Evening star., 1946-08-16
Auto Union Asks
NewWageTa|ks
10 Meet Prices
Reuther AssuiIs
Government Failure
On Cost Of Living
BY the Associoted preSs

WOI kelS EXeCuJlVe Board an
nounced today it will reopen its
wage agreement October 16 at
ChrySler Corp. and any other
companies where contract pro-
visions permit.
UAW President Walter P. Reuther
told news conference after a ses-
sion of the executive board that the
intervening 60 days will be used
to evaluate Government efforts to
hold back initiation, and on the
basis Of that study the extent of
wage demands, if any, will depend
Mr.. Reuther explained this does
not mean a wave of wage demands.
He expressed the hope that such
development will not be necessary
and that the Government, instead
could control the situation. He said
the whole issue depends on what
the Decontrol Board, OPA and the
Agriculture Department do to con-
troll prices.
Confer With Steelman.
In this connection Mr.. Reuther
and other CIO leaders today con-
ferred with Reconversion Director
John r. Steelman, OPA Administra-
tor Paul Porter and Secretary of
Agriculture Anderson to convey the
CLOS policy on wages and prices.
Mr.. Reuther said that so to so
per cent of the auto workers $4,000
members are under contracts which
could be reopened on 30 to so DAYS
notice.
THE continued failure of Govern
ment to roll prices back and hold
them down compels us to exercise
our option to reopen our contracts
in order to protect our living stand
ards" the executive board said in a
statement.
Mr.. Reuther explained that the
executive boards move had been
taken after consultation with other
CIO leaders and does not conflict
with CIO policy"
He pointed out that some other
C1O unions, such as the packing
house workers and rubber workers
have taken steps toward wage nego-
tiations.
Frank Warning Given
Earlier, Allan S. Haywood, CIO
vice president, told reporters after a
meeting with DR.. SteeIman:
I'VE gave him a very frank warn
ing that our unions will have to in
slst on new wage increases as soon
as our contracts permit unless prices
are placed under a much firmer con-
troll.
I'VE told him we would have to
seek redress if the Government
continues to let living costs go up
We insisted on real price control
instead of just fooling the people
with what we have now"
DR.. Steelman's office declined
comment
Mr.. Haywood said his group left
with DR.. Steelman documents con-
, tanning CLOS inSistence that the
Government call a new labor-man-
! agement conference with the dele
gates to be kept in session continu-
ously until they work out some
strong and sensible form of infa-
ton control"
/ The ChrySler unit of the United
Auto Workers, which already had
| indicated it would ask for cost of
living wage increases, was not spe-
c1fically consulted, Mr.. Reuther
said, but Norman Mathews. the
unions Chrysler director. is in
complete agreement" with the
boards stand, Mr.. Reuther said.
I The Wage Sterilization Board, in
letter to the Decontrol Borad two
days ago, estimated that living costs
may have risen another per cent
above the 33 per cent estimated
last fall since January. 1941.
Chrysler Not Singled Out.
"Today,s action does not mean we
will proceed against Chrysler only
Mr.. Reuther said. 1T doesn't mean
anything except that we will make
study for 60 days"
I'm taking this step now" the
boards statement said, we serve
notice upon Government and indus
try that our further wage action
shall be determined after a careful
evaluation of the relation between
price and wages existing at the end
of the 60-day period from the date
of our wage reopening notification
to the Chrysler Corp.
IF the Price Decontrol Board,
the Office of Price Administration
and the Secretary of Agriculture
have not taken vigorous steps to
restore effective price control on
food, clothing and other basic neces-
sites, we shall demand adjustments
in our wage structure necessary to
compensate for increases in the
cost of living"
The executive board also asserted
that consumer action and political
action must be linked together in
the fight against imitation"