264 THE MARKETING OF WHOLE MILK 



claimed for it, go to the root of the real difficulties in the 

 milk business. 



Section 8. Collective Bargaining as a Remedy 



In many senses collective bargaining can hardly be 

 looked upon as a remedy for many of the problems of milk 

 marketing. On the other hand, with producers properly 

 organized and with producers and dealers once arrived 

 at a recognition of the fact that the whole problem must 

 be approached in a spirit of fairness and broad-mindedness, 

 many of the present difficulties should be overcome. 

 Monthly price contracts, bases of payment, fat tests, can 

 and hauling charges, the surplus, health regulations, — 

 all are problems which can be approached much better 

 if producers and dealers act as units rather than as in- 

 dividuals. Producers themselves have a vital interest 

 at stake in seeing that city prices are not too high, and 

 consumers would ordinarily have little to fear from col- 

 lusion between producers and dealers. Where such trouble 

 is feared, a price arbitrator or milk commission could 

 readily be introduced to satisfy the public that everything 

 is open and above board. 



Not only does collective bargaining appear to be a 

 practical solution for certain phases of the milk problem, 

 but it may be the one adopted of necessity at first, since 

 very few cities will within the next few years be likely 

 to adopt such remedies as milk monopoly or municipal 

 ownership. Even if any of our cities adopt the policy 

 favoring monopoly, greater centralization, or municipaliza- 

 tion of the milk supply, collective bargaining will quite 

 certainly develop, since individual producers would 

 be sure to feel aggrieved at various times if compelled 

 to deal with a milk monopoly, whether privately or 



