Toledo union journal. [volume] (Toledo, Ohio) 1942-current, 1948-02-20

Views
BY Richard Gosser
Vice~President
International UAW-CIO

Last week, when the papers were full OF
the news about the drop in the market prices
of commodities and securities, the question
was asked me-would the union retreat from
its wage demands because of the drop in COM
modify prices?
To answer this question with simple yes
or no is impossible. I am therefore going to re-
view the history of our wage demands and
bring out the answer to the question.
Everyone who knows anything about
labors situation since the end of the war
knows that there were three distinct reasons
for the three wage demands that have been
made since 1945.
First of all, when the war ended, people
who had been working from Sc to so or more
hours a week were returned to the 40 hour
week. This caused wide difference between
what they received for their work and what
they had to pay for the things they needed in
order to live.
Labor discovered that the wages which the
worker received for 40 hours was out of bal
ance with the cost of living and demanded
that increases be given which would bring
back purchasing power where it belonged.
INCREASE GIVEN
Without going into the economic struggle
and strikes which took place before industry
granted the workers wage increases, every
body knows that the increases were granted
after bitter fight
No sooner were the wage increases granted
than steel, auto, glass and all other industries
increased the prices on their products. Foods
and all other commodities also were sharply
increased until the workers discovered that
their wage increases were wiped out almost
before they had received them.
One of the greatest factors in the increased
cost of living was the elimination of price
controls by Republican Congress which first
hit the workers of the country in the pocket 4
book before passing the Taft-Hartley ACT /
which tied their hands.
Business freed of all controls wasted no
time in raising its prices to higher and higher
levels Profits reached the highest point in
> history.
And again labor was forced to ask for an
other wage increase to meet the increased
cost of living. Again, after many delays, wage
increases were granted while no ceilings were
placed on prices and industry once again
passed the increases and more on to the pur-
chasers of the nation.
THIRD ROUND
From the end of the war through the nego-
tiations for the first two rounds of wage in
creases, labor insisted that large part of in
dustry could afford the wage hikes without
increasing the price of their products. Even
before the decision was made to ask for
third round of wage raises, labor spokesmen
again insisted that the wage increases could
not aid the workers if the increases which
will be given are to be the signal for addition
al price jumps.
Labor's first request before every wage
increase demand was for price rollback
but each time, it has been turned down. Even
today, before the wage increases are started
or a national wage pattern set, we have no
guarantees from either government or in
dustry that price levels will be held.
With this explanation of the reasons why
labor has been forced to demand wage in
creases on three occasions since the end of the
war believe that l can answer the question
which was asked me by saying that up to this
point the effect of the decline in the market
prices has scarcely made dent in the high
cost of living.
More than this, can say that doubt If a
we will change our position on our wage DEF
mands unless there should be drastic price
rollbacks in practically all commodities. The
fact that the markets are recovering their
high prices and that the price cuts, little as
they were, have been recovered should be
answer enough to those who believe that the
union is going to be influenced by a furry
in the market
would say that our wage policy is COM
pletely unchanged, that we are going to de-
mand wages in line with the cost of living and
that we are not going to be influenced by those
who can manipulate the markets to suit their
own purpose.
Nobody thinks that business and industry
are ready for self-reform. Neither do we of
the Auto Workers think so.