Toledo union journal. [volume] (Toledo, Ohio) 1942-current, 1948-07-30
Regional
Views
BY Richard Gosser
Vice-P resident
international UAW-ClO


the industrial unions of the CIO feel that
things would have been lot different and
lot better in general if our program had not
been interrupted by the last war. In 1941 the
working people were coming into ther own.
We had made great gains and the future of
America looked bright indeed except for the
war clouds that were overhanging.
Our progress was handicapped of course,
by the war. The important thing, of course, is
not how difficult the path was made for Labor,
by countless American families in giving up
but how great the sacrifices that were made
their children, husbands, and brothers, in the
war for democracy.
Those who fought and suffered, and those
who worried and suffered, have a right to
expect finer world in the postwar period
and thereafter 1t is quite clear that winning
a war does not assure the veteran and the
ordinary fellow everything he dreamed or
having as his reward We must continue to
struggle for progress. This we have done, as
you know by recalling the 1812 cent General
Motors dispute which set a pattern" for the
nations industrial employers, and the IL 1s-
cent raise with paid holidays which was to
follow year later.
But let us discuss now the most recent 13-
cent increase-the one many people thought
we would never get In the face of outrageous
price increases which drained the pocketbook
of the American worker, and despite scandal
Gus super-profit records which amounted to
more than four times the average for Ameri-
can industry during the so-called normal
period from SO to '39, we were informed that
the manufacturer would not allow themselves
to be guilty of contributing to an inflationary
spiral" What weak excuse for not giving the
worker decent break!
The steel interests pretended to be sincere
ly interested in fighting initiation They cut
prices a fraction Westinghouse tried to fool
the electrical workers by announcing its new
anti-inflationary policy" Even the stock mar
ket in general was affected when big business
and the farm bloc (the farmers who farm the
farmers) pulled the strings in an attempt to
put across the biggest lie since the "Landon
Landslide" magazine poll of SO.
Editoriallsts talked about the possibility of
a six-cent raise. A few people conceded that
the UAW-CIO might be able to get nine cents.
Ford contributed its bit to the propaganda
campaign by asking the workers to take
wage cut. Who was fooling who?
The UAW-CIO membership was certainly
not fooled by this nonsense to be sure Strike
votes were passed by overwhelming majoritieS
in ecret-ballot votes, giving the unions lead
ership the bargaining strength SO necessary to
compete with management on equal footing.
Again it has been the UAW-CIO which led
the fight Thirteen cents is the pattern, more
or less, for the nation, although it varies in
some plants due to specific conditions, But it
makes a sizable raise, More than most I'M
partial observers predicted.
Again the working people ION the
march" In unity there is strength, and the
new-found unity in the UAW CIO leadership
coupled with confidence and spirit on the part
of the rank-and- file, has resulted in dollars
and-cents gains for millions of American peo-
pie who benefited from the JAWS success.
The story is not yet through. We intend to
go forward to greater gains. All that is needed
is continued interest and cooperation of the
rank and file, intelligent, educated local men,
,ershlps. We must make up for what the war
deprived the American people of, and thereby
we will in part fulfill our obligation to those
who fought and died for economic democracy
as we'll as political democracy.
The future belongs to all of us. Let's each
do our part in shaping it.