The potters herald. [volume] (East Liverpool, Ohio) 1899-1982, 1951-01-18
Organized
(E0Hfinued from Page O1s)

| Of Lne hallway LABOR Executives
Assn. Although the Wage Board
invited them TO present individual
statements, they joined instead in
presenting a single program.
The machinery they suggested is
very similar to the War Produc-
tion Board Of World War III, but
avoiding many Of the pitfalls Of
the old WPB. 1t would grant the
Wage Sterilization Board the pow
er both to set wage policies and to
settle labor disputes.
AS things stand now, WSB hasn't
even the power to make its own de-
cisions about wages. 1t must sub
NIT them to Economic Sterilization
Director Alan Valentine (the man
who killed the price freezes.)
No change is needed in the De-
fense Production Act for Valentine
to give the board authority to make
decisions, the labor leaders said.
Board decisions could be appealed
to Wilson.
In addition to a Board with "real
Authority, any wage stabilization
program to succeed must be a
supplement to, but not a substitute
for, collective bargaining" the
labor group said.
Equality Of sacrifice" must be
the key to the controls program,
they emphasized
"The Defense Production Act
clearly fails as a price stabilizine
instrument. And it is clear that ap-
peals for voluntary price controls
have already failed; exhortations
are meaningless without enforce
ment powers and penalties" the
labor men declared
They listed four outstanding
weaknesses in the price control
provisions Of the act: No power is
provided to hold down effectively
the price Of foods; no power is pro
vided to halt speculation in the
commodity markets; no power is
provided by the Act, or by any
other legislation, to hold down
rents effectively; power to prohibit
hidden price rises through lowered
quality standards is inadequate.
Their recommendations for q
wage stabilization program includ
ed:
TIME INEQUITIES: Inequities
existing when wage stabilization
starts should be recognized and cor
rected. These, resulting from con-
tract expirations, partial wage set
Elements, changing economic condi-
tions in some industries, changes
in the status Of union organization
and other factors, should be fixed
not by any mathematical formulas,
but through collective bargaining.
COST OF LIVING ADJUST
MENTS: These will be unnecessary
if and when the price line is held.
They are not cause, but a sym
ptom of initiation, and should bel
guaranteed as a protection to work
ers.
PRODUCTIVITY RAISES: Pro-
visions in existing contracts forl
future wage raises should be hon
ored. Adjustments based on indus
trial progress and increased pro-
ductivity should be allowed so that
workers can maintain their relative
position in the economy, and have
an incentive toward greater effic- |
iency Productivity can go up inl
wartime. (They offered to present
detailed figures as proof
INDUSTRY AND AREA STA
BILIZATION: Many contracts in
the past few years have corrected
inequities as we'll as
geographical inequities. The Board
should allow correction of any such
still existing, whether
they exist in plant, in an indus
try, or in an area.
MERIT RAISES AND PROMO
TIONS: The Board should not in
terfere with these except to pro-
vide broad general checks against
abuse. They should be settled
promptly in collective bargaining.
SUBSTANDARD. WAGES: The
nation cannot achieve maximum
if it condemns large
Of workers and their fam
lies to substandard conditions for
he duration of what is expected to
De a long period of emergency.
They should be adjusted (without
lpsetting job rate differentials) /
and should not be counted as cost
# living raises.
OTHER ECONOMIC BEN E.
FITS: Health, welfare, retirement
md other benefit plans, since they
10 not pay off Immediately, do not
,oost current buying power. There
ore, they are not inflationary and
shouldn't be subject to wage con-
rolls of any type.
The wage Board, the labor group
pointed out, "can influence directly
ess than so percent of all personal
ncome, and most of that in the
over and middle income brackets.
The greatest inflationary threat,
hey said, comes from the upper in
ome groups not affected by the
Roo rd,c actiuitiaS iii