University of Virginia Library

Tom Gardner's article of Dec.
10, 1969, is a classic piece of
yellow journalism. The facts are so
well distorted I feel compelled to
offer their clarification:

1) Mr. Gardner accuses G.E. of
"propaganda, red-baiting,
scare-tactics, and a 'take-or-leave-it'
bargaining policy." The real
bargaining policy of G.E. is this
(my paraphrase): Since labor
negotiations start at two extremes
and each side concedes enough
until they finish at the middle, G.E.
has said, "Let's cut the haggling and
get right to the middle." But this is
too simple for the union. They
want to win the reputation of
aggressive bargainers and strong
bulwarks against management.

2) The treatment of wages in the
article shows a lack of
understanding of basic economics.
A rigid national wage scale is
ridiculous when the cost of living
varies as much as it does between
Waynesboro and the urban North.

3) The article is sensationalist
and does not stick to the issue.
Calling the present management
"Criminal" (headline) and dwelling
on the price-fixing scandal of 1960
is about as relevant as my
reminding Mr. Gardner that the
United Electrical Workers Union
was for many years run by
Communists. Particularly irrelevant
was the tear-jerking final paragraph
of the article ("cold picket line,"
"respect," "dignity").

Obviously a controversy such as
this involves two worthwhile,
complex viewpoints. An
opinionated article is stimulating.
An article as poorly researched and
sensationalist as Tom Gardner's is
repugnant to good journalism.