The Morning News from Wilmington, Delaware • Page 76

ST E-4 Sunday Nwi Journal, Wilmington, Jan. 29, 1978 Unemployment could decline Union negotiators will keep busy during the year Unemployment rate 10 5 0 Number of unemployed 30,000 20,000 "It- A nn nnn ployment, such as the state's building trades where about 20 percent of the members are without jobs, may not be as effective in gaining large wage increases this year. In some cases, the opposite may happen. In order to help put some of their members back to work, two Delaware construction locals last year signed pacts agreeing to reduce their base wage rates by more than a dollar an hour. Plasterers Local 38 and Lathers Local 108 hope the wage cuts will put them in a better position to compete with non-union workers.

In the last 10 years, the ratio between union and non-union construction in Delaware almost has been reversed. Vern Menard, director of labor relations and economic affairs for the Delaware Contractors Association, says the 80 percent of heavy industrial construction once done by union contractors now belongs to non-union builders. While unionization of the state's other industries hasn't declined in the last few years, neither has it grown. John Campanelli, president of the State Labor Council (AFL-CIO), says the number of union members in Delaware "has remained pretty steady for the last couple of years. Everybody seems to think we're dropping, but we've got more coming in, too." Campanelli says the state can expect to see a "drop off in the unionization of blue-collar workers and an increase in the white-collar area." Campanelli also says Delaware unions will continue to expand their organization drives into areas not traditionally considered their own.

He cites the Retail Clerks recent attempts to organize nursing home workers as an example. 10,000 By MARY JO MEISNER Although 1978 will be a light bargaining year nationwide, close to 10,000 of Delaware's approximately 40,000 union members will be negotiating new contracts. The majority of Delaware's construction trade locals will be back at the bargaining table this year, as will unions representing workers at several of the state's chemical plants, including Allied Chemical SunOlin Chemical Co. and ICI United States' Atlas Point plant. Probably the largest single contract expiring in the state this year covers about 1,000 retail clerks who work at the major supermarket chains.

Workers at The News-Journal the Ronson Haveg Industries and the Abex Corp. also will be involved in contract renewals. Labor experts agree that the primary push in 1978 negotiations will be for job security, particularly in industries experiencing layoffs because of competition from imports. Unions are expected to seek protection against layoffs in the form of income security benefits and work-sharing and time-off programs. The United Steelworkers union last year took what it called "a major step" toward establishment of lifetime income and employment security by winning increased unemployment and pension benefits.

Other unions are expected to follow its lead. Wages, however, will continue to remain near the top of labor's bargaining list. The Conference Board, a New York-based business research organization, predicts an 8.5 percent increase in wage and benefit packages this year. That's compared to the 7.8 percent increase experienced in the first nine months of last year. Unions suffering high unem By MARY JO MEISNER While the Carter administration is touting the sudden improvement in the national unemployment picture as a sign of good things to come, Delaware officials are treading with caution.

They are neither overly optimistic nor pessimistic about what the state's unemployment rate will do this year. Most of them view the rate as being in a holding pattern that won't change until Delaware's labor force stops growing or new industry moves into the state. a pool showing in the first four months of last year, when the natural gas crisis and auto plant layoffs combined to make the state's jobless rate particularly high, the rate began leveling off. In November, the latest month for which figures were available, 6.7 percent of the state's labor force was unemployed. That translates into an estim ated 17,200 persons.

Now the question is whether the state's jobless rate will drop much further this year. "Last year we saw a fairly big pick up in employment. That's going to slow down this year," says Donald P. Whiteley, state secretary of labor. "I think we've reached a level where things are going to remain fairly static.

If we could get some new industry in here, that would change." Much of the increase in employment last year can be attributed to the return of approximately 1,800 second-shift workers to the General Motors Boxwood Road plant in May. They had been on layoff for more than a year due to the slow-selling Boxwood Road-produced Chevette. In the second half of last year, Chevette sales increased dramatically and a Boxwood Road spokesman says the employment outlook for 1978 "looks firm." Employment at the state's other auto plant, the Chrysler assembly plant in Newark, also is expected to remain steady this year, according to a spokesman. The plant.which employs about 4,700 production workers, currently manufactures the Doge Aspen and the Plymouth Volare. Theodore W.

