Toledo union journal. [volume] (Toledo, Ohio) 1942-current, 1949-10-14


of the international Union
UAW-CIO.
The editorial was made
public this weekend by Walter
P. Reuther, UAW-CIO president
as an official statement of union
policy. The October issue of The
United Automobile Worker is be-
ing mailed this weekend to the
1000, 900 UAW-CIO members in
the United States and Canada
'In winning a pension plan fol
themselves, the Ford workers
have performed a service thai
will benefit millions of their fel-
low-citizens throughout the Ma
ton" the editorial says. "This
is the most important result Of
the Ford workers victory"
House Passes Bill
The editorial describes the
House of Representatives action
this week in passing a bill in.
creasing social security benefits
by 20 per cent and extending
coverage to 100000 additional
persons as the first victory in
ten-year fight by labor ano
other progressive forces to lib
eralize Federal Social Security
Laws, which have not beer
changed since first enacted in
1888"
The editorial also states:
"As Improvements are made
in Federal Social Security, g
larger portion of the (Forc
Motor company's ga cents con.
tribution Ito the company-fi.
nanced pension plan) will be
used to retire past service cred.
its. AS increased Federal bene.
fits make it possible TO pay of
past service credits at a faster
rate, the road will be cleared fol-
the union through collective bar.
gaining to win additional com
pany-financed benefits in pen
sios and hospital and medical
programs.
The text of the editorial is at.
tached.
To Benefit Millions
In winning a pension plan fol
themselves, the Ford workers
have performed a service thai
will benefit millions of their
fellow-citizens throughout the
Nation.
AS a result of the Ford pen,
sion program and similar effort.
being made to win pension plans
throughout American industry
Federal Social Security benefits
are going to be increased and
they are going to be extended
to cover many millions of Amer
leans who need this protection
but who are presently excluded
from Social Security coverage.
This is the most important re-
suit of the Ford workers VIC
tory.
When it first became apparent
that the Ford workers were go
ing to win company-financed
pension program, the Ways and
Means Committee of the u. s.
House of Representatives dug
out of the mothballs legislation
to increase social security bene-
fits and broaden their coverage
Adds 900, 900
The ink was scarcely dry on
the new Ford agreement by the
time the Committee had reported
out and the House had passed by
the amazing vote of 333 to Ia a
bill that increases social secur-
ity benefits by approximately 70
per cent and extends them to
100000 additional persons.
This is the first victory in q
ten-year fight by labor and other
progressive forces to liberalize
Federal Social Security Laws,
which have not been changed
since first enacted in 1898. In
spite of the fact that the orig
inal legislation called for auto
matte increases over period OF
years, Big Business and its
spokesmen in Congress have sue
cueeded in maintaining social Sc
curity benefits at their original
inadequate level.
Today, those who blocked eX-
pansion of social security are
singing different tune. With
the prospect before them that in
dustry will have to pay for old
age retirement programs won in
collective bargaining, industrial
lists and reactionary Congress-
virtues they never before saw in
men are suddenly discovering"
liberalized Federal Social Secur-
ity legislation.
Congress Awakening
The night before the Ford
agreement was finally reached.
Ernest Breech, Ford Executive
Vice President, stated in a
speech in Youngstown, Ohio,
that the most satisfactory
of providing old age se-
curity was through Federal Leg
islation, He acknowledged, how.
ever, that present benefits are
inadequate and something had to
be done to increase them.
That was the first time any
m, oinr inductrioI ayac,,ti,,o ~