Show One House Of Labor Again ain By Babson's Reports Inc Wellesley Hills Mass August August August Au Au- gust 13 MOST TOP union authorities authorities authorities ties would like to see the United Auto Workers brought back into the CIO and there are signs that such a reunification may actually beon be beon beon on the way The return of this innovative innovative innovative tive union would add 14 million million million mil mil- lion members to the Federations Federation's Federations Federation's Federations Federation's Feder Feder- existing million in affiliates This would of course mean a shoring up of the power of organized labor labor labor la la- bor plus a substantial and welcome increase in the flow of dues into CIO coffers IT WAS NOT much of a surprise to anyone when leader Walter Reuther took his group out of the Federation Federation Federation Federa Federa- tion in mid He and President President President dent of the CIO had long held different philosophies philosophies philosophies phi phi- as to the best ways of operating Reuther fiery and considered by many to be of radical wanted bent labor to be fully involved in social problems problems lems in order to gain gam the loyalty of the progressive element element element ele ele- ele- ele ment the young and the minority minority min min- groups tended to b be more conservative willing to win out by practical maneuvering rather than by on head-on at at- tacks In the the animosity of Reuther toward his superior Federation officer seemed to grow more intense than ever HIS CHARGES of backward old fashioned tactics became more frequent Reuther contended contended contended con con- tended that the policy-making policy executive council of the CIO included no representatives representatives tives of government and white collar employees who have for some time been making up the most rapidly growing section of organized labor Then came his abrupt withdrawal withdrawal with with- from the Federation joining the independent status status stat stat- us of the Teamsters which had been expelled from the CIO in 1957 L J i AFTER Walter Reuthers Reuther's death last spring in a tragic plane crash Leonard Woodcock Woodcock Woodcock Wood Wood- cock was named to fill out his term as UA W president This brought the first possible possible possible pos pos- sible opportunity for contemplating contemplating contemplating plating reinstatement of the Auto Workers in the Federation Federation Federation Federa Federa- tion since Woodcock obviously obvious obvious- ly did not feel the same hostility toward President as had Reuther IN FACT Woodcock recently recently recently re re- re- re visited the CIO offices to discuss national health insurance and this was the first time in two years that any bigwig had been in the Federations Federation's head head- quarters Should the be absorbed absorb absorb- ed back into the house of labor it is certain that Woodcock would be given a seat on the executive coun coun- cil BUT IT SHOULD be noted that those closest to him claim he has no serious ambitions ambitions ambitions am am- toward higher office as did Reuther It is said that he wants only to achieve a highly satisfactory satisfactory satisfactory sat sat- agreement with the Big Three in the automotive automotive auto auto- automotive motive field this year Then he will be content to bring his experience and knowledge knowledge knowledge know know- ledge to the council and probably be if somebody else aims for the highest echelon position when that is vacated by President who is 76 this month THE TALK of such a re- re merger has thus far been mostly in Washington and primarily behind the scenes Woodcock himself has denied denied denied de de- de- de nied that there is y yet t any such intention and adds that nobody in Detroit is talking about it IT IS obvious and and natural that his prime concern at this time is not to carry his UA W back into the Federation Federation Federation Fed Fed- it is to draw up an agreement that will provide provide provide pro pro- vide his members in the auto firms with sizable wage increases and widened fringe benefits Such a success would make for prestige that might considerably considerably considerably con con- ease the re-entry re into the CIO with his 14 million men NOW AND again there has been talk of the Federations Federation's accepting the Teamsters back eventually if corruption were entirely stamped out But this is not so likely in the foreseeable future James Hoffa HoUa still in iJ jail for jury tampering tampering tam tam- poring will be president until until un un- un- un til his term expires in 1971 Until that time there is no chance of what happens thereafter remains to be seen |