The Detroit tribune. (Detroit, Mich.) 1935-1966, 1955-08-20
Some Ideas Of Countering-
Continued from Back Page)
SOME IDEAS FOR cOuNTERikG SQUEEZE
PLAYS" BY UNIONS

SOME IDEAS FOR COUkTERIkG SQUEEZE
PLAYS" BY UNIONS
To the N. Y. Herald Tribune:
Ford and General Motors the victims Of the old
Squeeze play by single labor union, and chrysIsr 10 next
Some time the country will have through fhs rule beck
again and changes For what works In
autos works work in oil other industries
To any TO this game. the squeeze play works
like this All workers belong big union and are
under united command Ford General Motors and chryssr
are separate organizations The workers united fhs
psnss divided, and divided they fall"
The United Auto Worksrs-c picks of The eompsniss,
by threatens strike Ford and while the strike
let General Motors and chryssr continue TO produce
Should this happen Ford Is kept hsndevsd while lie
pstiiors of with the market.
So Ford signs vp-vndsr dvrsss Then II Is General
Motors turn and General Motors signs up And and
down TO The smaller companies.
This squeeze play goes by the happy Of free" COL
Isefvs bargaining
One competitor after another Is whpsswsd Until ell
brought into line wages up, costs up prices vp Az
every wage increase is another cost, Joe and Mary
Doaks pay the bill.
Now threatened with another round Of imitation
forced up from the bottom by hs power Of united labor ops
rating indvsfry-wde basis.
Steel signed up announced increase in The price
Of steel to cover the wage increase.
IF THIS SQUEEZE PLAY WEREN'T LEGAL" IT
WOULD CONE UNDER ANY DICTIONARY DEFINITION OF
RAcKETEERINc WHICH IS "ExToRTIkc MONEY BY
THREAT OF VIOLENCE FROM LEGITIMATE BUSINESS
MEN," BUT THE FACT THAT IT IS LEGAL" DOES NOT
MAKE IT MORALLY RIGHT OR ECONOMICALLY SOUND.
this squeeze play could be sxforiIon Of eli
automobile buyers by the automobile workers, The public
wouldn't stand for IT, and would not remain "lsss for
long
Management at Detroit had way protect itself.
orsd The law rugged in favor Of The unions The
key TO their TO sxfor Is indvsfywds bargaining by
one vnion-knoek 'em of by one.
Every will agree that wage increases based In
productivity Of the labor forces justified Bot any
in the know and think with reference 10 hs Detroit
settlement knows that Ford and General Motors went much
further than they would have gone they had been free
agents had had equal bargaining power with the " W.
What TO do? We will have 10 face 10 the sqvsszs play
before long, throw in the 70 dominant group
which will be the power behind the throne in the City Hall,
State House, and Congress itself
One way is forbid indvssrywds vnions that
The workers Ford General Motors, chsIsr and hs other
plants belong separate unions and ths with
steel, railroads, ships, etc.
Henry Ford has offered another solution Let the workers
have their indvsds vnion But Lot management have shs
power industry WIDE Mr. Ford dss basic wage
throughout the industry II company 10 struck
eli are struck.
MR. FORD SAYS THIS HAS NEVER BEEN TRIED BE,
FORE AND =" CAN'T SAY RIGHT NOW HOW IT WILL
TURN OUT IN THE AUTO INDUSTRY. BUT WOULD LIKE
ITo SEE IT TRIED. HOW CAN THEY SAY IT IS NOT Posi-.
BILE WHEN IT HAS NEVER BEEN TRlED7"
MR. REUTER- LATER SAID FoRD's PLAN INDICATED
|"coLLUsIoN." WELL. NOW WHAT BRIGHT THOUGHT
THAT Isl COLLISION IS o. K. WHEN UNITED AUTO
WORKERS USE IT. BUT NO GOOD " THE COMPANIES
USE IT.
Why is II right side Of the bsrssirns table and
wrong the other side?
Is equal justice under law what preserve in
America, do like what hsvs-"lnsqvsIify Of
Justice before the Isw"7
Equal rights for all, special privileges for nons" We
don't have that sny but 10 there any better ysrde
10 govern our industrial rslstions7
I'm not saying Mr.. Fords proposal s ihs best wsY out
but had better begin thinking about H. something better
The beginning point ihs realization Of the economic
fact that Mr. Revfhsr gain al the cost Of Mary and ice
Dosk us TO continue 10 claim that increases
that beyond increased productivity Of hs worker good
for hs whole nation They nothing but The forced transfer
Of money from pocket 70 another Because Of and
price increase The has much less hs labor
union member has
Weakness cooperate with anything. Only strength
can cooperate.
Edward r. Hutton
New York, Aug. II, 1855