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Show THE SEARCHLIGHT D Manpower Resources-(Continued from preceding Steel Com- “We depend on the production committee to settle troubles before they develop. When difficulties threaten I call the committee and let them do the work. We are fast overcoming the suspicion which formerly existed between men and management.”— R. B. Cullen, Blaw-Knox Company (A bomb finishing plant), Columbus, Ohio. MR. CLEVELAND “We asked for suggestions from men in all departments and immediately began to see results. We now have hundreds of suggestions which we know are good, and hope soon to be at the point where we can put them all into effect.”—E. L. Cleveland, Marion Steam Shovel Company, Marion, Ohio. Mr. J. J. Turner, chief industrial engineer for Wheeling Steel Corporation, Wheeling, West Virginia, made the flat statement that labor-management committees increased produc- tion. Union members of labor-management production committees were equally enthusiastic about the results of committee activities. Typical of the comment from union representatives is that of Charles McDonald of Loeal 1833, USA—CIO, who said: “I think every plant should have a labormanagement production committee because of the results we got.” WPB On the production tor of the Production CITES PRODUCTION GAINS overall picture of labor-management committees, Mr. Wendell Lund, direcLabor Production Division of the War Board, and his assistant, Mr. Philip J. Clowes, said that reports to Washington indicate that production gains of from 10 to 40 per cent or more have followed the formation of such committees. Contrast the foregoing expressions, from responsible executives, with the situation in the Editor’s for the ment. note: above We are summary indebted of opinions Utah cott Copper and to Steel by Labor manage- Nevada divisions of Ienne- Corporation. THE page) Berthold, Vice-President, Sweet pany, Williamsport, Pa. MR. CULLEN various KENNECOTT DOMAIN The Itennecott companies organized labormanagement committees early in 1942. But management instead of the workers selected the labor personnel of the committees. In virtually all instances the managers appointed their own plant yes-men—the type who organize company unions when the boss feels it necessary to have one. Those individuals hear with their boss’s ears; see with his eyes; think with his brains; swear when he swears; sigh when he sighs; and have even fewer creative impulses than a sick cow. Naturally such committees are mere paper organizations. They are organized merely to give lip service to the program of Donald M. Nelson while they carry on in the same old way, with the same old results. UTAH ORDNANCE PLANT Or, consider the Utah Ordnance Plant, run by a division of Remington Arms Company. The first thought of that concern is to prevent the formation .of legitimate labor organiza- tions. It gives the thriving Arms Plant union only such recognition as is required by law. The Company knows very well it cannot. launch a successful labor-management production committee until it recognizes and enters into forthright bargaining relationships with the Arms Plant union. A COUNTERFEIT COMMITTEE Nevertheless it has organized a ‘‘ War Production Drive’’ on the Kennecott plan. There is not a single representative of a bona fide labor union on the Remington committee. The offer of the union to organize a bona fide committee in cooperation with Remington management has been ignored. the results are exactly what might be exThe supervision is incompetent, and repected. pels suggestions from workers for plant improveA disproportionate amount of material is ment. There is a woeful lack of coused up in scrap. ordination in operations which results in a few employees working at high speed while others are And Morale obliged to loaf and kill time on the job. The general atmosphere is that is not too good. extra help any up with Remington can make lack of production arising from inefficiency. The (Continued on following page) |