Toledo union journal. [volume] (Toledo, Ohio) 1942-current, 1951-02-23
Regional
Views
By Richard T. Gosser
international Vice President
UAW~CIO

UAW~CIO
r SUPPOSE A GOOD many of our members are
Il pretty sick and tired by this time of the con-
tinuous attack that has been leveled at us for so
long by Paul Blocks Blade and Times Frankly,
we're sick of it, too But when newspaper mo-
nopoly such as Little Juniors continues to attack
U.S. there is not much can do but hit back and
hit as hard as we know how.
Take for example the current argument that
goes on i'm Washington around wage stabiliZaton.
Block through his errand boy who pontiflcates IN
the editorial columns of the Times viciousy attacks
President Walter Reuther for opposing the called
wage formula that the Wage Sterilization Board
adopted few days ago against the unanimous wish
of the labor members.
ITO Mr. Reuther the boards formula is 'un-
workable, unfair and unrealistic" writes this edi-
torial minion, which being interpreted means that
sterilization of prices is all right. but stabilzaon
Of wages Is all wrong"
In other words according to Mr. Blocks mouth
piece, Reuther-and Organized Labor generally-n
out to get as much they in higher wages
regardless of the rest Of the country.
This, of course, is pure nonsense.
FOR WHAT DOES President Reuther Organ
ized Labor generally want? The main argument
centers around two basic points both of them deal
ing with existing wage agreements in the auto in
dustry. One Is the so-called escaator clause which
is regulated by the cost Of living index as prepared
by our government. This clause -as Paul Block
knows very well-provides increase in wages
ONLY WHEN THE COST OF LIVING HAS AL
READY ADVANCED. Actually the workers are
months behind the rising prices under this
formula.
We are told that the government is out to
troll prices and the cost of living We're for con-
trolling prices and the cost of living. More, we
would like to see prices rolled back-even though
that would mean WAGE CUTS under this escalator
clause to hundreds of thousands of our members.
But what is important to remember here is the
fact that whether this clause in contract results
in sv,n~ for onnrC hR-
PENDS SOLELY ON THE GOVERNMENT. It is
plain that if the government holds down prices and
thus prevent the cost of living from going up. OUR
PEOPLE Do NOT GET A CENT. asta
Moreover, II the cost Of living should 80 down,
pointed out above, our people would get >
WAGE CUT.
Yet Paul Block-knowing all this-insists on
using his sheets to attack us; to attack President
Reuther and the entire labor movement as the ones
who trying to invoke inflationary measures
upon our economy. Only blind hatred Of the labor
movement and fierce determination to ignore the
truth can lead Paul Block to perform in this dis
gusting fashion
GETTING BACK TO THIS escalator clause once
more our people will receive wage increase of
4c or SC come next month. They will get this in
because the cost of living has gone up pro-
portionately during the past three months. Again
say had the government stopped the price hikes
the rise in the cost of living, would not get this
increase. And we would be happier. But surely we
cannot be blamed for conditions created beyond
control.
Much talk Is heard about the so-called annual
wage Improvement factor of 4c per hour that
UAW-CIO contracts with G M. and other major cor
porations call for This again has nothing to do with
the cost of living initiation We say that each
the productivity of human labor--for reasons too
numerous to mention-improves year after year
1t has been in the past. So say, why not give
the worker a small share of this improvement; why
not make it possible for him - not management
alone - to benefit from the progress Of
nOunic Or Is m fOr wOr rkers tn ask
SUPPOSE THIS argument could 60 on for
ever. 1t seems to me- however, that this much alone
should PROVE AGAIN that Paul Block and his
ever willing editorial satraps not interested
in truth and in cold facts when it comes to labor