Evening star., 1940-04-09
n. |. R. B. Prepares
To Collect Pay Lost
By Steel Strikers
1000 Claims Against
Republic Corp. Validated
By Supreme Court


Republic Corp. Validated
By Supreme Court
BY J. A. FOX.
The National Labor Relations
Board prepared today to set up the
collection machinery through which
Republic Steel Corp. workers will
recover pay for the time lost in the
bloody little steel" strike In Ohio
In 1887.
The board estimated some 1900
claimants would have to be inter-
viewed and various forms provided
for the filing of the claims that
finally were validated yesterday
when the Supreme Court refused
to review the board order directing
Republic to put the men back to
work; pay the compensation and
cease interference with efforts of
the c. I. o. to unionize plants in
Cleveland, Canton, Warren, Youngs-
town and Massilon-the issue that
bred the strike.
The ultimate cost of the defeat
to the company-which had ap-
pealed from ruling of the Third
Circuit Court of Appeals refusing
TO set aside the board order-was
uncertain. The company said re-
employment no longer was a prob
lem, as the men had returned to
their jobs; 1t was said also that the
cost would not be a fraction of the
E,500,00O estimate made in Octo-
per, 1888, when the board order was
handed down.
May Involve $4,000, 900.
IN Pittsburgh, however, according
TO the Associated Press, Philip Muir
ray, chairman Of the Steel Workers
Organlzlng Committee of the CLIO.
SAID total of $4,000, 900 might
nlnge on the courts action. He said
tne reinstatement of the workers in
the Ohio plants with back pay would
cost $5y000,0O0 that pending cases
IN Chicago. Buffalo and Monroe.
Mich, involved $l,5OO,OO0; that
damage suits by workers against the
company charging false arrests and
assault and battery totaled So. .0OO.-
700. and that an additional 81, 500 900
IN claims are on file with the Labor
Board in behalf of workers asking
additional back pay. The board d.
rected back pay starting five days
a1ter 1t was promulgated; that ST.
100000 in additional claims, Mr..
Murray explained, concerns pay
asked from the time of the strike in
May, 1887. to the date OF the order
Is months later.
In New York a stockholders
suit to recover damages of ap-
proximately $l2,85O.OOO for losses
allegedly sustained during the
strikes OF 1887 was filed today
against Is officers and directors
OF the Republic Steel Corp, the
Associated Press reported.
Tom M. Girdler, chairman. and
Rufus S. Wysor, president, are
among those named in the suit
f1led in State Supreme Court by
Arthur Newman. attorney, in the
name Of Minnie Friedman. and
on behalf of other stockholders.
Miss Friedman's complaint al
legged the defendants caused Re-
public Steel to interfere with.
restrain and coerce employees of
Republic in the exercise Of their
rights. guaranteed them under
the National Labor Relations Act,
TO self-organization."l
Field Staff Being Formed
The Labor Board plans to put a
stan in the field within the next
two or three weeks to carry on the
work OF adjustment, which is expect
ed to take six months. Subregional
of11ces probably will be located at
the Republic plants, but officials
conceded it might be difficult to
reach workmen who have gone else
where.
Besides the back pay the field
staff will determine if the boards
order has been carried out with
respect to the reinstatement of Re-
public workers in their former Jobs
or jobs substantially equivalent"
to those held at the time of the
strike.
William F. Donovan, a district di-
rector of the Steel Workers Organ
ization Committee - which called
the strike in May. 1887, after Re-
public and other independent steel
producers had refused to bargain
with the union-said at Cleveland
that the courts order was "the
greatest victory ever achieved by Or
ganized labor" He predicted the
company would make peace" with
the S. w. o. c. and that the decision
would lead to 400 per cent organ
ization IN all the Republic plants"
There was no immediate comment
from the company.
The corporation has pending in
Federal District Court at Cleveland
suit for $7,500,000 in damages
against the c. I. o. and afflliates for
extraordinary expenses it said it
incurred during the strike.