Evening star., 1934-03-15
A. F. l.. Defied
by General
Motors.
SCORNS UKASE
OF EMPLOYEES
Labor Board Hears
Workers Story of
Discrimination.
BY the Associated Press.

1tIltl dl MOJUIS > SOI pOldtIOll III UusIl
its executive vice president, fatty
told the National Labor Board today
it would not recognize an American
Federation Of Labor union as such,
and would not enter into any con-
tract with it on behalf of any en-
ployes.
The statement, presented by
William S. Knudsen. operating execu-
tive of the corporation, did, however,
express a willingness ito negotiate
for specified employees on proof
from the union that it had authority
to speak for the men.
The statement was made at the
Labor Boards hearing on threatened
strikes in many automobile plants,
after Federation of Labor leaders from
various of the General Motors fac
tories had presented a list of de-
mands and had warned it would be
hard to keep the men at work unless
something were done promptly toward
meeting the demands
Discrimination Charged.
They complained of anti-union dis
elimination from the management
and claimed to speak for majority
of the men.
Knudsen, however. said the COM
pany would decline to make any COM
mitments to the board He contended
the union spokesmen had no stand
ing before the board and that "in
fairness to the great majority Of our
employees who do not belong to
unions. we shall endeavor to do our
utmost to keep them from being
coerced against their will into joining
any union or association whatsoever. +"
He announced that General Motors
had decided to act upon the recon-
mendation of the National Automo-
bile Chamber of Commerce and "ef-
fective on or before March 81. 1894,
to reduce the hours of pro-
ductive workers from an average of
40 to SO weekly and to raise wages
correspon6;ngly over rates prevailing
in February, 1884"
Questions Are Averted.
The Labor Board did not question
the General Motors officials as the
statement was concluded with these
words:
In order to render impossible any
misunderstanding We wish to have it
understood that our appearance here
Is specifically limited to the making
of this statement which we feel is
due out of respect for this National
Labor Board.
Then A. E, Barit, vice president of
Hudson Motor Car Co.. presented a
statement asserting that the company
was "at loss to understand why any
complaint should be made to your
board as to our knowledge there are
no unadjusted complaints before our
Employees Industrial Association"
Barit detailed the formation of this
industrial association in 1888, assert
ing the company had bargained
promptly with representatives of the
association and that the result has
oeen to the decided advantage of the
employees and at a definite cost to
the company"
American Federation of Labor men
demanded yesterday that employers
be made to recognize their unions.
There also were warnings that the
auto plants were like a tinder box"
to which a match would be touched
unless prompt action were taken
toward satisfying the men.
AS the automobile workers testi
fed leaders of that industry sat
waiting their turn to answer the
claims and demands. The automobile
executives were resting upon yester-
days call by their code authority for
a 36-hour average work week with
increased pay rates.
Plan Is Indefinite.
Just what this plan entailed was
not clear. Knudsen told reporters
it was not definite how the reduction
in hours would be obtained since the
average Was to be taken over the
year and there was no telling how
long the high production period would
run.
Last year, he recalled, it stretched
to September. If production held on
for a long period he indicated it
would be necessary to shorten work.
ing days to stay within the average
Knudsen said there probably would
be 10 per cent increase in hourly
and piece pay rates, but he was not
positive about the figure
Other automobile men were even
Continued on Page 2, Column -