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Show -- THURSDAY, . I XY THE LEHI FREE PRESS, LEHI. UTAH 2S. 1959 . v. - f ' When the leaders of the Steelworkers Union called half a million of its mem-:be- rs out of the steel mills last week, they began a strike for more inflation. Notwithstanding in- - The companies proposed that the" present level of "'Wages "and benefits (including the current 17-ce- nt acctmmIaHon)''t)e .extended for arllddi-- " remaih'con-vince- d tionalyearjbeyond June 30, 1959. They the Union for that this offered the best way 'and Companies to join with their 177,000,000 fellow Americans in the fight against inflation. ! cosi-oMrv&- low-pai- g leaders rejected this proposal out of hand. , In a final effort to prevent a strike, the Companies then made 'this offer to the Union: "We are waling to negotiate insurance and pension benefits during the first year of a two-yeagreement and a modest' wage increase in the second year if the Union will agree to contract provisions which'would enable lis to generate further economic prbgress in ; operations sufficient to offset 'the cost of such ... itself. issue! COMPANIES SOUGHT th COMPANIES RAKE PROPOSALS the steel strike. Inflation is an issue which affects the future security of every man, woman and child in America of steelworkers themselves as they compete for jobs d workers in steel abroad of the against the steel companies and of every other industryTrTThe country. . Inflation is an issue which may even affect the security and the credit of the American government an ileio Union continued to press for inflationary ' creases. That is the issue ... the real issue . . . at stake in Inflation is an J ar PACTS " During the bargaining the Companies sought labor agreements. They realize that no d no one union can alone and one industry stop inflation. But they also know that another wage increase in steel now would set off similar increases, throughout industry, as other unions strive to catch up with the steelworkers. This would force higher prices for everything you buy, even if the price of steel were held at " f present levels. For this reasorithe steel companies recognizecfthat they and the steel union have a compelling responsibility not to add to the' deadly inflation spiral. Rising prices have already eaten away half the buying power 4 bf your dollar in less than 20 years. The Union leaders recognized no such responsibility. They persisted to the very end in demands for inflationary increases in Vages and benefits. Then, for the sixth time since World War II, they closed down the nation's steel mills. ry i " single-hande- ' 'Rirther, the Companies fissured' the Union Tthat here'WasTSdldesire to limit the economic progress of steelworkers. They pointed out the wide-ope- n opportunities for each individual employee to improve his own income through advancement on the job, promo-tio- n and Incentive compensation. CTMPANIES ASK END OF WASTEFUL PRACTICES . NO ONE WILL BENEFIT In order torflake possible the improved benefits and " niVrase which the Companies indicated,' these changes were sought in the former agreements: clauses local Tirstrtnailhe in the labor agreements be clanned so that rnanage-mentsrin cooperation with the Union could take" rea-f- f sonable actions to eliminate waste 'kn J impfovi efficiency" and thereby effect savings for the benefit of all; and Second, that theligreementf mcfude strong meas-ure- s to discourage ifrildcat strikesrtwhich hurt thou- -' sands of innocent workers as well as the Companies. Respite the'obvious fairness and spimduwspHhese 'ipJbposed measures, they were rejected by the Union. It "insisted' on an immediateahd Inflationary wage wage1 -- mitt 'No onewill benefit from a steel strike. Many. hard-'ships will result. But the greatest harm of all would come from another Inflationary spiral This would be the certain consequences of acceding to the Union's demands. " Steelworkers themselves are'aware that they gain little or nothing in the end from inflationary wage increases. Their views have been revealed by scores of surveys by leading newspapers and magazines throughout the country. Throughout the negotiations the Union leaders have closed their ears to these salient facts: Steelworkers are now paid at the highest level of the world's industrial workers their average earnings are nearly $25 a day plus benefits of an added $4.88 a day. This amounts to about $7 a day more than the average of all manufacturing workers in America. Steelworkers' gams in recent years have outstripped ' those in any other industry. Another round of wage and benefit increases now will tend further to price steelworkers out of markets at home and abjad, as they compete with lower-pai-d workers. ce 'crMse. v n Irildditioni the Companies proposed that theauto-- , matic " UNION CLOSES ITS EARS TO FACTS work-practi- so-call-ed ' clauses be discontinued because shows experience that these, of themselves, tend to feed inflation. This;toKwMfftM?d flown. cost-of-livi- . PROGRESS " MUST1 BE! NOTNFLATIdNARY Steelworkers have made great economic progress. We want them to make further progress.' But another round 6f inflationary wage' Increases for. 'thera now 'would only add to thealready burdensome living costs of all Americans. Weheheve that, in standing firm' against the forces of inflation in the great" basic steel industry, we are best serving bur country, our ' employees and our companies. We would appreciate your viewsand comments on our stand. Just write to thVadress below THETKL COMPARES .foixlnoton di$t AviniJ. CN&ATOa CTTEE ' tfoVVofk nKffVork .udlum ItaalUrpWipiuA athlanam Staal Company Tha Colorado Fual & iron Corporation Croat lakaa Stool Corporation Inland Stat! Company Jonaa a Laufhim Staal Corporation Kalaar Staal Corporation Rapublle Staal Corporation Unltad States Staal Corporation Whaallng staal Tha Yotihfatown Shoot 4 Tuba Company. |