Evening star., 1941-04-08
n. |. R. B. Cites
Bethlehem Steel
For Contempt
Charge Of Company
Union Results in
Boston Proceeding
BULLETIN.

g0tiatiOns between a union official
and an officer of the Ford Motor
Co. in the firms 38-year his
tory brought statement late
this afternoon that new de-
veIopments today in the settle
ment of the strike at the Ford
Motor Co. are encouraging to all
parties"
The statement was made by
Gov. Van Wagner after a con-
ference that included Harry Ben
nett, personnel director al the
factory, and Philip Murray, presi-
dent of the c. l. o.
Gov. Van Wagner said he had
telegraphed President Roosevelt
asking him not to approve GER
tificati0n of the Ford strike to
the mediation board at present.
Asked whether Secretary Of
Labor Perkins had given him "a
hours in which to settle the strike,
Gov. Van Wagner replied that
she had stated "a or 48 hours
I'm not sure"
He declined to predict whether
that was sufficient time to COM
plete negotiations, but said. Il
am very hopeful"
Gov. Van Wagner was asked
whether Henry Ford or his son.
Edsel Ford. were present at the
negotiations. The Governor said
he wculd prefer not to identify
any of the Ford negotiators until
"a settlement has been reached"
Earlier Labor Story on Page Al
BY the Associated Press.
The National Labor Relations
Board announced today that it had
begun contempt of court proceedings
in Boston against Bethlehem Steel
Co., its president, Eugene Grace,
and other officers on charges that
the company recognized an allegedly
company-dominated independent
union as collective bargaining
agency for its Fore River (Mass.)
shipyard employees.
The boards action, filed in the
United States Circuit Court of APP
pealS at Boston, alleges that the
independent union of Fore River
workers is the same or the successor
to the Employe Representation Plan
ordered disestablished by the board
in a February. 1889. decision. The
order. the board stated, was upheld
by a Boston court last October.
Hard Coal Negotiations.
Meanwhile, with 100000 soft coal
miners still idle as a result of a snag
in negotiations and with officials of
the Ford Motor Co. comforting with
union officials for the first time in
the company's 38-year history, chief
interest in the labor situation was
directed to New York and the nego-
tiations for a new contract in the
hard coal fields.
Shortly after the anthracite min
ers presented their program for in
creased wages, their operator EN-
ployers responded with a proposal
to extend the present two-year pact
for another two years with only
slight notifications"
The proposals of the United Mine
Workers of America &C. I. o., CEN
tering around the demand for a
s1-a-day wage boost, and the reply
were offered to replace the agree
ment expiring April 30
Other Labor Developments.
Other late labor developments
were:
In Milwaukee, where llis-Chal-
mers employers went back to work
today after a prolonged strike, the
S25 advances on wages yet to be
earned to production employees max
ing application. Discussions of q
wage increase will start Thursday
Under the Washington agreement, it
will be retroactive to today.
In Worcester. Mass, the johnson
Steel and Wire Co., Inc, announced
a 10-cent-an-hour increase in pay
10 1000 workers at Worcester, Akron
Ohio, and Los Angeles, retroactive
to April l.
At New Kensington, Pa, Nicholas
zonarich, international president OF
the Aluminium Workers of America
&C. I. o. announced he had re-
quested conference with officials
of the Aluminium Co. May l to dis.
cuss a general wage increase fol
10000 employees in five plants. These
are situated at New Kensington
Edgewater, N. j.; Alcoa, Tenn; De-
troit, and Baden. N. C.