Evening star., 1938-12-06
Production Resumed
As Fisher Strike
Is Settled
Workers Rotify Proposal
To End WuIkout
On Conditional Bosis
BACKGROUND

BACKGROUND
Homer Martin and General
Motors officials announced early
Monday morning, after 12-
hour conference. that the strike
at Fisher Body Plant No. 1 had
been settled Members OF the
local. homeUer. only redoubled
their pickets until the action ,Dds
ratified BY the local union.
Keeping the plant closed Mon
day threD additional Dorkers
out, for Buick ,OaS forced to
close because OF body shortage.
BY the Associated Press.
FLINT, Mich, Dec. 6.-Production
was resumed today at Fisher Body
Co Plant No. /, which had been
shut down since last Friday by q
strike involving q wage dispute.
Directly or indirectly more than
5000 workers were affected by the
strike as result of the closely geared
production machinery of various
General Motors Corp. units.
The Fisher plant force here. di-
rectly involved, numbers approx
mately 6 400 men Buick operations
were soon curtailed, however. and
$4,000 of their workers became Idle
The interruption finally extended
yesterday to 600 Fisher Body Co.
plant workers in Pontiac. Mich,
and today to approximately 5000
Pontiac Motor Co. men in Pontiac.
All except the Pontiac Motor Co.
workers were expected back on the
job today as Fisher Body No. !
swung into near normal operation.
At the Fisher plant superir+end-
ents Office it was estimated it would
require about Is hours of production
here to put Pontiac back in opera
ton.
Pontiac to Resume.
1--WE expect to be operating at
normal by the time our night force
goes on this afternoon" said a
spokesman for Fisher No. l man
agement. by tomorrow Pontiac
Motor Co. should be able to resume. .
At $50 am. it was announced
that the Fisher No. l plant was
operating at 80 per cent of normal
and that Buick was operating
normally.
A settlement of the strike was
ratified on a conditional basis at a
meeting of Local No. 58l, United
Auto Workers of America &C. I. o.
which continued for lengthy
period last night. The local de-
cided to call new strike if the
present wage dispute is not settled
by Friday.
Three Hours of Argument.
A settlement was announced Sum-
day night, subject to ratification by
the membership of the Flint local
Monday night. The ratification
came in conditional form after three
hours of argument within the local.
Some complaint was voiced be-
cause officers of the local had not
been permitted to take part in the
negotiations with General Motors
Corp. officials. international U. A.
W. officers, including President
Homer Martin, spoke for the union.
Mr.. Martin said the dispute in
volved the question of changing
from piece-rate scale to day-wage
rates in certain departments. He
added:
THE union recognizes that any
change from piece work to day work
must be made on a sound and equi-
table basis and that it is necessary
to negotiate an understanding as to
the method and process OF making
these changes"
Will Appeal at Once.
Mr.. Martin said the unions agree
ment with the corporation provided
for appeal from decisions by plant
managers to higher officials of Gen.
eral Motors and that a ''misunder-
standing" on this point caused the
strike. This particular case will
be appealed Immediately" he said.
Negotiations were to start We'd
nesday.
1t was understood pickets would
be withdrawn at once at the Fisher
plant here.