Show 1 LABORS LABOR'S IMAGE OF NIXON CHANGING By Babson's Reports Incorporated Incorporated Incorporated Wellesley Hills Mass Most Most of the nations nation's labor leaders were highly suspicious of candidate Nixon when he was running for President nt They didn't like him or trust him and they did everything possible to create an image of him as a dangerous foe of organized labor Hubert Humphrey Humphrey Humphrey Hum Hum- was the unions' unions White Knight and many fought hard for his election So Fart Fars Benefit of the Doubt The contest was hair hair but Nixon won Since his inauguration in- in in inauguration labor officials and the rank and file have file have been watching to see if be lie would prove himself t to to be lie De as much of a rea reactionary labor labor- hater as had been suspected Nixon still hasn't been in inn office of of- flee fice very long but he has has' hasha ha had Plenty of time to reveal any deep set deep set bias Thus far he be hasn't shown any and more and more labor authorities are ready to give him the benefit of the doubt After all the new Chief Executive Executive Exe Exe- has proposed no no legislation legislation legis legis- lation to restrain union powers powers powers pow pow- ers so it is impossible for fair minded fair minded labor representatives tives to label him an archenemy arch arch- enemy In fact even in his earliest days in the White WhiteHouse Whitehouse House Nixon took some steps that could not fall fail to give courage to the CIO and its supporters No Compulsory Arbitration Federation executives noted with relief that Nixon allowed allowed allowed allow allow- ed the East Coast dock walkout walkout walk walk- out to run run its prolonged course without t asking for compulsory arbitration even though the strike obviously dealt a serIous serious serious ser ser- ious blow to business and the public interest It was recalled recalled recalled recall recall- ed that earlier in the game Johnson had called for an 80 day cooling off cooling off period under the Taft Taft Hartley Hartley Act when the original tt lyS s stoppage xa was only two days old Nixons Nixon's st stance certainly Indicated stronger in in of protecting the pro process process pro cess of free collective bargaining bar bar- bar bargaining gaining than had his ostensibly ostensibly osten osten- sibly more pro pro labor labor predecessors precise precise- Another surprise for the doubting Thomas doubting Thomas laborites was Nixons Nixon's immediate call for study of legislation that would guarantee union organizing and bargaining rights for farm workers who are now denied them While his demand for such a survey does not necessarily necessarily mean he would give solid support to the extension of such rights into agriculture agriculture ture union men see aee no reason reason rea rea- son for his making the suggestion suggestion sug sug- If it he is satisfied with the status quo in the industry So additional reluctant converts converts con con- on verts in the house of labor ha have ve been drawn toward the President Only a few diehards diehards die die- hards hard say they expect Nixon might negate bargaining rights won for farm hands by proposing proposing proposing pro pro- posing that harvest time strikes be banned Such a a move would undoubtedly be avoided by Nixon since it would smack of hypocrisy to the union leader leaders whose loyalty loyalty loy loy- alty he Is apparently seeking Goodbye Goodby to Guidelines Murmurs of approval from the union camp arose when Nixon said a formal farewell to the guideline system of wage and price controls that proved completely Ineffective under the Kennedy Johnson on ad ad- ministrations This should now however be interpreted as White House permission for wage wage price price inflation to run riot If inflationary fires are not cooled by money pressures Congress could be asked to tie raises and price boosts to productivity pro pro- gains by law If Congress Congress Congress Con Con- gress should go along with this the results would not be anti anti- labor legislation legislation although although the unions would probably so view it The Presidents President's s campaign vow to do away with the Job Corps if elected seemed to many union people a sharp step away from the Great Society of Johnson Whether or not hot Nixon thought better Of his threat to a abolish bolish the Job Corps to date this controversial controversial controversial con con- agency rests in the hands pf pI the the- Labor Department Department Depart Depart- ment operated by progressive approved by unionists Clearly Nixon does not want to offend labor His success successor or failure in this direction will willbe willbe willbe be determined when critical problems arise involving ts s jobs pay prices taxes or or- labor le legislation |