Toledo union journal. [volume] (Toledo, Ohio) 1942-current, 1951-04-27

an advisory" group with D.. -
powers to settle anything. The o
wage stabilization program, vital TO workers,
was to be established-as it was-by the Director
of Economic Sterilization first Mr.. Valentine and
later following Mr.. Valentines exit by MIR. Eric
Johnston Under that set-up the Director Of Eco
nomic Sterilization, could ignore completely the
advice of his advisors accept advice from them
he fit.
Labor representatives on the other hand de-
manded a board set-up such the War Labor
Board was during the last =. board that
had power to make policy and recommend - at
times order-settlements of labor disputes. More
over, 1abor's representatives demanded that this
power to recommend order settlements include
wage as well non-wage disputes.
THE REAL TROUBLE started when Eric John
ston not only refused to heed labors justifiable
quests, but went ahead to order his celebrated
"wage freeze" order allowing 10% increase I'm
wages above the wage level Of Jan. Is, 1850. La
bor's representatives termed this order impossible
inasmuch as the government had done nothing to
freeze prices and the cost of living As matter Of
fact apparent that the called Price Stabii
zation Office under the direction of Mike Disable
neither could would do anything to halt the
nflationary spiral.
Obviously labor leaders could never agree to
freeze wages when it obvious that prices and
the cost of living would not be checked, let alone
rolled back they had demanded.
THE NEW BOARD will attempt to correct this
situation. According to the Presidents Executive
Order this board will have the power to hear dis
putes, both in the wage and non-wage areas. The
board will receive these either Q) by mutual
request of the parties to the dispute (2 by hav
ing such cases referred to them by the President
himself.
-
tivity and responsibility of the board. Never
theless it is still restricted inasmuch as Sec. 400
of the Executive Order prescribes the duties of the
board on wage issues follows:
"Any wage action taken by the board shall
be consistent with stabilization policies"
TT SEEMS TO ME that the Interpretation and
application of this section shall determine whether
or not the Board will last. We told that
Economic Stabilizer had assured the labor repre-
sentatives that he Will accept the Boards recon-
mendation wage policies. Since it is known that
labor is fighting mad about the threat to the
called cost living escalator clauses in agree
ments the first request from the Board to Mr. John
stOn we presume will be clear cut statement that
these clauses shall not be tempered with 1t is OBJ
vious that all the government has to do is stop the
rise in the cost of living and these clauses become
meaningless. Actually, if the cost of living should
decline workers would have to take a wage cut
under these escalator clauses.
Another demand by labor will be the recogni-
tion by the government of existing collective bar
gaining agreements. Most UAW-CIO agreements
now i'm existance call for an annual Improvement
factor wage increase of four cents per hour. We
are told that people in Mr.. Johnston's office
would like to wipe these out, too. Mr. Johnston will
be told that union did not negotiate these wage
improvements that the government could take
them away from our people. ft
All in all it seems to me that this new 18 mem
ber trpartte board-six public, six industry, six
labor, will be afforded opportunity to if the
present muddle existing in the wage stabilization
field can be cleared up
We think it be cleared up, provided Eco
nomic Stabilizer Johnston and Mobilization Direc-
tor c. E. Wilson give heed to the sensible wage
recommendations of labor. That, of course, means
not only flexible wage program, but the adoption
OF price program that will really peg prices and
stop the rise in the cost Of living.