Evening star., 1941-08-03
Holidays Of Unions
Tie Up Building al
Munitions Projects
National Plan to Limit
Overtime to Time and
One-HoIf Is Protested

for any reason-was blamed yester-
day for weekend" holidays at five
giant munitions projects.
Thousands of workmen employed
In Ohio and Missouri failed to show
up at their jobs only few hours
after the presidents of international
building trades unions had ratified
the agreement, worked out with
national defense officials and ap-
proved by the War and Navy De-
partments.
The source Of the complaint ap-
peared to be in a provision to stand
ardize overtime rates at one and a
half times regular pay, whereas
workers on many projects had been
getting double time for weekend
work.
The major spots affected were the
$50 900 900 small arms ammunition
plant and the $4,000, 900 INT plant
near st. Louis, the s32 100000 Plum
Brook ordnance plant near San
dusky. Ohio; the s35 000, 900 Ravenna
(Ohio) ordnance plant and $l0,-
100000 munitions plant near Kansas
City.
A. F. L. Council to Act.
These interruptions we're sched-
uled for consideration today at the
summer meeting of the American
Federation of Labor Executive Coun-
ell, opening a two-week session at
Chicago, along with other labor
problems growing out Of the de-
fense program.
Another A. F. L. group, the Gulf
Coast Metal Trades District Council,
met at Tampa, Fla, to consider
ratification of a stabilizing agree
ment for labor in Gulf Coast ship
yards. The contract already has
been approved by the c. I, o. Marine
and Shipbuilding Workers Union
and by defense officials. A similar
plan Is In effect on the Pacific Coast
and others are being negotiated for
the Atlantic Coast and the Great
Lakes region.
A. F. L. electrical workers agreed
TO return to work at the Ford In
strument Co., Long Island City,
N. Y, which has 500, 900 900 in Navy
contracts, under an arrangement by
which defense work is being ex-
empted from a city-wide strike of
electricians. The strike was called
in an effort to force Consolidated
Edison Co. to employ members Of
the Brotherhood of Installation Jobs
at company plant.
A strike of lao workers at the
Southwest Lumber Co. mill. Alamo
gordo, N. Mex, which has orders for
2.500,000 feet of lumber for Fort
Bliss, Tex, was ended with 9-cent-
an-hour wage increase for all labor
classif1cations The mill will reopen
tomorrow and negotiation Of other
union demands will be started a
week later.
Labor Board Ruling Opposed.
Officials of the A. F. L. Lumber and
sawmil Workers Union said that
they had asked for increases from
"a to 95 cents an hour for Sawyers
and 50 to 55 cents for firemen.
In Cleveland. Thompson Products,
Inc, maker Of aircraft parts, an
nounced it would contest a Labor
Board order to disestablish the
Automotive and Aircraft Workers
Alliance, an independent union
claiming to represent its $500
employees.
The order was issued on charges
filed by the c. I. o. United Auto
mobile Workers Union that the
alliance was company dominated.
THE Labor Boards decision,"
said Ray Livingstone, Thompson
Personnel director, 'is a bewildering
example of the boards interference
tending to upset harmonious rela-
tionships existing in key defense
industry.
The walkout of key workers at
the American Radiator and Stand
ard Manufacturing Corp. plant in
Baltimore was formally approved
yesterday at meeting of 700 of
the 1,100 workers idle.
Frank Clark Ellis, A. r. L. leader,
announcing approval of the action
which forced shutdown Of the plant
Thursday, said "the workers de-
cided to set up a picket line on
Monday in protest against wage
and working conditions"
Bargaining Agreement Signed.
The A. F. L. Chemical Workers
Union and the East Alton Ill0
Manufacturing Goa subsidiary of
Western Cartridge Co.-last night
announced signing of a collective
bargaining agreement.
A joint statement said the years
agreement disposed of all matters
currently in controversy" but no
details were disclosed.
Flow of oil from about TOO pump
Ing wells in Central Michigan Yields
was stopped yesterday by strike
called by the Oil Field and Refinery
Workers Union "a. F. L. against
the Pure Oil CO.
Jerry Barton, business manager
OF the union, said most of $50 en-
ployes in the area joined picket
lines. The union, he said, de-
manoed reinstatement of two re-
Gently discharged workers before
negotiating with the company.
&. Price Steiding, district area
director of the National Youth Ad-
ministration, declared yesterday
boys employed at the N. Y. A. ma
chine shop in Homecoming, Md, will
be dismissed unless they end their
walkout and return to work tomor-
row.
The law allowed absence of only
three consecutive days. he said.
twenty-five boys left work Monday
night on the Inauguration of a night
shift. They were joined the fol-
lowing morning by the shops en-
tire personnel of more than 100.
They objected to a requirement
calling for 80 hours a month in
vocational training in addition to
30 hours shop work without addi-
tional remuneration.