May 23, 1978 EXTENSIONS OF REMARKS 15143 EXTENSIONS OF REMARKS THE HUMAN CONTRACT it is only a fig leaf in the industrial jungle. The grant only needs to be repaid if the Both labor and management now realize that steel industry is doing well enough to personal problems can and often do result in is absenteeism, turnover, low labor morale, re­ afford it. The purpose of the grant to HON. TOM HARKIN duced productivity and curtailed production. create an extra 17,300 jobs in the Saar OF IOWA But not all are aware that they must address region-and in the meantime, we con­ IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES themselves to the human causes and not tinue to import subsidized European to the unproductive consequences. If a con­ Tuesday, May 23, 1978 steel. structive program of human service is to be It is a clear and uncontestable fact e Mr. HARKIN. Mr. Speaker, Leo established in the organized workplace, both that most of the governments of the Perlis, director of the AFL-CIO Depart­ labor and management must recognize the simple truth that the company employee and world are subsidizing steel production to ment of Community Services, has writ­ the union member are, in fact, one and the keep their people working-and they are ten a very thought-provoking article, same p-erson. exporting their steel and their unem­ "The Human Contract," that exists, or To serve this person as a total human ployment to the United States. The con­ at least should exist, between the worker, being and not just as a productive machine tinuation of the subsidized, unfair steel his or her union, and the employer. Mr. or a dues-paying member is · the joint re­ imports threatens the support of the Perlis points out that many of the prob­ sponsibility of labor and management. American public for international lems and discords that arise in the work­ A cooperative and positive approach to the alleviation of personal and family problems trade.e place are not necessarily attributable to of the company employee/union member can the workplace or to any discord between be spelled out in a supplementary agree­ MAN AGAINST WAR the employer and the employee. Rather m-ent, the human contract, with a carry-over these problems may spring from per­ provision to the union contract for the sonal and human problems outside of handling of grievace procedures. HON. JONATHAN B. BINGHAM the workplace but which directly affect The union contract covering wages, hours OF NEW YORK and working conditions is the product of the production and labor-management rela­ IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES tions. Mr. Perlis has given us something politics of confronation around the collec­ tive bargaining table. The human contract Tuesday, May 23, 1978 to think about: That the responsibility covering health, welfare and living condi­ of both the employer and the labor union tions may be achieved through the politics e Mr. BINGHAM. Mr. Speaker, Mrs. toward the worker does not begin when of cooperation around the conference Richard L. Simon, a neighbor and dear the worker shows up on the job and ends ta.ble.e friend, recently sent me a copy of a fas­ when the worker leaves the job to return cinating letter written to her late hus­ home. Both employers and the union EUROPEAN STEEL SUBSIDIES: EX­ band on White House stationery, dated must become more concerned with the PORTING THEm UNEMPLOYMENT April 4, 1956. The letter, which was worker's total health and happiness, and TO THE UNITED STATES OF ln.beled personal and confidential, not just his health and happiness on AMERICA follows: the job. This can only be achieved, as APRIL 4, 1956. Mr. Perlis points out, not by confronta­ DEAR DICK: Th'ank you for your letter, tion between unions and employers, but which brings up subjects too vast to be HON CHARLES A. VANlK discussed adequately in a letter. by cooperation between employers, the OF OHIO Suffice it to say here that I doubt that any union, and the worker. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES columnist-and here I depend upon heresay Mr. Speaker, I believe my fellow mem­ Tuesday, May 23, 1978 as I have no time to read them-is concern­ bers will find this article by Mr. Perlis ing himself with what is the true security very illumin~ting: • Mr. VANIK. Mr. Speaker, in the 'first problem of the day. That problem is not THE HUMAN CONTRACT 3 months of 1978, more steel was im­ merely man against man or nation against nation. It is man against war. (By Leo Perils) ported than in any previous 3-month I have spent my life in the study of mili­ WASHINGTON.-The union contract does period in our Nation's history-nearly 6 tary strength as a deterrent to war, and in not cover most p-ersonal problems workers million tons, and from the price of this the character of mllltary armaments neces­ face. Even those agreements which provide imoorted .steel, it is clear that unfair sary to win a war. The study of the first of fringe benefits, such as insurance coverage dumping practices are still occurring. these questions is still profitable, but we are for health care, do not deal with the real The question is: Will the new trigger rapidly getting to the point that no war can and often tragic family needs of employees price system, which did not really be­ be won. War implies a contest; when you get in the interrelated worlds of the home and to the point that contest is no longer in­ the workplace. Yet it is those human prob­ come effective until late March and volved and the outlook comes close to de­ lems that often affect production and labor­ April, begin to stem this flood of illegally struction of the enemy and suicide for our­ manag-ement relations. priced steel? If it does not, then the 1978 selves-an outlook that neither side can The ultimate solution of marital discord economic outlook for the American steel ignore-then arguments as to the exact may be found in the counselor's office or in industry is uncertain-and the long­ amount of available strength as compared the family courtroom, but its consequences range picture is a disaster. to somebody else's are no longer the vital are immediately apparent by poor perform­ I would like to provide for the record issues. ance in the workplace. The alcoholic may When we get to the point, as we one day eventually wind up in a detoxification cen­ two recent examples of the types of prob­ will, that both sides know that in any out­ ter or in an Alcohollcs Anonymous fellow­ lems we face from State-subsidized for­ break of general hostillties, regardless of the ship but the result of his irrational behavior eign steel competition. The Wall Street element of surprise, destruction will be both is instantly evident in turnover and absen­ Journal of April 28 reported that the reciprocal and complete, possibly we will teeism. A distraught employee, depressed by nationally owned British Steel Corp. ex­ have sense enough to meet a.t the conference overwhelming debts and legal entanglements, pects to lose $732 million in the current table with the understanding that the era is a poor candidate for a gung-ho produc­ year-and this comes on top of a loss of of armaments has ended and the human tion llne. These are only a few of the many race must conform its actions to this truth human problems which affect the workplace. $805 million last year and $173 million or die. Misplaced company concern for the welfare of the year before. In other words, over a The fullness of this potentiality has not its employees may have been expressed best 3-year period, this company has lost $1.7 yet been attained, and I do not, by any means in 1955 by th-e exploitative theme of a con­ billion-and yet they are still shipping decry the need for strength. That strength ference co-sponsored in Garden City by the steel to the United States at subsidized must be spiritual, economic and mllitary. All Long Island Industries Association and the rates and limiting the employment op­ three are important and they are not mu­ Mental Health Association of Nassau County: tually exclusive. They are all part of and "Productivity for Business and Industry portunities of our workers. the product of the American genius, the through Emotional Health." Germany, where there is less state American will. Now both union leaders and corporate ownership than in most foreign coun­ But already we have come to the point executives are beginning to see that the tries, has just announced a 5-year in­ where safety cannot be assumed by arms union contract simply didn't cover it all, that vestment grant for steel of $116 million. alone. But I repeat that their usefulness be- CXXIV--953-Part 11 15144 EXTENSIONS OF REMARKS May 23, 1978 comes concentrated more and more 1n their established, there have been no cases in their lives. Some State legislators have characteristics as deterrents than in instru­ which there was a need to address this been led to believe that if they can just ments with which to obtain victory over op­ ponents as in 1945. In this regard, today we question. Eighteen out of the 26 existing hold out for one more session, the ERA are further separated !rom the end of World amendments to the Constitution were will die and their constituents will not War II than the beginning of the century passed without any attached time limit hold them accountable.