Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1946-01-19
Text of Murroy's Statement
Clio President Says Industry Hos Set Out
Deliberately to Destroy D. S. Labor Unions

IHe teri OF q statement on the
steel situation issued late yester-
day by CIO President Philip
| Murray:
The international officers of the
United Steelworkers of America have
advised President Truman that they
have accepted his recommendation
for settlement of the current wage
dispute in the steel industry and
shall recommend it's approval by
the international Wage Policy Com
mittee Of the union, which shall be
assembled forthwith.
President Humans decision is
that there will be a general wage
increase of 1871 cents per hour to
the employees in the steel industry,
effective as of January l, 1916.
The facts surrounding the pending
wage dispute in the steel industry
have thoroughly supported. the wage
demand of the union and complete
ly justify the Presidents decision.
In April, 1945, the last full month
preceding We day, the average
weekly earnings of steelworkers
were $56.32. The Bureau of Labor
Statistics, within the past few days,
has reported that the straight-time
average hourly earnings for steel
workers in October, l945, were
$1.OS7. 1t is undisputed that the
steel industry is now operating on
a 40-hour week without any over
time.
Pay Losses Shown.
This means that at present-as-
Stunning that the straight time aver
age hourly earnings have not fallen
since October, which they certainly
have, due to down. grading factors
the weekly earnings for steelwork-
ers are $43.48 There has therefore
been a slash in the earnings of the
steelworkers since April, 1915, of
1924. The wage increase recon-
mended by President Truman will
thus provide for a substantial, but
not full, restoration of the loss of
weekly earnings.
1t is to the interest of all Ameri-
cans, If we are to provide a firm
foundation for an expanding econ
omy of full production and full en-
ployment, that the purchasing power
Of the workers of the Nation be
maintained and steadily increased.
1t is with this objective in mind
that the CLIO and its affiliated
unions have been endeavoring for
the past year to secure substantial
wage increases. II this end is not
achieved the high level of profits of
industry will prove to be illusory and
our Nation will inevitably be plunged
into terrifying depression, with all
o. its consequent evils.
Since September, 1945-a period of
four months-the union has sought,
unsuccessfully, to engage in collective
bargaining with the steel industry
over the unions wage demand for an
increase of 50 day.
Industry Refuses Bargaining.
Twice the United States Govern
ment, through Secretary of La
Dor Schwellenbach, requested the
United States Steel Corp. to meet
with the union in collective bar
gaining.
To all these efforts-the steel
industry has given a cold no"
The steel industry has now, with
unmatched holiness. rejected a de-
cision of the President of the United
States.
This action of the steel industry,
combined with the action taken by
the General Motors Corp. in refus-
ing to comply with recommends
ton of the Presidents fact-finding
panel, should clarity for the Amer.
lean people the issue. which has
been drawn. American industry,
fattened with war profits, guaran-
teed high level of profits through
special tax rebates under laws writ