Evening star., 1939-08-07
A. F. |. Consents
To Auto Election,
Averting Strike Threat
C.l.O.-U.A.W. Had Taken
Wolkout Vote as Weapon
In Packard Plant

III TOSkOIO TIO0C
By the Associated Press.
DETROIT, Aug. 7.-An official of
the A. F. L.-United Auto Workers
announced today that his union had
consented to National Labor Re-
lations Board poll of Packard Mo-
tor Car Co. employees and would not
contest similar elections ordered for
Chrysler Corp, Briggs Manufac-
turing Co. and Motor Products Co.
plants.
The announcement apparently
averted the likelihood of G. I. o.
U. A. w. strike in the Packard plant,
authorized yesterday by a vote of
the Packard local.
Frank H. Bowen, regional director
of the N. L. r. B., said today that
the Packard vote would be held
August II. The motor products poll
is scheduled for August is. Elec-
tions in the Briggs and Chrysler
plants, Mr.. Bowen said, will be held
later.
Fred Durrance, regional director
OF the U. A. WA. F. L., in making
his announcement said the move
was In line with a recently adopted
policy of the union. Earlier there
were indications that the U. A. W.
A. F.. l.. would contest the board
orders.
I'VE will not try to block the elec-
tions in ChrySler, Briggs and Motor
Products, either" Mr.. Durrance said
in announcing he had signed the
stipulation consenting to the Pack
ard election, because we have
cleared up an important point with
the Labor Board.
Won't Affect Court Suit.
"It is understood that the cleo
ton will not affect the Circuit
Court case now pending in Detroit
regarding custody of the contracts,
property and name of the U. A. W.
The board vote will not have any
effect on the contracts"
Curt Murdick. president of the
Packard U. A. VIC. l. O. local. in
announcing that a strike had been
approved. said:
I'VE took the strike vote not be-
cause We want to strike" said Mr..
Murdock, "but to make sure that We
don't get another double-cross on
the election. There won't be a
strike unless the A. F. l.. connives
us out of the election or unless the
Packard management refuses to
consider our grievances
The election Is to determine
whether the workers should be rep
resented by the U. A. VIC. I. o.
or the A. F. of L. United Automobile
Workers. He said the National
Labor Relations Board has set the
election tentatively for August II.
No Grievances Received.
c. E. Weiss, Packard industrial
relations director, said the company
had received no grievances from the
U. A. VIC. l. o. He added that
the management would meet repre-
sentatives of either union. but could
grant neither exclusive rights until
their claims were settled by the cleo
ton. Mr.. Murdoch said about 5000
employees were engaged in producing
1910 model cars.
Chrysler. Hudson and Nash like
wise are turning out new models
and other producers are nearly
ready for the change-over. Ford is
the only manufacturer still building
1899 cars.
General Motors called back the
first of $500 skilled workers whose
strike was settled last week and the
remainder are to report tomorrow
permitting completion of tools and
dies for manufacturing 1910 cars.
10000 to Be Recalled.
When that work is completed 150,-
900 G. M. production workers will be
recalled. They have been idle partly
because of the strike and partly be-
cause of the normal slack season
caused by the changeover to new
models
Union leaders at Pontiac who COM
planned that General Motors had
dismissed a number of strikers at
the Fisher Body plant said later the
dismissal order had been Cancelled.
The agreement ending the strike,
which lasted month, provided that
none of the strikers would be penal
ized.
George F. Adde's, secretary
treasurer of the U. A. VIC. 1. O.,
challenged a company statement
that workers had lost $4,000, 900 in
wages because of the strike. He
contended that the work remained to
be done and the workers still would
be paid for it plus some wage in
creases and some extra overtime
won through the strike"