Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1949-12-29
Ching AsksNew Policy
On Labor Pensions 10
Avoid Future Strikes
BY the Assoeioted Press

BY the Asseeioftsd Press
The Governments top labor
peacemaker said last night that a
new national policy on pensions is
needed to avoid bitter strikes.
Without suggesting what the
policy should be, Cyrus s. Ching,
director Of the Federal Mediation
Service. said it's time for real
study of the whole problem.
For the last several years, Mr..
Ching added, the Nation has been
drifting into q system whereby
existing Federal benefits are sup
plemented by benefits from pri-
vate employer plans established
by means Of collective bargaining
or strike action
Before the drift goes too far"
he said. ut would be well to take
our bearings and devise a national
policy which will help us to set
our future course with delibera-
ton. #@
AUA1Rt 3Ct1Ou 40 OE&Cus
IF this Is not done promptly,
the Nation may have to pay a
high price in additional stoppages
(strikes) called to compel institu-
ton Of private employer plans"
The veteran labor relations ex-
pert gave prominent place in a
10-page year-end report on in
dustrial relations to demands Of
labor unions for pension and well
fare benefits.
He refused to take sides on their
merit or demerit, but spoke Of
them as a real problem In keeping
labor peace.
Mr.. Ching said most workers
consider the Federal social secur-
ity program inadequate. Many
workers are exempt from the Fed
era1 plan.
Increasing Unrest Predicted. ,
On the one hand. some labor
unions are winning supplementary
pension and welfare plans from
employers. On the other. some
groups Of workers are not.
Mr. Ching foresaw unrest de-
veloping between groups Of work.
ers because one would get better
pension-welfare system than an
other. *
And even where a group of
workers has q penSion-Wenare
plan supplementing social security,
he said, the plan is good only so
long as worker remains with his
employer. If he changes jobs he
loses his equity in the plan.
Mr.. Ching said this could harm
~the free mobility 50. characteristic
Of the American industrial sys-
tem"-that is, the shifting of jobs
by workers as products and de-
mand for them change.
Study by Congress Advised.
Also Mr.. Ching said, most pri-
vate employer pension plans de-
pend on the employer being able
to pay the pledged benefits when
they fall due.
All these questions ought to be
studied by Congress or some COM
petent group, he counselled, so
that some sort Of planning can be
done to avoid industrial strife.
Looking back over the year, Mr..
Ching said it was a good one in
labor relations. He said the steel
and coal strikes were the only
really serious national stoppages.
There appear to be many peo-
pie" Mr.. Ching continued, par
ticularly during a period of strikes
IN important industries, who view
the future of industrial relations
In our country with foreboding."
Declaring he is not one Of these,
he said industrial relations have
progressed q great deal from the
violence of a few decades ago. Big
strikes make the headlines, he
added, but every year tens of
thousands Of labor disputes are
settled without fanfare.
Mr.. Ching said he is leaving this
week on a months tour Of the
West Coast to preach moderation
and understanding between labor
and management as the best solu-
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