Show r I Spiritual Waste in Industry I 4 S S gy y WILLIAM GREEN GREE 5 President American Federation of Labor S The rh d d desire of labor to Interest est itself lf in the pr problem b- b lem lm l m of w Waste te in Industry Y is b base d. d n its wl wish h to st r higher wages and to enjoy Improved conditions of oti ment So Sc long as lp l y is only partIally partially par par- tl lly ef efficient labor Jabor believes that the paid can can cane be substantially Increased through an increase In Inc industrial u efficiency and the elimination of waste aste By Bv the same process the cost of manufactured articles articles arti arti- cles des to the public can be materially reduced Waste Vaste in industry may be divided into three classifications material material waste human A waste and spiritual waste Labor has given most careful careful thought to each of thEs these qualifications putting emphasIs emphasis emphasis em em- upon the human and spiritual rather than upon the U in material classification 4 j faG 7 f 1 A Mat Material waste in in- industry however the economic life of the workers As w waste ste detracts detracts detracts de de- de- de tracts from the earnings of ot Industry so it detracts ts from the ages wages of The value of ot the servI serviced ser ser- vl vI s of may be completely destroyed through the operation of wasteful processes and the nie theS S experience of an an Industry may b be changed from a losing venture venturi because of or wasted waste t to an earning ei enterprise en enterprise en- en because of the the elimination of or waste waste The difference between bet industrial success and and industrial failure is th many times tims 1 s found in the theun un Lun- Lun unwarranted warranted destruction of raw materials materIal natural n 11 ural uraI resources re- re sources and finished products the uneconomic use use of ot means of ot production and negligence in the care of ot machinery ry and mechanical devices Furthermore labor realizes that indefensible waste takes place when I lab labors labor's rs r's industrial efforts go for naught or are c- c duplicated A Joint study supplemented by bj j joint int efforts can can overcome overcome this destructive evil When we consider r spiritual waste we deal with values which are most sacred and precious Wo We can can- ii not lOt t estimate nate their worth or appraise their tance ance The success of industry requires the maintenance maintenance maintenance nance of or a high morale and that 5 sort rt of ot spirit which Is s inspired by a zeal and enthusiasm for service Management should Inspire and encourage the development development devel- devel of or the moral moralS and spiritual papers ers of ot the yorker worker by paying high wages creating Opportunities opportunities opportunities for leisure and re recreation and by consultation consultation consulta- consulta tion ion with the workers through their chosen r pre pre- Low Lov wages Intolerable conditions of of employment em- em excessive e hours of labor and autocratic t nt dull the Intellect br break bieak ak down morale crush rush the spirit and chill the inter interest st of ot working People eople Treatment accorded workers by a management which classifies them as mere machines and which bestows bestows' upon them certain benefits In a a. paternalIstic paternal- paternal istle way tends to bring ab about ut a decline In spirItual spir- spir i ual and moral values Management should shoud Ize the right of th the workers to develop their spir- spir tu l Intellectual and mora moral powers They should be e accorded the fullest and freest opportunity t to do so l If all the older as we well 1 as the newer problems out oit of industrial activities are are to be dealt with by employers and the machinery of bargaining must be more universally utilIzed utilised util- util and st strengthened Management c can n do dp a great d eal al to prevent waste and further the elimination of ot waste waste vaste On the theother h hand nd labor can assist management manage ment not noe only In dealing with the problem of waste but ut also in dealing with other Industrial problems l j f given gl an opportunity to do do so Labor is willing and ready to io do Its share in the performance of ot this work The trade union union is an agency through ugh this character of service can be ren- ren dered 9 copyright 1927 COm Cosmos Cosm s Newspaper Syndicate Inc |