Evening star., 1941-05-14
New Soft Coal Strike
And General Motors
Tie-Up Threatened
Defense OfficioIs Seek
To End Colt Arms and
Shipyords WoIkouts
By the Associated Press.


Threatened tie-ups of the Appa-
lachian soft coal fields and of Gen.
eral Motors so factories confronted
defense production officials today
even as they attempted to reopen
IL strike closed shipyards on San
Francisco Bay and the important
Colts munitions plant at Hartford,
Conn.
John L. Lewis. president of the
G. I. o. United Mine Workers, said
that unless Southern mine operators
reached an agreement this week with
the union on new wage contract,
he would recommend that the 300 900
union miners withdraw from the
eight-State Appalachian field, prob
ably by May 81.
Seventy per cent Of the Nations
bituminous coal production was
halted throughout April by similar
mine stoppage. ---
G. nj. Strike Due Tomorrow.
Another C. l. o. union, the United
Automobile Workers, has set dead
line of 7 am. tomorrow for a strike
against General Motors Corp. unless
an agreement is reached meanwhile
on the unions demand for wage
increases of 10 cents an hour. Com
pany officials say the current,
average scale now is slightly more
than 81 an hour. The Defense
Mediation Board for the last 10 days
has been trying to avert the
threatened walkout. The corporation
has about s70o 100000 worth of de-
fense orders. but union official said
that not more than s160, 900 900
worth would be affected by strike.
And with the firms consent, he de-
clared, the union would undertake
to continue work on that portion of
the orders.
William H. Davis, chairman of the
Mediation Board panel. made no
comment on progress as the 18th day
Of bargaining was begun.
A chartered plane was ready to
return the union officials to Detroit
tonight in event of failure of nego-
tlat1onS.
1t was indicated the disputants
were still in substantial disagree
ment on wages and the other main
issue, a closed shop, unless some
unannounced concessions had been
evolved in separate meetings which
were held late last night of subcom-
mittees of the c. 7. O.-U. A. w. and
the management.
After the April shutdown, the
soft coal mines were reopened un-
der a temporary agreement, with
Southern operators raising the
basic daily scale from $3.50 to $3.50,
but baking at meeting the new
scale of 81 day demanded by the
union and agreed to by the North
ern operators. Elimination of the
Accent daily pay differential, the
Southern producers contended,
would force many of them out of
business.
Mr.. Lewis now is seeking a more
permanent contract, with the differ
entail eliminated.
Coast Ship Strike.
A spokesman for the San Fran
cisco Bay shipbuilders, Frank Fox,
declared "it's up to the Govern
ment" to end the strike which has
tied up half billion dollars worth
of vital defense work.
A. F. l.. and c. I. o. machinists
have struck for wage increases from
81 to $1.15 an hour, and retention
of double pay for overtime work.
A conference on the Colts strike
at Hartford was set tentatively for
today. Production of machine guns
and small arms for the Army and
Great Britain was delayed by the
walkout, which became effective
yesterday. The strikers were re-
ported demanding a fiat 20 cents
(See STRIKES Page A-4)