Evening star., 1941-10-20
Struck Plant Faces
Federal Seizure as
President Gets Case
Mediation Board Concede!
Failure, Accusing Air
Associates Firm
By the Associated Press.

b. the Associated Press.
Unless President Roosevelt can
find some way to reconcile differ
ences between a G. l. o. union and
Air Associates, Inc. vital supplier
of parts for airplane manufacturers,
it appeared probable today that for
the third time the Government
would have to take over a defense
plant.
The Defense Mediation Board,
which has been trying since July
to resolve the dispute between the
United Automobile Workers and the
MANAGEMENT of the BendiX IN. j.
concern, conceded failure yesterday
and turned the problem over to the
President.
This prompted speculation wheth-
er he would find it necessary to
pursue the same course as in two
other stubborn defense strikes. In
one, at the North American Avia-
ton plant in IngleWood, Calf, he
directed the Army to take over.
Later the factory was returned to
the company. In the other, the
Navy assumed and still retains con-
troll of the Federal Shipbuilding and
Dry Dock Co. works at kearny, N. J.
Lockout Charge Is Issue.
Main point at issue between Air
Associates End the union is a c.
I. Q. charge that its members were
locked out" after wage contro-
versy.
The board recommended almost
two weeks ago that the company re-
employ all strikers Immediately
without discrimination. Yesterday
company officials advised the board
they would Immediately commence
reinstatement Of strikers and asked
80 days in which to complete doing
so.
In reply the board sent a tele-
gram stating that reinstatement
was IAN operation which plainly
can be accomplished within very
few days at the most if the union
and the company accept the recon-
mendationS of the board in good
faith and cooperate in an effort to
carry them out promptly"
The telegram added that the
union had done So but because of
the company's rejection of the rec
concentrations, the board is COM
PEELED to refer the case to the execu-
tive branch of the Government"
Company Rep'ies.
IN publishing its findings, the
board said it felt Obliged to observe
that this company has not exhibited
toward either this certified union
or the National Defense Mediation
Board that attitude of cooperation
to which the public is entitled on
the part of a company whose opera
tions are essential TO the defense of
the Nation
In New York, F LEROY Hill. Air
Associates president, charged the
Mediation Board had threatened his
company with cancellation of all
Army and Navy contracts, Govern
ment operation of the plant and a
dose of bad publicity unless the
firm signed contract satisfactory
to the c. I. o.
Mr. Hill added that the extent
TO which the facts of the controversy
have been distorted would shock
Congress and the public if fully dis
closed"
500 Welders to Go Back to Work.
At Seattle more than 500 A F. L.
welders approved a decision by 1T
craftsmen to resume work today at
the Lake Washington shipyards,
where a Walkout Friday caused by
a juriSdiCtional controversy stopped
work on five naval seaplane tenders.
The men left their jobs in protest
against dismissal of one of their
number who had declined to join an
A. F. L. boilermakers' union.
At a mass meeting yesterday the
velders were informed by their
leaders that the Office of Production
Management would consider their
grievances against the A F. L. They
then voted to affiliate with the in
dependent union of United Welders
and Burners.
Airplane Strike Authorized.
c. l. O.s United Automobile
Workers voted at Buffalo, N Y. to
authorize a strike at the Bell Air
craft Corp S two Warplane plants in
Buffalo and Niagara Falls because Of
a stalemate in wage negotiations
They decided not to walk out, how
ever, until "all possible means Of
arbitration have been exhausted
Bell employees 10.5O0 at the plants
and has Sl500000OO Of orders from
the United States and Britain.
Pittsburgh government and busi-
ness leaders sought to arbitrate a
threatened general strike of A. F. L.
workers in that area in protest
against employment of non-union
men in construction of a generating
plant for the Duquesne Light Co.
A Walkout was threatened next Mon
day unless A F. L. workers are put
on the plant job.
Arms Plant Strike Spreads.
The jurisditClOnal strike of A. F.
L. machlnlstS at the Weldon Spring
tMO.D INT plant was extended to
the S1OO,0OO,OOO small arms ammu-
milton plant at st. Louis. but con-
struction officials declared there
would be no work stoppage. Car
penters we're put TO work setting up
machinery, replacing about so ma
chlniSts who did not report.
Fifty machiniSts went on strike
at the INT plant a week ago in a
dispute with the A. F. L. Hosting
Engineers Union over the right to
bargain for "a garage mechanics.
An official of the machinists' union
warned a general strike of 5000