The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1936-12-30
LABOR AUTO WAR
Is NOT IMPROVED
Continued from Page -

NNOllLIlucQ 1IOIU rage ~
The u. A. w. A., backed by funds
from the committee for industrial
organization, has requested collec-
tive bargaining conferences with
General Motors and has received
acknowledgment of the request
from William 8. Knudsen, executive
vice-president.
Flint Is the heart OF the vast Gen.
eral Motors empire. The large
Buick plant, upon which the cor.
poration was founded, and Chevro-
let plants are located here. APP
proxinately $4,000 workers are en-
gagged In automobile manufacture
In this industrial center.
After re-checking the situat ton,
Fisher spokesman said the strike
started in group Of about 40 men
and spread to other departments
First information, they said, indi-
Gated only small proportion Of the
1900 workers on the day shift were
actively engaged In the sit-down.
They termed the statement Of
Travis that the whole plant was
engaged In a sit-down strike as
ridiculous on the face of It," but
said the plant was not operating.
Meeting Sunday
Meanwhile. preparations were
made for the meeting Of the unions
General Motors council which has
been called for Sunday. Represen-
tatives Of union employees In 10 q.
M. cities are expected to attend and
approve recommendation of officers
concerning collective bargaining.
Homer Martin, president Of the
International Union, who had said
In Chicago yesterday that strikes
would be called by the men them
selves" said the strike here started
spontaneously and would be backed
by the union 100 per cent"
Martin returned to Detroit last
night after attending conferences In
Kansas City between the union and
Fisher Body ofiicials there.
GENERAL MOTORS CLASH
Cleveland, Dec. 30.--(UP)-Con-
flict between the United Automobile
Workers Union and the General
Motors Corporation sped toward o
showdown today.
| Striking employees Of the Fisher
Body company, General Motors sub
sidiary, rejected mediation propos-
ais and cheered their leaders an
nouncement that their dispute had
become battle with the huge par
ent organization and could not be
settled locally.
Workers In all branches OF the
booming automobile industry anx-
iously awaited outcome of a con-
ference at Flint, Mich. Jan. 3 at
which leaders In General Motors
plants will vote on the terms Of a
collective bargaining agreement the
union will propose to the corpora
ton.
Backed by John L. Lewis COM
mittee for industrial organizati ton.
the automobile union threatened
widespread strikes unless General
Motors executives granted demands
for collective bargaining confer
ences.
Big Demand for Cars
| Inc unreal comes NJ tine WHICH,
General Motors units are faced with
q record demand for cars.
Walkouts In Fisher plants here
and at Kansas City and Atlanta.
Ga, affecting nearly 10000 work.
ers. already have pinched the
Chevrolet output. Normally. the
Cleveland plant manufactures $1,000
Chevrolet bodies weekly.
Strikes continued today In the
Pittsburg Plate Glass and Libbcy-
Owcns-Ford Glass Companies which
normally supply about 90 per cent OF
the glass used In automobile manu-
.act,ire. and IN the Kelsey-Hayes
wheel company plant In Windsor,
Ont. which employs about $50 men.
Other Kelsey-Hayes strikes In Do
troit were settled recently.
on the experimental field In sub
tropical sukhum on the Black sea,