vantage of the opportunity
presented by wartime condi-
tions, will, within short
time realize the wisdom of
their philosophy.
! have In mind two par
ticular plants in this COM
munity which present an ex-
cellent contrast. | have dealt
considerably with both man
agements and have arrived at
definite conclusions.
TWO PLANTS
One OF these is the Surface
Combustion Company. Acting
upon the advice of its attor-
ney, this management has not
bargained In good faith with
our organization. We cannot
even obtain a record of the
employees earnings, which
we must have in order to cor
rect dozens of inequalities In
wage rates. The management
granted the AFL closed
shop before we won an MI
RIB election, but refused us
union security while prevail
ing upon the War Labor
Board to order n strike"
clause inserted in the con-
tract, We have negotiated for
II months and do not yet
have a signed contract.
Wages are far below the
WLB sound and tested"
rates, yet the company con
sistantly refused to negotiate
wage adjustments, claiming
that wage negotiations were
completed" A general wage
Increase has not been granted
since February of 1912.
Guards receive 8lc per
hour; tool and die makers,
Sl.2l; finished carpenters,
96c; crane operators 85c and
90c: gang leaders. $l.0l; Glass
A electricians, CSC; inspectors
83c and 86c.
And this company expects
the WLB TO assist them In
freezing the wages of these
men. One could expect as
much from a Cities Service
or any of the other
Doherty interests, which in
clude Community Traction,
Toledo Edison, and other
philanthropic institutions.
Contrast this story with the
history Of collective bargain
ing at the Toledo Packard
plant, (See Page / on Pack
ard contract
II Packard lives up to it's
contrast reconversion will be
simple matter. AS for Sur
face Combustion - well, we
will see.
Experience keeps a dear
school. Stick around when
the wars over. and Watrh itt