The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-01-13
NRA Officials Hear
Strike Threat from
AutOMenDelegatiOn
Auto Union Delegation
Demands 81 an Hour
at MIRA. Office
By SEYMOUR WALDMAN
Daily Worker Washington Bureau

DAILY Worker Washington Bureau
WASHINGTON, d. c., Jan. IA
snappy little delegation representing
the Auto Workers Union today rid
died the wage and slave provisions
of the proposed MIRA. Commercial
Vehicles Body code with statements
and questions which exposed the
starvation level to which the big
manufacturers would reduce the
workers.
IF the interests of the auto work
ers are not safeguarded by the code
as specified by the demands of the
Auto Workers Union, our local, No. 2,
which represents 300 workers, is
prepared to strike. In that event we
will hold the National Recovery Ad-
ADMINISTRATION responsible" George
Gordon, President of the A.W.U. local
informed I. K Everitt, MIRA. Deputy
Administrator who presided at to-
days hearings held in the Sun parlor
Of the Washington Hotel.
Samuel Dibsdale, spokesman for
the A. F., of I, Philadelphia Car
Builders and Bus Builders Union,
supported Gordon. THE men in our
locality cannot exist on the So cents
an hour proposed in the CODE he
told Eyerittt.
Despite the fact that the manufac-
turers themselves admitted that be-
tween 60 and rs cents an hour is
now being paid TO skilled labor, the
code, written by the Employer Ma
tional Commercial Body Association,
provides for a minimum of 80 cents
an hour to males, and 80 cents an
hour to workers in cities of over
100000 population in the North. For
cities under 250,000 population in the
same area, the manufacturers pro-
pose 50 and a half cents an hour to
males and 81 and half to females.
In the South they propose IS cents
to males and 80 cents to females
and under. In both areas work
week of 10 hours is specified. This
is about SIS week.
The Auto Workers Union demand
ed 81 an hour for skilled labor, no
discrimination to be made between
male and female for a week of So
hours. In addition, the militant
workers propose the abolition of child
labor, specifying no employment OF
children under 10 years of age.
1T is understood that this 80 cents
an hour is a minimum" Admin
iStrator Everitt remarked to the audi
ence.
The half dozen workers smiled. re-
calling the much publicized MIRA.
minimum"
But it must be regarded here as
the maximum We have proof that
the MIA. regards that minimum as
the maximum" James Adams Of the
A.W.U. retorted.
Expose N.R.A. Cede
Everitt interjected. ANY more
comments?r
Adams rose again. The workers
in this industry will not countenance
any wage scale under what we, the
Auto Workers Union, propose
Fred Greller OF the A.W.U. calmly
asked Brunson: Just how does the
LAB. propose to enforce no rcduc-
tions under what is now being paid?''
Brunson replied By reading the
stock N.R.A. 80 day code adjustment
period.
mfr. Brunson," Greller reioined. 81
wish to call to your attention that
the MIRA. in the Budd Automobile
Body strike, read the same ritual you
have lust recited, to Mr.. Budd. And
Mr.. Budd ignored the admonition.
In fact it was the MIRA. authority
t7ct l'7isl9d tEs w0"'-2~7 md forced
them to lose their strike"
II re err the Gcaiamer TO Cen
gress. 1t is not matter Of of ad-
ministration but of law" Brunson
replied stiffly.
The Auto Workers Union also pro-
posed a system Of Federal Unemploy-
ment Insurance at the expense OF
the government and the employers.
They recommended this as one OF
the best methods of abolishing child
labor by indemnifying the parents
Others in the A.W.U. delegation
were: J. ]. Williams OF the Executive
Committee Of the National Board
who presented the fun demands. ano
Meyer Applebaun, Secretary OF
Local No. 2, Detroit.