Masonry Magazine August 1992 Page. 39
nomic rebounds in the past. That's why an unusually FOREIGN FIRMS HURTING U.S. EXPORTERS will face weak upturn is expected.
PATTERN BARGAINING IN UNION labor contracts may be on the way out, in the wake of the capitulation by the United Auto Workers at Caterpillar. The UAW strike against the company collapsed when members returned to work under the conditions imposed by Caterpillar in the final offer to the union. The company's threat to hire permanent replacements led to a return to work. There is no settlement of the labor contract between the company and the UAW. Negotiations are continuing with Federal mediators working for a solution. In reality, though, the return to work represents a rare retreat by the UAW, which sought to defend its principle of pattern bargaining with the strike. The Caterpillar contract offer falls short of the pattern set at Deere and Company.
The union seems likely to have a tougher time in talks with the car companies, when negotiations with the Big Three begin next year. All three of the auto makers have said they want an end to pattern bargaining. But would the car companies be willing to endure a long UAW strike? Even if they aren't, the experts believe that pattern bargaining in many industries will end.
THE CATERPILLAR STRIKE may spur labor to push for pending legislation. It would prohibit companies from hiring replacements during a labor strike. But the measures have stalled on Capitol Hill... with Bush promising a veto. the prospects for the bills could change if a Democrat is elected President. Front runner Bill Clinton supports organized labor on this important issue.
antitrust enforcement. These laws will be used against companies suspected of acting in collusion, to the detriment of U.S. companies seeking to sell their products overseas. Prior to the policy change outlined by the Justice Department on Bush's orders, foreign firms' anti-competitive action involved conduct harmful to consumers. Justice can take action against activities such as collusive pricing policy, group boycotts, and other exclusionary activities by foreign corporations. But there's some question about how much the new authority will be employed. Action can only be brought against foreign concerns with U.S. subsidiaries. The department cannot move directly against the foreign parent corporation. It may take the cooperation of foreign governments to implement the policy.
So the change may be employed to spur foreign authorities to cooperate. The hope within the Administration is that other nations nations will take action against their conspiring companies.
CIVIL LAWSUITS UNDER THE RACKETEERING statute will be harder to file, the result of a recent Supreme Court ruling involving the controversial law. The court said people must prove they were directly harmed by a wrongdoing. Though the case before the high court involved charges of securities fraud, the unanimous ruling will make it hard to bring all kinds of civil lawsuits under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, known as RICO.
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MASONRY-JULY AUGUST, 1992 39