Evening star., 1952-02-08
Steel Counsel Raps
Union Interference
In Company Function,
BY the Assoeiassd Press


NEW YORK, Feb. 8.-R. n
Larry, general counsel for the
United States Steel Corp. said
today that union demanded veto
powers against introduction Of
new chronological changes would
amount to a Job freeze" and loss
Of management initiative.
Mr.. Larry addressed the six
man Wage Sterilization Board
Panel attempting to avert a strike
threatened by the $50 ,000-member
CIO United Steelworkers In a con-
tract dispute.
The union is demanding an
181a-cent-an-hour pay boost. q
minimum guaranteed annual wage
and other contract benefits. Cur
rent hourly pay averages $1.92 to
$1.97.
Mr.. Larry said steel companies
must continue to exercise their
rights" in determining the num-
ber and composition Of the jobs
to be filed in their plants.
Three Major Objections.
He made the following three
major points" against what he
called union attempts to interfere
with the functions of manage
ment:
/. Management has certain
basic and inherent rights which
do not spring from a grant in a
collective bargaining agreement.
2. The expired agreements be-
tween the steel companies and the
CIO union have recognized these
rights, which include determine
ton of job composition and the
management right to change such
composition in the interest Of
efficient organization.
3. No valid reasons exist for now
requiring management to submit
its decisions regarding the number
and composition Of jobs to a union
veto.
1.-THE right of management to
develop an efficient organization
for a given operation does not die
with its initial determination. ;"
Mr.. Larry said. There is a con-
tinuing responsibility-one which
cannot be sub-contracted to the
union or to third parties"
Company's Rights Emphasized.
Management'S exercise of the
job composition-and-change func-
ton, he said, violates no inter-
ests of the employe in the job"
Such a company right, he said,
has not been used for ''anti-unionI
purposes or discrimination against
employees or groups Of employees. ;"
THE introduction of technolog-
tcal changes is only a part of the
responsibilities of management IN
the interests of an efficient Or
ganization," he said, adding:
If the union accepts, as itI
must, the management right to-
create a job and the right to al
job, there should be no question:
as to the fact that management
reasonably should have the right
to change a job without destroy
ing it"
Mr.. Larry said his company
"sees no reason to change the
existing word rights to a new
word, responsibilities. However,
the company places no objection
to the Qualification Of the lam
guage, if not already clear, that
management in the exercise of its
rights cannot override or nullify
other provisions of the agree
ment."
John G. Gall, a Washington
attorney. said the union, in de-
manding closed shop, wants, in
effect, a government guarantee
Of it's membership and income"
In prepared testimony for the
Industry opposing the steelworkers'
demand, Mr.. Gall said the union
wanted to strengthen itself "by
force, applied first by the Govern
ment against the employer and
then by the employer upon en-
ployes who either wouldn't want
to Join a union or who, having
Joined, would not remain or pay
dues" 4
"The union seeks a preferred
position over all other private
membership groups and also seeks
the Government right to tax" Mr.
Gall said.
He said the union closed shop
demand is based not on state
of union insecurity but upon. a
union state Of mind"