LTV

[LynnRWilliams@aol.com]

In relation to Joseph Doggett's comments I would like to point out that the 
workers in this situation are not lacking  in influence in what the ultimate 
decision here will be, partly through the kind of ownership approaches Joseph 
is talking about, both in affirming that what workers give is an investment 
and always insisting that influence must be associated with such a concept, 
and most fundamentally through collective bargaining.  The investment - 
influence connections have served us well in many ways over the years,as I 
suggested in my earlier comments.

However, Vic moves on to an even more fundamental and difficult question, the 
challenge to achieve much more than compensation for an investment but to 
determine, or at least effectively participate in the determination of what 
the future of th enterprise, and indeed the industry, is to be.  I am not 
aware of many instances, in an American setting, in which enterprises or 
industries changed direction, products, whatever in order to preserve and 
enhance the dynamic collection of people, capital, equipment, infrastructure 
et al which an enterprise represents.  The few I can think of all relate to 
what we used to call "conversion", from war-time defense production to 
civilian production.  

By way of a relevant anecdote, I remember during the six month work stoppage 
at USX in '86 and'87, that the CEO Roderick and I had much time to talk, 
during periods when committees were preparing proposals, documents etc., and 
otherwise not much bargaining was taking place.  It was a time when there was 
much discussion  around the automobile industry, as there has been off and on 
for years, that steel was going to be largely replaced in external auto body 
applications by plastic.  At that time, USX had fairly recently become USX 
rather than USSteel, as a result of purchasing Marathon Oil.  I remember, 
during one of these sessions with Roderick, I put out the suggestion, at some 
length, that given the facts that 

1. the new company produced the raw material for plastics,

2. the steel company had wide experience with the automobile industry, and

3. also had a great deal of excess plant capacity and an excellent work 
force, 

wouldn't USX be ideally situated at least to conduct some modest experiments 
with plastic and autos, just in case this did become the wave of the future.  
I have no idea whether or not this was an idea that made much sense, 
certainly it seemed to on its face, but the point of my story is that 
Roderick looked at me like I was out of my mind.  We have a long way to go.  

>From our union's perspective simply looking after compensation, but otherwise 
permitting the destruction of America's industrial base to continue apace, is 
not a  solution.