Evening star., 1945-10-28
GIN Urges Union
To Back Law for
45-Hour Week
Wilson Proposes Pay
Roise of so Under
Revised Schedule
By the Associated Press.

LIZ GAItSAAt WV Gf'&CAACAoi oi
Motors Corp. tonight proposed to
the CIO Automobile Workers
Union that it join with the cor
poration in petitioning Congress
to change the Wage-Hour Act to
make the standard work week
As hours instead of 40 during the
postwar reconstruction period.
With this change In the work
week." c. E. Wilson, president Of
General Motors, wrote the union,
I'VE propose that all wage rates be
increased approximately per cent
so that men working IS hours at the
new straight time rates will make as
much money as they do now for
As hours work"
This proposal would increase the
earnings Of those working less than
Is hours and would also increase the
extra compensation for any hours
worked over As, since such hours
would Be paid for at time and half
based on the new rates"
Under the present Wage and
Hour Act, time and one half is paid
for all time worked over 40 hours,
and Mr.. Wilson'S contention has
been that 6 per cent increase plus
a 45-hour straight time week would
equal 40 hours plus five hours at
time and one half.
Briefs Presented BY Union.
The Wilson proposal came a day
after the UAW-CIO had completed
presentation Of briefs to the cor
poration in support of demand tor
a 80 per cent wage rate increase
and 5-to-1 vote among GIN en-
ployes favoring a strike to enforce
the wage rate increase.
There was no immediate COM
ment from the union. At the con-
clusion OF wage conferences yester-
day, Walter P. Reuther, UAW-CIO
vice president, said the union would
not recede "one red cent" from the
80 per cent demands unless the
corporation could show it was un-
able to pay the increase without
raising car prices.
The corporation has maintained
there could be no wage increases
without corresponding boosts in the
prices Of its product.
Says Plan Prevents Imitation.
MIR. Wilson said his 45-hour week
proposal "has much to recommend
it," and added:
III avoids q substantial re-
duction in weekly earnings.
-. II prevents imitation and pre-
serves the purchasing power oi
War Bonds, insurance. social Sc
curity and other savings.
"3. It does not upset the balance
between agricultural workers, SAL
aried workers and industrial work
ers.
a. 1t will produce more goods and
service and the people of the coun-
try will have more.
IS. 1t will create more good Jobs
and the employment of more people
just as many men and women will
be employed in our plants on a
45-hour week as on a 40-hour week
and it will allow the use of our
plants for the extra five hours
when they would otherwise be idle.
"It will stimulate business ac-
tivity and create more jobs and re-
suit in the employment of many
more people in all related business.
Greater Car Production.
III our plants could be scheduled
to work on this basis, we would pro-
duce nine cars where we would
otherwise have produced only eight.
1t will mean that one man out of
nine will have a car who would
otherwise go without"
Mr.. Wilson's proposal closely fol-
lowed one he advanced at a news
conference here week ago with a
group of correspondents surveying
the reconstruction effort throughout
Ics-- ~TNT~