OCR Text |
Show June 1972 Utah Farm Bureau News In The Looking Dr. George S. Benson President NATIONAL EDUCATION PROGRAM Searcy, Arkansas . Interest of Farm Workers By V. Allen Olsen Ahead i The news media reports that Cesar Chavez fasted for 24 days in protest against the new farm labor law in Arizona but one wonders why it seems such a bad thing to Mr. Chavez for farm workers to havethe right to join a union or stay out of one as they choose. Nineteen states have right to work laws for workers giving them the right to organize labor unions or not as they decide for themselves. But Mr. Chavez wants no such law for farm workers. As a result of the grape boycott participated in by poorly informed people who most likely did not understand the facts surrounding the effort to organize the grape pickers, the workers were forced into the farm workers union by non-agricultu- PROGRESS WITH FREE ENTERPRISE When the American free en- terprise system evolved out of the principles of private ownership of property and the competitive market there was nothing like it in all the world. The principle of private ownership meant two basic things to Americans: independence that comes from freedom and and the opportunity to advance economically to the extent of ones ability and devotion to duty. If the grain miller, instead of grinding his corn and wheat with a hand-too- l stone, could build a waterwheel that would turn out ten times as much (and with less manual labor) he was making a contribution to society and helping himself too. Inventions increased rapidly in early America, both on the farms and in the industrial plants. Horsepower on the farm gave way to tractors. One-rocultivators gave way to four or even eight-rocultivators. Transportation exwith the building of panded d highways, railroads, automobiles, and airplanes. self-relian- ce, w w hard-surface- 5 agricultural products is vital to the public interest. It also states that it is the declared policy of the State of Arizona that agricultural employees shall be free to organize, to take concerted action and through representatives of their own choosing, enter into collective bargaining contracts establishing their wages and terms and conditions of employment; or to refrain from engaging in any or all such activities. One thing that the union organizers do not seem to have understood is that the land of farming that depends on hand labor is in a tenuous situation; first, because more and more farming is becoming mechanized thus eliminating many jobs; and second, because most farms operate on such a narrow profit margin that if they are faced by unrest and agitation there agreement between the growers labor will be a strong incentive to farand the union. The workers who to give up the kind of had consistently resisted joining mers agriculture requiring hand labor the union had no voice in the and mechanized adopt g equipment, matter. They are now members whether they like it or solving the problem that way. Insistance by farm labor not. on the kind of conditions organizers The Arizona law which is so that farmers at the mercy of place repugnant to Mr. Chavez gives labor could leaders easily destroy farm workers the right to organize but it also recognizes the jobs and do workers more harm vulnerable nature of agriculture to than good. strikes at harvest time and the unfair nature of boycotts. Any grower faced with a strike at harvest time has little chance to negotiate on an equal basis. The loss ofan entire crop and the whole years work can happen in a very short time unless the work is done. If workers and growers are going to negotiate on anything like an equal basis strikes at harvest time dues-payin- Neil D. Sumslon, Information Director explains background. Road to Delano Uintah County Farm Bureau Holds Meet Recently elected President Carl Oldaker, Uintah County Farm Bureau arranged a meeting of members and civic leaders to air The Road to Delano." The 27 minute film documents the workers point of view in the Chavez labor boycott controversy. Bankers, teachers, public officials and others attended the meeting. The meeting was held during the noon hour to avoid interference with work schedules. The film was also shown at the high school and discussed with FFA students. The significance of the issue stems from efforts being made to prevent marketing of produce unless it is harvested by Chavez unionized farm workers. This action would severly injure farm operators who do all of their own harvesting. They would be forced to pay tribute or not market. The organizing efforts of the Chavez people have now spread outside of the Delano, California area andis currently receiving national must not be allowed. Negotiations on wages and other factors can Screening Out Incompetence The automobile is a good example of how competition works. The auto industry has grown until today it is an $89 billion business. But it started as a $1000 business and a dream. There was much competition along the way. In my files are the names of 1400 companies organized to make automobiles in the last 80 years. Only four are now making automobiles. This doesnt mean that the other 1396 went broke. On the contrary several would combine their inventions and their capitol into a single company to make a better automobile. Others quit trying to make automobiles and started making one or more parts for automobiles. Others started making washing machines or refrigerators, or a hundred other items that America needed or wanted. General Motors alone now has more than 1500 subcontractors, or suppliers, making parts for its automobiles. And the number of employees involved in the whole industry is 2.5 mil- lion. The keen competition, as companies sought a share in the almost unlimited market, required high investment in tools. Consequently, the investment in plant, tools, and inventory today averages out to about $35,000 per job in the auto industry. . The Miracle of Tools The increased productivity brought on through the employment of miraculous machine tools in industry, made a mans hourly work more valuable to the producer. With machine tools he produced a great deal more. So industrial Page increased wages at a dollar a from about day the turn of the century to $25 and even more to $50 a day in some highly skilled machine work. The average income for every man, woman and child in America today is $3600. Which means that the family breadwinner on the average take place prior to the crop season and thus set the stage for a program under which both workers and farmers can go through the season. The ' Arizona law in its declaration of policy states that it is the declared policy of the State of Arizona that the uninterrupted production, packing, processing, transporting, and marketing of makes three times that much. NorIn Western Europe way, Sweden, England, Germany, France, Italy, Belgium, the average the Netherlands per capita income is about $1800, just half as much in purchasing power as Americans enjoy. In. Russia, where they have total Socialism, the average is about $800 a year, less than a fourth. This is a powerful commentary cm the value of our private enterprise system to the people of America. It gives us a living standard four times higher than the Russians have, and more than twice as high as in Western Europe. Success Cannot Be Challenged The two nations coming closest to us in productivity are West Germany and Japan two nations that we taught to follow private enterprise principles after World War II. In fact, it was American free enterprise productivity that won World War I and World War II. Since that time we have aided other nations more than any other people ever to the aided foreign nations tune of perhaps a hundred billion dollars since World War I. The facts weve given here cannot be challenged. Wouldnt we be fools to give up such a productive system! Yet. faith in our American system of private enterprise is being shaken by the propagandists and by some of Our own people who have unconsciously swallowed some of the propaganda and believe that Big Government can provide a better living for everybody. MEW If SILAGE Dairy Feed supplements high energy roughage with needed protein, vitamins, and minerals for increased milk production. ALFALFA IFA 12 Dairy Feed makes up energy deficiencies and supplies extra vitamins and mineral for increased milk production. ALFALFA low grade IFA 16 Dairy Feed makes up for lost energy vitamin and deficiencies and supplies needed minerals for increased milk production. IFA 14 Scientifically formulated for highest milk production. Always available dependable supply assures constant feed program. Dairy Feeds are manufactured from local grains for high quality and IFA economy. See your local manager for challenge feeding, dry cow care, and feed to producIFA tion programs. Bulk delivery anywhere in Utah. (Bags also available at plants) INTERMOUNTAIN FARMERS ASSN. 1800 SOUTH WEST TEMPLE. SALT LAKE CITY. UTAH 84110 18011 467-150- 4 |