The potters herald. [volume] (East Liverpool, Ohio) 1899-1982, 1949-11-10
SteeIworkers Win
S1OO Pension As
Bethlehem Signs

beInIenem SlgnS
Cleveland (LPA)-The first dem
in the armor of Big Steel was
made on Oct. 81, when the Bethle
hem Steel Co. agreed to a contract
embodying the original $100-a
month pension plan demanded by
the United Steel Workers, plus Z
social insurance program.
Bethlehem accepted the plan OF
a non-contributory basis, the pivot.
al issue in the current steel strike
In making the announcement OF
the Bethlehem settlement, Presi-
dent Philip Murray said that he
regards the Bethlehem settlement
"as a vindication of the unions
position that there is a social res
possibility in industry to take care
of the aged and their families.
sincerely hope that this will bring
about a settlement with the rest
of the steel industry"
The Bethlehem agreement pro-
vides for a minimum non-contri-
butory pension of $100-a-month,
including Federal Social Security,
for employees with 25 years of SER
vice. However, based on his hourly
earnings, a worker might receive
as much as $3.50 per month.
In addition, the contract also
provides payments on sliding
scale to employees who have served
the company for Is years or more.
The agreement covers some $4,000
steelworkers from st-to-coast.
The pension plan will be admins
tered by a 10-man group made up
of five from the union side and five
from the employers.
The social insurance phase of
the program will be financed joint
ly by the workers and the company,
each paying 212 cents per hour, to
replace the current plan of the
company. The present plan is sole
ly paid for by the employe and
provides a maximum of $500 in
life insurance and $12 a week for
sickness. The plan negotiated by
the USA terminates the present
plan and calls for a joint program
which will provide a minimum of
$2100 in life insurance, with a
of $4,000, $26 week for
sickness for 26 weeks and hospital
ization for employees, wives and
children up to 19 years
of age, up to 70 days. These phases
of the social insurance have defin-
itely been agreed upon, but final
details are still to be worked out.
Murray described the Bethlehem
agreement as the "most outstand-
ing in the history of collective bar
gaining in this or any other coun-
try" He said it is impossible to
estimate the most but according to
conservative estimates it will
amount to i'm excess of 10 cents
per hour.
According to the agreement,
Jan. /, 1860 is the tentative date
for the beginning of the new agree
ment. However, due to possible
technical difficulties, both union
and company have agreed to defer
the starting date to March l if nee
essary.
The disqualification phase of the
was described by Murray
as the "largest Blue Cross plan
ever put into effect by a labor
lnion." Murray also said that the
life insurance program was the
argest union program in history. |
In a press conference following
MS announcement of the settle
ment, Murray explained that the
pension and social insurance plans
we're negotiated on a five-year
basis, with tentative termination
late of Dec. 81, 1851. However, the
wage issue can be re-opened on
Dec. 81, 1850.
Summarizing the agreement, !
Murray said, Nobody in the gov |
had any part of this deal.
t was reached through the simple !.
process of collective bargaining.
rhe government had nothing to do
With the settlement"
With the Bethlehem agreement
Murray estimated
hat some 100000 steel workers
we're still on strike.
Murray and Arthur j. Goldberg,
general counsel, resumed talks with
Bethlehem officials in New York,
Jet. 23. No announcement OF the
meetings. was made. On Oct. 81
While Murray was in New York for
he Lehman-for-Senato rally, he
nd Goldberg again met with Beth
chem officials. The meetings con-