"Toby" Ryan, president of Delaware's Building and Construction Trades Council, says about 20 per cent of the state's approximately 8,000 union construction workers are currently unemployed. Though not an enviable figure, the 20 percent unemployment rate is substantially better than a year ago when Ryan placed unemployment among union tradesmen at 50 percent. Vernon Menard, chief negotiator for the Delaware Contractors Association, says unemployment among both union and non-union construction workers hasn't changed much from the 12-13 per-. cent of a year ago. "We'll probably improve on that this year and go to at least the 10-12 percent range," Menard says.

"However, I'm certainly not anticipating going back to the boom years of the '60s." Although few Delaware officials see much of an increase in employment this year, University of Delaware economist William Latham sounds an optimistic note. "The problem has been that the number of people entering the labor force was expanding faster than the number of new jobs," Latham says. "But the increase in the labor force ought to be slowing down. We've reached a point where the female participation rate has started to slow down and the number of teens joining the labor force is not growing as much." Latham also claims Delaware has history on its side. "Historically, Delaware's unemployment rate has been below the national rate," Latham says.

"If the national rate drops to the 6.5 percent level, Delaware's ought to drop at least that low or even lower." Given that scenario, the U.S. Department of Labor's recent announcement of a 6.4 percent unemployment rate in December, the lowest national jobless rate in three years, could signal a decline in unemployment in Delaware. Number of employed 240,000 230,000 220,000 5n yyu Ion 14 Sim Tti -0 a. 5 3 flj u. 2 5 THE DELAWARE ASSOCIATION OF PERSONNEL AGENCIES HELPING DELAWARE GROW IN 1 978 PROVIDING PROFESSIONAL EMPLOYMENT SERVICES for all those wonderful occasions ARRANGEMENTS FOR Weddings Birthdays Funerals Anniversaries Delmar bypass proposed to ease traffic problem Bar Mitzvahs WIWIH FLOWERS A BARRY PERSONNEL BERNARD PERSONNEL CASEY EMPLOYMENT CAREER FORCE FIDELITY PERSONNEL ELLIE MACK ASSOCIATES HAMILTON ASSOCIATES KOGEN OF DOVER McELROY DOBAN MEDICAL PLACEMENT SERVICES PERSONNEL SERVICES, INC.

ROBERT HALF PERSONNEL SNELLING SNELLING THE PLACERS, INC. 478-6231 EVERYWHERE From ttw Dovtr Bureau DELMAR A bill has been introduced in Delaware's General Assembly to relieve Delmar on main-road congestion caused by trucks and summertime tourists trying to avoid even worse traffic problems in nearby Salisbur, Md. H.B. 712, sponsored by Sen. Lee Littleton, R-Laurel, and Rep.

William J. Gordy, D-Laurel, would appropriate $1.5 million for preliminary engineering and acquisition of rights of way for a 2-mile bypass upgrading and extending Sussex 502 between the Maryland line and U.S. 13 just north of Delmar. Robert W. Martin, Delmar town manager, said the bypass is part of the town's comprehensive plan.

The bypass would also make the proposed shopping mall on the western edge of Delmar on U.S. 13 even more attractive since it would improve access between the mall and a large group of potential customers in the Marde-la Springs-Sharptown, area east of Delmar. 1303 VEALE ROAD, WILMINGTON (At Corner Of Morth Veale Wibon Rds) HELPS CUSTOMERS CUT PRINTINGS COPYING COSTS 50 Plan a special shopping trip lof he TRI-STATE MALL you'll find a whole new world of extra values and old fashioned service. DIAL COPIES FOR 'KENT PRINTS IN 5 COLORS STANDARD DUPLICATING OF DELAWARE 1823 Lancaster Ave.Wilm., Del. 19805 (302) 656-0300 FOR FREE BROCHURE CLIP COUPON SlSiPf The TrT-STATE Family XXTOWHlff I Capital Baken low nn Robinson Carpet I Arthur's Blazer Financial Services Book! Card Center Capital Bakers (Oven Door) Glah Brothers Goodyear Service Stores Gordon Jewelers Ponderosa Grille Rite Aid Drugs Robinson Carpet Alfred Carlis Children Wear Castro Convertibles Casual Man Cheap Threads Community Protective System Danny's Hideaway Edie Adams Cult Curl Eric Theaters Eugene Jacobs Famous Maid Fanny Farmer Candies Fayva Shoes First State Auto Parts Gallenkamp Shoes Gibson World Travel I Hanvoer Shoes Hit or Miss Hons Kong Gifts House of China Restaurant House of 10,000 Frames Household Finance Corp.

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