Toledo union journal. [volume] (Toledo, Ohio) 1942-current, 1945-12-14

achieving them and argued thai
the possibility of high levels oi
profit is an essential element in
the American economic system
The Corporation submitted
general figures to contradict the
Unions estimates, but declined
to furnish the detailed compo-
nents on which these general
figures were based on the
ground that this was not a
proper subject of inquiry for the
Union.
The Corporations representa-
tives constantly urged the Union
to eliminate questions of prices
and profits and to confine the
collective bargaining to the
wage issue. 1t denied that the
effects of wage increases on
profitability was a proper sub
ject for negotiations with the
Union and refused to make any
wage increase offer tied to an
agreement not to raise price,.
Prices, like profits, it urged, are
the Corporations, not the Un-
ions business. 1t characterized
the Unions affort to bargain on
these matters as unWarranted
invasions of management's prov
ince. 1t also introduced ma
terial which suggested that un-
ionism in America should be
reduced in the scope of its bar
gaining power.
COUNTER PROPOSALS
The Corporation also offered
counter-proposals of ID Six
percent wage increases along
with a change in the wage and
hours law to make As hours the
standard work week in place of
the present 40-hour provision;
(2) wage increases sufficient to
make up for the cost of living
increases since 1941 of about
1917. Both proposals were to
be free of any stipulation as to
prices.
The Corporation rejected the
Unions proposal for arbitration
on the ground that the terms
of the proposal would represent
an "abdication" by management.
And Recommendations
Of The Citizens Committee:
/. After reading the trans
cript of the negotiations between
General Motors and the UAW-
CIO, we believe it would be
contribution to public under
standing of the dispute if the
transcript were published.
2. The Committee was i'm
pressed by the serious and
statesmanlike approach of the
representatives of the Union as
shown in the transcript of the
If President Tru-
man and his advisors had had
access to this record, we believe
hey would have been in posi-
ion to insist more firmly on the
'ull use of the collective bar
gaining process before suggest.
ng Intervention of the govern
nent. We believe that the full
possibilities of collective bar
gaining have not yet been ex-
lausted, and that it is not TOO
ate to renew the efforts toward
voluntary settlement. We urge
hat the two parties immediate
y resume negotiations.
3. The Unions request to
in a determination of
he wage issue on the basis of
ull knowledge of the basic
vage-price-profit relations is not
taking over" of management.
his request is based on prin-
iple widely approved by re-
ponsible leaders of business,
abor and government. Although |
he setting of actual prices re-
Mains managerial function, at
time when there is threat
f initiation, the level of prices
ecomes a matter of legitimate
ublic concern.
4. If collective bargaining
ails to result in a settlement;
ye recommend that any fact
nding commission appointed
y the President be authorized
nd directed to determine what
lcrease in wages can be given
n the basis of the Corporations
bility to pay without increase
] prices. The Corporations
oility to meet wage increase
sound factor in the determi-
alton of wages, both in good
mes and bad.