Higher Prices Cancel Benefits

Northern Advocate, 8 January 1947, Page 3

Higher Prices Cancel Benefits

An important present danger was the possibility that prices might be raised beyond consumers’ purchasing power Recent price increases had denied to many workers much of the value of the recent wage increases Farmers likewise had found a large part of their, increased income absorbed by increased prices, while persons with fixed incomes had suffered |hardship j Industry should not only hold the | line on existing prices, but should make reductions whenever profits justified such action. Labour should refrain from pressing for unjustified wage increases that would force increases in price levels. Recommending a labour programme to prevent strikes. Mr Truman cautioned Congress against punitive legislation. He said: “We must not, in order to punish a few labour leaders, pass rights of the labour rank and file.

vindictive laws restricting the proper “We must not, under stress of emotion, endanger American freedom by taking ill-considered action.”

Referring to the 1946 strikes he said management shared with labour the

responsibility for failure to reach agreements which would have averted strikes, therefore they must realise that industrial peace could not be achieved merely by laws directed against the labour unions. Free, collective bargaining should continue as the national labour policy. Legislation should be enacted to correct certain labour and management abuses and provide additional Governmental assistance in bargaining. Mr Truman recommended a fourpoint programme to reduce industrial strife as follows:" it) Jurisdictional strikes between rival unions should be prohibited as indefensible.

<2) Secondary' boycotts, when used to further jurisdictional disputes or other unjustifiable objectives, should be prohibited. (3) Legislation should be enacted under 'which either party could refer a dispute to final and binding arbitration.

(4) Congress should appoint a com-; missron to inquire into tlie entire lield j of labour-management relations.