The Waterbury Democrat., 1946-02-22


proposal, the scovill union also
served notice on the company that
It would not meet with the COM
pany 10 discuss lt. A discussion
would be a total waste OF time.
However, the union -has empha
slsed-verH very yigorously--that It
win be available 10 meet with the
company ct any time when the
company has something 10 discuss
which honestly deals with the issue
Of q living wage. The present
wages OF employees are Tar below
what Is needed II they are 10 live
according 10 minimum standards
Of decency.
Profits Abundant
Contrast this, IL you will. with the
fact that the Scovill Company to-
day Is richer than ever before in
Its history. Net profits during the
period Of war production for the
first i've years and not including the
sixth totaled IA l-2 million dollars,
For the future the Scovill Company
anticipates a greater volume oil
production in civilian goods than II
has ever known beforehand with
It's profits guaranteed by the gov
eminent.
The company has asked its
employees to return to work be-
fore any wage agreement has
been reached. The lack of con-
Sideration which the Scovill Com.
pany gives to the needs Of its en-
pioyes for future living wage pro-
vides its own comment on the COM
pany statement that It Is worried
lest the workers during the strike
exhaust their savings. / should like
to challenge anyone, whether
member OF Scovill management Of
not, to recall to us one time In the
long history OF the Scovill Company
when it has demonstrated genuine
anxiety over the economic plight o.
It's workers. And through the Ions
years the life Of Scovill employs
always has been one of struggle x
live with some measure Of economic
well-being and security.
do not desire 10 appeal to th'
emotions. What I do ask for 4
common sense In this situation. tn,
government by promising industr!
a profit II Il pays living wage hai
removed every risk for the Scovil
Company. The facts are clear a
to the need Of the Scovill employee
for the modest increase Of Is l.
cents, which is the unions preSen
demand, reduced from an origina
demand OF 30 percent.
Therefore il is completely obviou
why the union has beeen compelled
to reject a company proposal which
fails to deal with the issue OF wages
which is q major issue Of the strike
No Union Security
Further, the company has mad
no offer of genuine union security
This also Is an important issue. i
no company Is the existence Of
strong union more ilnperativel
needed by employees than IN tn
case Of Scovill. The type Of unto
security clause which has bee
asked for by the union 10 be includ
ed in the Scovill contract is a con
servative proposal. which the com
pany can grant without any con
Il siderable concession.
To sum uD: Dealings in good fat
bv the company should include a
offer Of a living wage-not les
than an increase Of 1872 cents O.
l1our-and a union security provi
sion which has genuine merit an
which can be made the basis q
practical discussion.
whenever the Scovill Co. has
sound and reasonable offer to max
on these issues, the union viii b
immediately available for discussoF
The union hopes. for the good of tn
company. its employees and the pub
lie. that such an offer viii be forth
coming soon.