Evening star., 1937-08-06
ELECTIONS ASKED
FOR AUTO PLANTS
Union Seeks Votes in All
ChrysIer Factories as
21,O0C Are Idle.
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
DETROIT, August 6.-The United
Automobile Workers, engaged in a dis
pute with the Chrysler Corp. which
has kept the Plymouth plant closed
since Wednesday, disclosed today it
had asked the National Labor Rela-
tions Board to conduct an election in
all Chrysler plants.
Although the first announcement
said petition had been filed with the
N. l.. r. B., Richard T. Frankensteen,
organizational director of the union,
said later the formal petition would
be withheld until we see whether
there is time for an election before
the Summer shutdown"
II the Chrysler plants close soon
for retooling, in preparation for new
models, he explained the election
might be deferred until they reopen.
Frankensteen said he discussed the
matter with Frank Bowen, regional
director of the labor board, Tuesday
That was "a hours before the out
break of violence between members
of the U. A. w. A. and the independ-
ent association of Chrysler employees
resulted in the closing of the Plymouth
plant.
An estimated 81 900 automobile
workers in the Plymouth plant and
factories supplying Plymouth bodies
were idle while charges and counter
charges flew. Negotiations we're re-
sumed this morning.
A spokesman for Chrysler Corp,
Plymouth parent concern. described IS
tissue of inaccuracies" a state
ment by Homer Martin, international
president of the United Automobile
Workers of America Martin ascribed
the shutdown to a lockout" in VIOLA
ton of an agreement that ended a
strike affecting all Chrysler divisions
last March and charged that the
company had "coddled" rival union,
which was independent of national
Affiliations.
Union Violation Charged.
The company charged the U A. w.
A. with violation of the same March
compact, negotiated in the Office OF
Gov. Frank Murphy in the State
Capitol, on three counts. The accusa-
tions were that union members had
lntmidated specifically, beaten
Plymouth employees, staged a strike
IN protest against dismissal of four
men the company believed responsible
without resorting to the machinery
designated to handle such grievances
and participated generally in disturb
ances that led to a riot call after 10
men were injured.
The corporation said also that
Plymouth officials offered to reopen the
plant yesterday, but Martin, who
headed the union conferees. would not
say that the members Of his union
would return" 1t insisted that it "ha,
scrupulously lived up to" its own part
Of the March agreement and charged
that the union either does not control
its own members" or has no respect
for its contractual obligations
More Idle Seen.
Martin insisted the unionists de.
sire the agreement to function" and
were willing to abide by its terms. He
criticized the company's conferees for
refusing "to accept arbitration under
any circumstances and said the union
would abide by the law of the land"
If the company would submit to an
employe election on collective bargain
ing.
They even refused to agree that
in the event that they themselves were
satisfied the men had been wrong
fully discharged that they be rein-
stated with back pay" he said.
Officials of feeder industries said
today they would be forced to close
their own plants if the Plymouth shut
down continues, increasing the number
of idle by additional thousands.