ABSTRACT
The economic disarray in the free world constitutes a major problem for the Atlantic alliance, as it does for all nations concerned with the growing political and military power of the Soviet Union and its allies. Labor is faced with an almost impossible situation, namely, increasing unemployment along with inflation. Labor must realistically evaluate the problems and the programs and policies to be pursued. Only by having a strong national position and a high degree of influence on their own governments can labor contribute to a collective, international effort to cope with the present economic crisis. The leaders of the US labor movement support national legislation to maintain a maximum level of 3 percent unemployment. Projected growth for the future is such that there is very little hope of reducing the numbers of unemployed or providing an expanding labor market for young workers.
