At Issue; A Conversation with Willard Wirtz

Item Information

Title:
At Issue; A Conversation with Willard Wirtz
Description:
30 minute piece, produced by NET and initially distributed by NET in 1964. U.S. Secretary of Labor, W. Willard Wirtz tonight (Wednesday, July 22) called for a careful rationing of intervention by government in labor-management disputes, a retraining program for workers displaced by machines, a drastic cut in the nations unemployment rate, and a solution to the growing high school drop-out problem. Secretary Wirtz emphasized these points on National Educational Televisions At Issue, which was broadcast across the country on the N.E.T. network of 82 affiliated non-commercial stations. He was interviewed by John Grimes, labor reporter for the Wall Street Journal. Although theres a price wherever the government steps in, it seems quite important that careful rationing of intervention, if you will, which lets a private dispute go to a certain point but then steps in to prevent its going to a point where there would be legislative enactment, said Secretary Wirtz. He said that neither Congress nor the country wants to resort to legislation to solve labor disputes. Secretary Wirtz ruled out government participation in the settlement of the current United Auto Worker negotiations with the automobile industry and said collective bargaining is becoming a more responsible, a more reasonable procedure than it was before. While pointing out that a vigorous economy is entirely dependent upon automation, the Labor Secretary said Weve got to recognize the fact that automation does move some people out of their jobs. The number of jobs is going up all the time, he continued. The trouble is that automation takes one mans job away from him and creates another job, and weve got to do whats necessary to move that first man into a position to take the second job. That means more education; that means a training program. Mr. Wirtz expressed deep disappointment about the continuing high rate of unemployment and the growing school drop-out problem. He said he hopes to have the unemployment rate under five percent by the end of the year but added five percent is a completely unsatisfactory unemployment figure. So is four percent. He sees two solutions to the unemployment problem: legislation like the recent tax bill which he called one of the most significant advances weve made in meeting this problem, and a training program for unskilled workers who must move into skilled jobs. As things now stand, he said about the drop-out problem, 8 million will have dropped out of school before they finish high school. My largest disappointment is in not being able to get across publicly the fact that what were doing when were failing to educate the younger boys and girls is committing then, to economic suicide. At Issue is a 1964 National Educational Television production. Alvin Perlmutter is the executive producer. Andrew Stern is the producer. (Description adapted from documents in the NET Microfiche) From Washington, DC, At Issue will present a half-hour interview with U.S. Secretary of Labor, Willard Wirtz. Secretary Wirtz will assess the progress being made by the Department of Labor with the Presidents anti-poverty program. He will also discuss the governments role in collective bargaining in light of the current negotiations between the United Auto Workers and the automobile industry and the strength of labor and management in the business world today. Hosting is John Grimes, labor reporter with the Washington Office of the Wall Street Journal. Running Time: 29:30 (Description adapted from documents in the NET Microfiche) At Issue consists of 69 half-hour and hour-long episodes produced in 1963-1966 by NET, which were originally shot on videotape in black and white and color.
Production company:
National Educational Television and Radio Center
Producer:
Perlmutter, Alvin H.
Producer:
Stern, Andrew A.
Host:
Grimes, John
Creator:
Wirtz, Willard
Date:
July 20, 1964
Format:
Film/Video
Genre:
Talk Show
News
Location:
Library of Congress
Collection (local):
American Archive of Public Broadcasting Collection
Series:
Library of Congress > At Issue
Subjects:
Economics
News
Social Issues
Business
Employment
Politics and Government
Extent:
00:30:29
Link to Item:
https://americanarchive.org/catalog/cpb-aacip-512-xg9f47hz1d
Terms of Use:
Rights status not evaluated.
Contact host institution for more information.
Notes:
Episode Number: 42