Evening star., 1936-05-16
AUTO MECHANICS
THREATEN SPREAD
Of STRIKE TODAY
Deny Open Shop Is Involved.
Invite Firms to Con.
ference.
TRADE ASSOCIATION HIT.
FOR 'BECL0UDING ISSUE
Spirited Mass Meeting Addressed
by Union Leaders-Dealers'
Stand Criticized.

Following a spirited mass meeting
of the automobile mechanics last
night. when they defined the issues
of their strike against seven local
firms, the mechanics union planned to
spread the strike today still further
throughout the city.
The mass meeting at Pythian Hall
last night took sharp issue with the
Washington Automotive Trade Asso-
citation. BY resolution 1t condemned"
the "open shop" resolution adopted
by the dealers as a cheap piece Of
trickery designed to deceive the public
regarding the real issues involved in
this strike They insisted the
closed" or open" shop was not an
issue.
At the same time, in a letter to
the trade association, Oliver N. Gar
rison. business agent for Lodge 1913,
International Association of Ma
chinists. recognized the Washington
Automotive Trade Association as "a
responsible spokesman for its men,
bers," and invited conference to
discuss wages, hours and terms OF
employment prevailing in the repair
shops of trade association members"
The dealers were asked to name the
time and place for such conference.
The mass meeting was addressed
first by Garrison. who outlined the
strike situation where he has pulled
men from seven firms. He criticized
William J. Hill. president of Hill g.
Tibbitts Inc, for Hills statement
that only Is men struck. Garrison
said SO men struck from Hill g. Tib-
bits yesterday.
Victory Is Predicted.
Fred Hewitt, editor and manager
of the Machinists Journal Of the
International Association, told the
men they had a good cause. and "if
you stick it out you will win within
a reasonable length of time" This
is a union city, he said. predicting
that thousands Of union members
here would stop doing business with
firms where the strike was in progress.
He pledged support of the interna-
tional so far as possible.
Other speakers included Harvey
Brown. vice president Of the Inter-
national Association Of Machinists,
and David Kaplan Of the research
department of the association.
IA proposal was made to the auto
dealers" said the resolution, "and
dispatched to them by registered mail.
to raise the inadequate wages OF jour-
neymen auto mechanics to 80 cents
per hour and helpers to so cents per
hour and lower the insufferable, long
hours to A per week, which was the
standard established In the N. r. A.
CODE"
The customer at an automobile re-
pair shop. the resolution pointed out,
in the majority of cases pays 50 per
hour to the dealer and pays extra
costs and profits for parts and Access
sories," while the "journeyman auto
mechanic who does the work receives
as little as 60 cents, leaving $l.40
to the dealer for profit and overhead u
FOLutlIS OOG IIldI I'LL dtteupt Wdo
being made to bring in out-of-town
strike breakers, another resolution
authorized the spread of a warning
concerning the strike through Gen.
tral Labor Unions and State Fedora
tions Of Labor. It appealed to car
owners Of the city to make certain
that only qualified and experienced
mechanics are permitted to repair
and service their automobiles. and to
beware Of poor workmanship as q
menace to their safety and the safety
of the public"