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Show en THE SEARCHLIGHT Manpower Resources Not Exhausted (Continued from preceding page) enough to produce it. On their own initiative, and their own intensified efforts they speeded up a production rate that already had been considered efficient and satisfactory. ATTITUDE IMPROVES In recent months the Company has begun to unbend somewhat toward its Lark employees, and to display a growing interest in higher production levels, it now sees as a result of their activity. The Company seems to have discovered that maybe, after all, an ounce of cooperation and human consideration is worth a ton of harsh driving and parsimony. It is to be hoped that it applies its new discovery to Midvale, where there is room for great improvement The Lark miners at its smelter. deserve especial com- mendation. They went forward in a discouraging atmosphere to real achievement. And, like the Garfield smeltermen, they were not content with doing a good went on from month to month NATIONWIDE job well. ‘They to do it better. SUCCESS Before turning to the urgent need for additional bona fide labor-management production committees in Utah and Nevada where the manpower situation is critical, we glance at reports from employers in different parts of the country. MR. MILLETT “We established a labor-management committee early in the war effort. Since its formation the output of the plant has increased 400 per cent and we expect it to go higher. This performance was due to the sincere cooperation of company and union and would have been impossible without it. “The success of this drive hinges on one single factor, a spirit of sincere cooperation between union in furthering J. Millett, Asst. the war effort.’—William Works Mer., Worthington Pump & Machinery company Corporation, MR. and Harrison, New Jersey. SYMINGTON “Now I can say that all of our early skepticism and doubt concerning the ability of any labor-management committee to function effectively has been completely erased and for these reasons: Because of the demonstrated wholehearted and sincere cooperation of the labor members of our committees; their willingness to assume responsibilities; to exchange opinions and ideas with us; and help us carry through the suggestions which committee meetings brought forth. In our experience no committee could produce satisfactory results unless it was first understood and agreed that the keynote would be—sincerity.”—C. J. Symington, President Symington-Gould Corporation, Depew and Rochester, New ‘York. MR. STRIYKER Suggestions adopted (by labor-management committees) cover a wide range of subjects such as safe practices, reduction of errors and scrap, improvement of production methods, reduction of use of critical materials, better inspection methods, improved jigs, fixtures and tools, better control of production, job simplification, worker training and introduction of new employees.”— C. E. Striyker, Vice-President, Nordberg Manufacturing Company, Milwaukee, Wisconsin. MR. LEFEBVRE “IT am enthusiastic about labor-management committees. It is difficult to evaluate exactly—or credit exactly—the contribution made by the labor management committees, but during the period since such committees were set up in March, 1942, we have increased the volume of our business 240 per cent; inventory turnover has been increased from 2.3 to 4.8, and scrap has gone down from 23 per cent to 3 per cent.”—Gordon Lefebvre, Vice-President and Gen. Mgr. Cooper-Bessemer Corporation. MR. BERTHOLD “The success of any such joint committee depends upon both sides being absolutely sincere. We told the Union what we had to do to stay in business. The men in the plant showed us how to do it. There were two results: (1) There was a marked reduction in costs; after (2) raise We have given that cost us (Continued on following the men nothing.’—B. page) raise A. eee eee |