TEXT C Automation refers to the
introduction of electronic control and automatic operation of productive
machinery. It reduces the human borers, mental and physical, in production, and
is designed to make possible the manufacture of more goods with fewer workers.
The development of auto mation in American industry has been called the "Second
Industrial Revolution". Labor’s concerti over automation arises
from uncertainly about the effects on employment, and fears of major changes in
jobs. In the main, labor has taken the view that resistance to technical change
is unfruitful Eventually, the result of automation may well be an increase in
empioy ment, since it is expected that vast industries will grow up around
manufacturing, maintaining, and repairing automation equipment. The interest of
labor lies in bringing about the transition with a minimum of inconvenience and
distress to the workers involved. Also, union spokesmen emphasize that the
benefit of the increased production and lower costs made possible by automation
should be shared by workers in the form of higher wages, more leisure, and
improved living standards. To protect the interests of their
members in the era of automation, unions have adopted a motion of new policies.
One of these is the pro motion of supplementary unemployment benefit plans. It
is emphasized that since the employer involved in such a plan has a direct
financial interest in preventing unemployment, he will have a strong drive for
planning new installations so as to cause tire leas! possible problems in jobs
and job assignments. Some unions are working for dismissal pay agreements,
requiring that permanently dismissed workers be paid a sum of money based on
length of service. Another approach is the idea of the "improvement
factor", which calls for wage increases based on increases in productivity.
It is possible, however, that labor will rely mainly on re duction in working
hours in order to gain a full share in the fruits of auto mation. Which of the following can best sum up the passage
A.Advantages and disadvantages of automation. B.Labor and the effects of automation. C.Unemployment benefit plans and automation. D.Social benefits of automation.