LABOR-MANAGEMENT DIALOGUE

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP85M00364R001903640006-6
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 5
• Document Creation Date: December 20, 2016
• Document Release Date: January 14, 2008
• Sequence Number: 6
• Content Type: MEMO

Approved For Release 2008/01/14: CIA-RDP85M00364RO01903640006-6
Approved For Release 2008/01/14: CIA-RDP85M00364RO01903640006-6
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THE WHITE HOUSE 9 Executive Registry
WASHINGTON
CABINET AFFAIRS STAFFING MEMORANDUM ~~p
DATE:
NUMBER: .118 5 41CA _ DUE BY:
SUBJECT: Decision Memorandum for the President from the Cabinet Council on
Commerce and Trade - Labor Management Dialogue
ACTION FYI
ALL CABINET MEMBERS I~ ^
State
Treasury
Defense
Attorney General
Agriculture
Labor
liHS
H L D
Transportation
Energy
Education
Counsellor
(__CIA~
u S IR
CEA
CEQ
Baker
Deaver
Clark
Darman (For WH Staffing)
Harper
Jenkins
CCCT/Gunn
CCEA/Porter
CCFA/Boggs
CCHR/Carleson
CCLP/Uhlmann
CCMA/Bledsoe
CCNRE/Boggs
ACTION FYI
REMARKS: Attached is a decision memorandum for the President from the
Cabinet Council on Commerce and Trade regarding Labor-Management
Dialogue recommendations from the National Productivity Advisory
Committee. Please forward any comments to the Office of Cabinet
Affairs before March 18, 1983.
^ Craig L. Fuller' Ig Becky Norton Dunlop
RETURN TO:
Assistant to the President Director, Office of
for Cabinet Affairs Cabinet Affairs
456-2823 456-2800
Approved For Release 2008/01/14: CIA-RDP85M00364RO01903640006-6
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MEMORANDUM FOR THE PRESIDENT
FROM: CABINET COUNCIL ON COMMERCE AND TRADE
SUBJECT: Labor-Management Dialogue
ISSUE
The National Productivity Advisory Committee (NPAC) has
recommended that the Administration take actions to promote and
improve the climate for labor-management cooperation. The
Committee specifically recommended. that the Government should, as
a matter of policy, act as a catalyst in the development of
continuing labor-management cooperative efforts in the areas of
productivity, product quality, and quality of working life.
The Cabinet Council on Commerce and Trade has considered a
recommendation that you appoint a distinguished person outside
the Administration, who enjoys the confidence of both labor and
management, to form a high level panel made up of business and
labor leaders to make recommendations as to how labor and
management might work together more effectively to improve the
Nation's productivity and international competitiveness.
The Cabinet Council recommended that the issue be presented to
you for decision.
OBJECTIVES
Over the past two decades, the United States has suffered from a
slowdown in the rate of productivity improvement and a related
erosion in its competitive position in world markets. A number
of factors have influenced this trend, such as inadequate
investment in new capital equipment, misguided tax policy, and
restrictive trade policies of other Nations. The Administration
has already made important progress in correcting these
problems. Further progress requires that management and labor
work together to take those steps that are necessary to improve
productivity.
The relationship between employers and unions is, of course,
primarily the responsibility of the parties themselves. The
history of adversarial relationships between management and labor
argues, however, for a government role acting as a "catalyst",
encouraging dialogue between the parties.
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Up to now, the Administration has not played a major role in
encouraging greater labor-management cooperation. The NPAC
recommendation provides an opportunity for us to launch an
initiative in that regard. The issue then is whether the
Administration wishes to assert its influence in this area and,
if so, what actions should be taken to carry out its mission.
RECOMMENDATION
The President appoint a distinguished person outside the
Administration, who enjoys the confidence of both labor and
management, to form a high level panel made up of business and
labor leaders. This panel would be asked to reach agreement on
the types of issues most susceptible to joint labor-management
resolution and to make recommendations to the business and labor
communities as to how they might work together on these issues to
achieve higher national productivity and worker satisfaction.
This action would be taken in conjunction with the White House
Conference on Productivity to be held this year, with a report of
the labor-management panel to be included as part of the findings
of the White House Conference. Staff support will be provided to
the panel by the Department of Labor.
Advantages
o The Administration would be responding positively toa major
recommendation of NPAC dealing with an important public
concern.
o By asking leaders of labor and management to provide their
judgments, the Administration would be honoring its
longstanding policy of encouraging active involvement of
private sector leaders in the resolution of major problems
facing the country.
o Appointing a distinguished person to assemble the
labor-management panel, rather than appointing the panel
directly, will enhance public perception of the
Administration's objectivity and increase the opportunities
for active participation by key leaders of the AFL-CIO.
o By not including Government representatives on the panel, we
would emphasize the importance of labor and management working
together without the leadership role being absorbed by the
Federal Government.
o Many of the industries most severely affected by foreign
imports are highly organized, highlighting the need for
mutually agreed upon solutions.
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Disadvantages
o Concern has been expressed that such a panel might be
represented more by big business and big labor rather than
by those groups providing jobs for the vast majority of
workers.
o Consensus recommendations made by leaders of big business and
big labor might be inconsistent with Administration
objectives.
DECISION
Support appointment of distinguished individual to form a
high level panel of business and labor leaders to make
recommendation on labor-management cooperation to improve
productivity.
Oppose such an appointment.
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