Evening star., 1952-02-14
Steel Union viii Meet
Feb II 10 Decide on
New Truce or Strike
syihs Assoeiatsd Press

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policy-n1akers Of the CIO United
Steelworkers will meet In Pitts
burgh February 21--either to pre-
pare for D Nationwide steel strikeI
after February % or to extend theI
current truce period in order toI
reach contract agreement.
Philip Murray, president OF the|
CLIO and Of the steelworkers union.l
said yesterday the unions 36-manl
Executive Board and its 170-manl
Wage Policy Committee win meet
next Thursday.
The strike is set tentatively forI
midnight February 23.
Both the New York Times and
the New York Herald Tribune said
today the meeting was to decide
on the length of truce extensionI
in order to effect q peaceful set
tlement In the steel contract dis
pute.
Truce Nears End.
The February % strike date isl
the expiration time Of q 45-dayI
deadline set by the union at itsI
Atlantic City On. j. conventionl
January 3 and 4. The union. inl
acceding to President Truman'sl
request for added arbitration. fig-i
ured the 45-day truce started with
the beginning Of Wage Stabiliza-
tion Board hearings here Janu-
airy 10. 1
The WSB panel is scheduled tol
conclude its union-managementI
hearings Saturday. The panel
has given no indication. whetherI
it will come up with a solution be-
fore the Pittsburgh meeting.
Meanwhile, c. M. White. presi-
dent of Republic Steel Corp. said
today as wage boost in the steel IN
dustry would set of anotherI
round Of ruinous imitation which
would affect every one"
Harmful to Nation.
In statement prepared for the |
Wage Sterilization Board Panel,
Mr.. White added:
"It is my firm conviction that |
to grant any further wage increase |
to employees Of the steel industry |
at this time would be contrary to
the best interests Of the industry |
and the Nation as q whole, and
also contrary to the best interests |
Of these employees as we'll.
ANY further wage boost in the |
steel plants would inevitably lead
to general wage and price in
creases throughout the Nation
The United Steelworkers seek
an 18la-cent-an-hour wage raise,
q guaranteed annual wage and a |
number Of other benefits, includ-
ing night differential, holiday,
vacation and overtime pay.
For every dollar increase in liv-
ing costs since World War II, Mr..
White said, steelworkers' wages
have gone up $1.35. =
Employe Benefits Cited.
He said Republic steelworkers|
were paid an average Of $1.95 per-
hour IN 1851, plus an average Of
$3.50 In such employe benefits as
pensions. social security and in
surance.
Industry spokesmen have esti-
mated that the current hourly
wage averages $1.97. Union fig
ures put It at about $1.92.
Mr.. White said the unions con-
tention that wage increases could
be taken from profits is absurd" II
In 1851, he said, Republics profits
were $54, 1921 Sal, IA per cent lessl
than in 1850.
Since World War II, he said,
Republic has started a plant ex-
pansion in Cleveland which will
cost more than SITS million, and
1t has acquired large interests inl
ore deposits in West Africa,
Labrador. Venezuela and Minne-
sofa.
S1JV NIhNUu GOA1Uu1tGG0s
These undertakings" he said.
have resulted in commitments by
Republic Of approximately $3.50
million during the past six years.
In that time we have had depre-
citation allowances Of $126 million.
We have borrowed 500 million.
We may be able to borrow $50 or
$50 million more. But the remain
ing SITS million must be met from
profits and depreciation.
I'VE must have adequate profits
and we must retain substantial
portion Of those profits in our busi-
ness to do the job that is neces-
sary to discharge our obligations to
the country, to our customers, to
our stockholders and to our en-