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Show L ITT" I I When the leaders of the Steelworkers' Notwithstanding these considerations, the I TT . , , , e .. Union continued to press for inflationary in- I I Union called half a million of its mem- I I creases. I I bers out of the steel mills last week, they I I began a strike for more inflation. COMPANIES MAKE PROPOSALS I 1 The companies proposed that the present level of 1 I That is the issue ... the real issue ... at stake in wages and benefits (including the current 17-cent l I the steel strike. cost-of-living accumulation) be extended for an addi- I I Inflation is an issue which affects the future secu- tional year beyond June 30, 1959. They remain con- I I rity of every man, woman and child in America - of vinced that this offered the best way for the Union I 1 steelworkers themselves as they compete for jobs and Companies to join with their 177,000,000 fellow J .1 against the low-paid workers in steel abroad - of the Americans in the fight against inflation. I 1 steel companies and of every other industry in the But the Union leaders rejected this proposal out " ' I I country. of hand. U . I Inflation is an issue which may even affect the secu- In a final effort to prevent a strike, the Companies I rity and the credit of the American government then made this offer to the Union: I I itself. "We are willing to negotiate insurance and pension II Inflation is an All-American issue! benefits during the first year of a two-year agreement I I and a modest wage increase in the second year, if the I I . COMPANIES SOUGHT NON-INFLATIONARY PACTS Uni?? wUl fgTee to Cnfraf Provisi which wouli 1.1 enable us to generate further economic progress in I 1 . , . . l. operations sufficient to offset the cost of such in- During the bargainmg the Companies sought non- ,. tfmmm 1 I inflationary labor agreements. They realize that no ""-L H I one industry no one union - can alone and single- Further, the Companies assured the Union that si3jA I 1 handed stop inflation. there was no desire to limit the economic progress of I 1 T-, , ., , , ,, , ,, . . steelworkers. They pointed out the wide-open oppor- V I I -out they also know that another wage increase in , , i x v V I . , ,,,, tumties for each mdividual employee to improve hia S 1 I stf n0W W0UId set off slI"Uar fcreasf throughout own income through advancement on the job, promo- if ,4 1 industry as other unions stnve to catch up with the tion and incentive compensation. I '-ttj II steelworkers. This would force higher prices for every- I wfLJ- l I I thillg yU b?'y' 6Ven PHCe Sted COMPANIES ASK END OF WASTEFUL PRACTICES I I 11 I -or this reason the steel companies recognized that In order to make possible the improved benefits and I I II I th.y and the steel union have a compelling responsi- wage mcrease which the Compames indicated, these I I I bility not to add to the deadly inflation spiral. Rising changes were sought m the former agreements: I , . - 1 HI prices have already eaten away half the buying power First, that the so-called local work-practice clauses I V (0??x, ' W I of your dollar in less than 20 years. in the labor agreements be clarified so that manage- I i 1 m, i j -j u ments in cooperation with the Union could take rea- x v. r- 11 I 1 he Union leaders recognized no such responsibility. ,. . ,. . . . . . I r f0-s. t f .V. 11 1 j ii. j j j i a sonable actions to eliminate waste and improve effi- 1 A X A3"Tv VH I I hey persisted to the very end in demands for infla- j xu u x X n. . 1 ff yrt s y fV f I 4 - I , jl i mu il ciency and thereby effect savings for the benefit of 1 fi V"".i Jt l 0mr1-nm,t tionary increases in wages and benefits. Then, for the , " jf sixth time since World War II, they closed down the '' jrw Jjsjgr 'f'-- 1L v ibr nation's steel mills. Second, that the agreements include stronger meas- Jfc'k ures discourage wildcat strikes which hurt thou- II f & " .iri sands of innocent workers as well as the Companies. f 6 fi S J B ? '- -Lu m e' NO ONE WILL BENEFIT M I 1 1 jj J 7 Despite the obvious fairness and soundness of these " I y V. No one wiU benefit from a steel strike. Many hard- proposed measures, they were rejected by the Union. I I jf Ships wiU result But the Sreatest harm of all would ?fc insisted on an immediate and inflationary wage I f . S rfr jfmmmmm come from another inflationary spiral. This would be increase. .ir I jf 1 J the certain consequences of acceding to the Union's In addition, the Companies proposed that the auto- -.- i' I A - . I f demands. matic cost-of-living clauses be discontinued, because X t-"J I - Steelworkers themselves are aware that they gain f6 lsho . thfat these ; of themselves, tend to - t : I a 1 ... . ., . ,. . feed inflation. 1 his, too, was turned down. .R . I B little or nothing in the end from inflationary wage m- A J r creases. Their views have been revealed by scores of PROGRESS MUST BE NON-INFLATIONARY S f$ vw S w JT surveys by leading newspapers and magazines A ' tf zfiSOPiBi throughout the country. Steelworkers have made great economic progress. We 1 Y. xwV, BSSC J8! i 1 want them to make further progress. But another I Jf Sj i 1 UNION CLOSES ITS EARS TO FACTS round of inflationary wage increases for them now Jf J, would only add to the already burdensome living costs jY ii iiib jT im Throughout the negotiations the Union leaders have of a11 Americans- r" W M closed their ears to these salient facts: We believe that, in standing firm against the forces r x-VV XNVfc. Steelworkers are now paid at the highest level of of inflation in the great basic steel industry, we are V rT A tXX 6 Wrld'S industrial workers -their averaee eam- com anils' CUn emP'yeeS Uf g V y f inSs are nearly $25 a day plus benefits of an added companies. 1 A 1 W S $4-88 a day. This amounts to about $7 a day more We would appreciate your views and comments on J X J $ 4 than the average of all manufacturing workers in our stand- Just write to the address below. A XX vPv Steelworkers' gains in recent years have outstripped THE STEEL COMPANIES COORDINATING COMMITTEE f frSX ' those in any other industry. 375 Lexington Avenue . New York 17, New York V Another round of wage and benefit increases now TT Lcutdlu,mrsteel f Armco steel corporation a ... , . . . , .ri Bethlehem Steel Company The Colorado Fuel 4. Iron Corporation jgr Will tend further to price Steelworkers Out Of markets Great Lakes Steel Corporation Inland Steel Company Jonet & j&f at home and abroad, as they compete With lower-paid Laughlln Steel Corporation Kaiser Steel CorporaUon Republic Steel L r Corporation United States Steel Corporation Wheeling Steel Cop- Workers. poratlon Tha Youngstown Sheet & Tuba Company. |