Toledo union journal. [volume] (Toledo, Ohio) 1942-current, 1945-12-07
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BATTLE OF WITS

CAMP BOWIE, Texas, Dec.
3: The nations eyes are
focused on Detroit, where the
long expected battle of the
postwar" is in its second
week.
/ daresay less than two per-
cent of the workers actually
involved fully appreciate the
importance of a victory in
their struggle with Americas
giant corporation. They know
that their take-home pay has
been slashed tremendously by
the decrease in the number of
hours in the work week. They
know that the Little Steel
Formula and the War Labor
Board denied them what was
rightfully theirs during the
war. They know that the OPA
has not succeeded in holding
down prices in proportion to
the way in which their wages
were frozen.
G. NJ. PROFITS
eral Motors cannot
deny ii made enormous prof
its out of the war; The facts
prove the unions assertion
that profits multiplied during
the past four years. The com
pany offered ten per cent
wage increase. The workers
have indicated that they will
hold to their 30% demand un-
til the bitter end, unless the
corporation can show that it
cannot afford to meet this in
crease out of profits.
The real issue is not
whether the GIN workers
will receive a-30% raise
1t is whether collective bar
gaining shall advance to the
stage where labor is in fact
considered partner in bust
ness and thereby entitled to
share proportionately in the
profits which it helps to earn.
The question to be answer
ed, therefore, is: Shall labor
continue to come to manage
ment, hat-in-hand, humbly re-
questing that which it knows
is its just due, with manage
ment free to make an arbi-
trary decision as to the rights
OF those workers and the
merits OF their requests"
The 309o increase, or what
ever portion of it is ultimately
granted, will set the stage for
o I h er similar settlements.
General Motors will weave
the pa tern, undoubtedly,
which o { h e r manufacturers
will follow. But | repeat, the
increase is not the primary ar
gument. The main point in
dispute involves a principle.
Labor believes in its position
in the argument, and at long
last is asserting itself.
UNION POSITION
The union position, as
stated by UAW Vice President
Walter p. Reuther, is that the
workers have 2 right to de-
mand proof OF GINS alleged
inability to meet the proposed
increase in pay, and that the
public also has right to
know the economic facts, con-
sidering that il is the public
which must pay for the auto
mobiles which are purchased
at ceiling prices established
by a government agency.
1t cannot be denied that the
public figures prominently in
any major industrial dispute.
1t is the public which often
times becomes an innocent
victim when strikes take
place, and neither the work
ers nor the public wishes to
witness or take part i'm strikes.
However the workers have
no alternative when their just
demands are not met.
II appears that the General
Motors corporation is adopt
ing the strategy of attacking
the leader OF its workers, hop
ing to spread confusion, dis
content and disSension among
the striking employees We
shall witness sly hints that
Reuther is personally ambi-
tious,' that he seeks publicity,
and that he is building him
self up at the workers ex-
pense. He will be character
lied as an idealistic, impul-
sive young man who has his
head in the clouds and both
feet off the ground all OF
which might have been a