Evening star., 1937-01-15
AUTO STRIKE LOSS
IS MANY MILLIONS
Cost to G. M. C. and Work.
ers Alone Is Placed at
S1O,OOO,O 900.
BY the Associated Press.

DETROIT, January 15.-The "sit-
down strikes affecting General Mo-
tors plants have cost the automobile
company and its employees close to
S10,0o0,000 to date. an unofficial sur
vey indicated today.
Shutdowns and curtailment of opera
tions in related industries, principally
steel, fiat glass and transportation,
have added several more million dol
lars to this estimate of business losses.
An Associated Press compilation,
based on the number of idle employees,
working days lost in each plant and
the company's report of 81 as its aver
age daily wage. shows that General
Motors workers have lost approx
mately S6.156, ,66l. including today.
With about 49, 900 General Motors
employees idle-and the number in
creasing daily-informed sources re-
port that the losses OF wages, cur
rent profits. prospective stock dlvl-
dends and trade would amount to a
staggering figure"
William S. Knudsen vice president
of General Motors, has told newsmen
that the company's idle employees now
are losing about $l,000,000 a day in
unpaid wages.
was losing in current profits, he re-
piled: II hate to think about it," but
declined to make an estimate.
Previously General Motors official
that the PnrnnrQ t1nn
stands to lose" about $330,00 day
in expectable net profits if all its
plants are closed.
Some trade quarters have mentioned
$4,000 900 as conservative guess" of
the company's loss of net profits, al
lowing for varying numbers OF closed
plants, since the strikes started
Merchants in cities with closed
General Motors plants have felt the
effect of stoppage of wages, as large
part of the automotive workers dol
lar goes into the retail trade. Statis-
ticians have reported no sharp break
yet, however, in retail business indi-
Gators.
The Associated Press compilation,
uSlllS lllc SOlllPdilS Oll III"
many men are idle at various cities,
shows the following totals of employees
not working and the wages unearned:
In Michigan: Flint. 26,359 idle
workers, S1456,917 lost wages; De-
troit, 30.772 workers, $l,221,332 lost;
Saginaw, $500 workers, $3.50, 500 lost;
Pontiac. 9,100 workers, S178,5 lost;
I1,f.
Grand Rapids. 1882 workers, s91 OLA
lost; Bay City, 1900 workers, $50 500
lost.
In Ohio: Cleveland. 7,2l1 work.
ers. $706,6 lost; Norwood, 1.769
workers, S136.2l3 lost; Toledo, 839
workers. s58,24O lost.
Other cities: Atlanta, Ga, 1912
workers, S431,76O lost; Kansas City,
2242 workers. S329,574 lost; Mem
phis, Tenn, 1854 workers, s95,9l4
lost; Anderson, Ind. 10000 workers,
$751; 1856 lost; Harrison, N. j., TOO
workers. $4,000 lost; GAINESVILLE. Wis,
2.467 workers, s120,s83 lost; Muncie,
Ind, 1,500 workers, $50 500 lost.
In addition. the United Automobile
upon the strike fund" of the Inter-
national Union for expenses. including
payment of house rent bills of sit
doWners," cost of food for the strikers
and some families and incidental
items.
The U. A. w. A. headquarters said
1000 has been donated the Strike
Committee by other labor unions, but
declined to estimate expenses.
General Motors, because Of the
strike, has Cancelled advertising
schedules. a sizable item for news
papers and broadcasting stations.
National Guard officers, figuring
the cost of keeping a soldier in readi-
ness at IS per man each day, esti-
mated the 1900 Guardsmen mobilized
at Flint cost the State s11,50O daily.
About $4,000 of this Is for rations