Toledo union journal. [volume] (Toledo, Ohio) 1942-current, 1950-02-03
Reuther> Matthews Issue
Statement On ChrysIer Strike

Inc tragic experience or the
mine workers clearly demon.
strates the need for an actuarial.
ly sound pension plan and trust
fund to asure that benefits will
be guaranteed.
A company, which reluctantly
agrees to a pension plan in the
first place, and then only for
five years, can be expected to
chisel or Jerk the string" il
possible, at a later date. Chry-
sler's five-year promise to pay
plan is no guarantee to the
Chrysler workers that the cor
poration will renew the pension
agreement after the initial five
years. The union insists that the
pension plan negotiated now be
nailed down so that Chrysler
cannot jerk the rug out from
under the Chrysler workers.
The corporation will not per-
nit the workers voice in the
administration of the pension
program by establishment of a
joint board of trustees on which
the union would have equal
representation with manage
ment. The corporation insists
on the sole right to make all ad-
ministrative decisions and to
say who shall get pensions, and
when, and how much.
The forcing of this strike on
the Chrysler workers by the
ChrySler corporation is typical
of the way this company oper-
ates. Except in wartime, Chry-
Sler workers have seldom been
able to win any important con-
cessions from management with
out resorting to strike action.
Chrysler workers are now
compelled to win by strike action
what any reasonable manage
ment would have granted with
out the need for strike action.
In 1948 the corporation forced
its employees to strike for wage
increase. Before they struck,
the corporation refused to pay
even one penny in wage in
creases. When the strike was
settled, the corporation paid 13
cents an hour. The 1948 strike
could have also been averted IL
the corporation had offered the
13 cents increase before the
strike occurred.
The current strike will be
settled as soon as the Chrysler
Corporation is prepared to act
in good faith and accept 1.-The
10 cent pattern. There can be no
moral or economic justification
for a continuation of the cor
porations refusal to meet the
reasonable demands of the
Chrysler workers. In this fight
the Chrysler workers have the
full support of their Interna-
tional Union and the 1,000,0 900
of the UAW-CIO. We
are confident that justice shall
prevail and we shall win.
Examples of how the "jokers"
in the corporations pension pro-
oosal would deny workers with
Iong years of continuous SER
vice any pension benefits:
/. Here Is an actual example
hat was brought up In the final
negotiating session Tuesday
1ight. Worker X has % years
IF continuous service with the
Corporation. He start
ID at the Highland Park Plant
n 1922. In 1881 he was transfer
ed to the jefferson Plant where
le worked until 1884. Then he
vas transferred back to the
Highland Park Plant where he
until he was laid off
n 1887. In November 1888 he
vas called back to Highland
Park but then sent to Plymouth.
After two years there he was
aid off in 1889. He was called
,ack to Highland Park in 1910
where he has worked ever since.
Under the company's propoS-
i, Worker X has only 10 years
II service credit toward his
'ension. Despite the % years
4 continuous service he has
Ievoted to the Chrysler Cor
'oration he would have to work
mother Is years--a total of 43
ears-in order to collect the
100 pension which the ChrySler
would have its
workers. believe it would pay
fter Is years of service.
2. A man hired in a ChrySler
liant in January 1898 and who
,orked continuously through
anuary 1853 and who is laid off
Dr. a period of two years loses
II of his is years of service
redits. Upon his recall to work
e would start as new en-
loyee as far as his rights under
lie pension plan are concerned.
his would require his working
5 additional years unless he
as a two year break during
lat period in which case he
ould again lose all Of his cor