Evening star., 1951-02-17
Text of Labor Policy Groups Statement


the United Labor Policy COM
mittee:
There is no group in America
more alert to the dangers of Com
munist aggression against the free
world than the IS million American
wage earners we represent. There
Is no mass group in the Nation
more definitely committed to all
out resistance against Communism
than the members of our free trade
4 union movement.
We have offered our full support
to the defense program. We have
accepted in advance our respon-
sibility for making all necessary
sacrifices. We have willingly volun-
teered to bear our fair share Of
the burden because our hearts are
in this fight. From the very be-
ginning of the national emergency,
American labor has led the fight
for effective control of the cost of
living and other measures neces-
sary to insure economic stabilization.
We had hoped that our Govern
ment would take advantage of our
earnest determination to cooperate
to the fullest extent in advancing
the national defense program. In
stead, our offers of cooperation
have been rejected.
This Is not question of an iso-
lated incident. Our decision here
cannot and must not be interpreted
merely as protest against an un-
fair and unavoidable wage formula
which is now being imposed. That
formula eliminated a whole series
of shocking developments which
we find insupportable.
These developments add up to
nothing less than crisis in our
defense mobilization program.
Must Be Solved Quickly.
That crisis must be quickly re-
solved If Americas mobilization
program is to move ahead with the
speed which our national skills,
techniques and resources make
possible.
The crisis has developed because
the men who are in control of the
mobilization program have ignored
the necessity for equality of sacri-
flee" by all the people. Only through
such equality of sacrifice can we
fully and effectively win the volun-
tary cooperation and the intense
will to win of every American
citizen.
The unavoidable and unfair wage
formula adopted by the Wage Sta
bilization Board Is both symbol
and a symptom Of this crisis In our
domestic affairs.
1t is symptonk Of unconcern for
the needs and welfare of the plain
people of the country. 1t Is SYM
Dol of ill-considered action, lacking
in understanding of the problems
and viewpoints of wage earners.
The withdrawal of the labor rep
resentatives on the Wage Stabiliza-
ton Board did not create the crisis;
| it merely called public attention to
| the dangers which confront us.
That problem affects not only
wages but prices, taxes, rent control,
manpower and housing, and the
general management of the defense
program.
WAGES.
We insist. as we have always In
sisted, that wage stabilization must
rest upon effective control of the
cost of living.
The only aspect of the defense
mobilization program in which rep
resentatives of labor have been In
a position to influence policy has
been In the wage stabilization pro-
gram. But the marriage between
public members and industry mem
bers on the WSB is complete. Last
night, our representatives on the
board were called into a meeting
and presented with proposal. In
dustry members had already been
consulted and their approval OBJ
tanned before the meeting. From
the beginning, the major effort of
the public members has been di-
rected at winning the approval of
industry representatives In COM
plete disregard of the interests
of labor.
The wage stabilization formula
adopted by the industry and public
members of the Wage Stabilization
Board nanifestly fails to consider
the serious and legitimate economic
needs of Americas wage earners.
1t is, in effect, formula to un-
stabilize peaceful labor management
relations throughout American in
dustry. Rank and file workers in
induStry-the men and women who
produce and transport the equip
ment of our defense needs-will
recognize it as a blow to their living
standards and security.
/ The formula for wage control
approved by the Wage Sterilization
Board is not means of securing
economic justice for millions of
American wage earners. It is, in
fact, a series of penalties and re-
strictions-imposed at a time when
prices are continuing their upward
rise. The wage formula Is inflexible,
inequitable and unworkable.
Reputation Of Pledge.
More than that, it constitutes a
reputation of a pledge by the Gov
ernment that the wage stabilization
program would not result in the
abrogation of union-management
collective bargaining contracts.
Contracts between management
and labor-many of them contain
ing express provisions for cost of
living increases or productivity i'm
provement benefits and other pro-
visions that contribute to stability
are threatened. Any order that will
deprive millions of workers of bene-
fits accruing to them under existing
contracts will create instability and
will impose unequal burdens of sac
rifice not only on union members
but on the overwhelming majority
of wage earners-white collar and
industrial workers alike-who COM
pose the great proportion of our
lower and middle income groups.
The results of this wage policy