Evening star., 1941-07-27
Strike Halls Work
On SS9,oOO,OOO Arms
Plant in St. Louis
Miss Perkins Sends
Two Labor Cases
To Mediation Board
b. the Associated Press.

Construction work on an S89 000,-
600 small arms plant being built
for the Government at St. Louis
was halted last night by a strike
of A. F of L. laborers in protest
against dismissal of two union men,
bers for iQling on the job.
Earl Jenkins and Paul A. Hula
han, business agents for the Build
ing Laborers and Hod Carriers
Union Local 40, ordered 627 Ia
horers on the second shift to pull
the lob because the contracting
firm refused 10 reinstate the two
men as demanded by the union.
J. r. Marshall, personnel director
OF the Fruco Construction Co, a
local firm which is building the
Splant on Cost-plus fee basis. said
reinstatement of the men was re-
efused because they were standing
Hstill for what we considered too long
"a time
The men discharged were engaged
in operating a truck delivering ice
ITO water coolers placed for conven-
a1ence Of Workmen at various points
con the site of the huge project.
80 Two Strike Threats Certified.
Meanwhile, Secretary of Labor
Perkins certified two new threats of
labor trouble TO the Defense Media
ton Board while a once-postponed
Walkout Of 5000 electrical workers in
New York City was reset for Tues
day.
A dispute over provisions Of a
new working contract, the details
of which were not disclosed, brought
the threat of strike at the Armour
s& Co Chicago plant which en-
sploys $4,000 persons. The company
has contracts for supplying meat,
seggS and butter to the Army.
Miss Perkins sent the Armour
controversy to the mediation board
.alorg with one at the Borg Warner
Corp. mechanics universal Joint di-
vision, at Rockford, H. where the
C. l. O.-Unlted Automobile Work.
ers threatened TO strike on Monday
because OF differences over undis-
closed details of a working agree
ment. The plant, employing 86S
men, makes joints and shafts used
at the Rock Island, ILL., arsenal.
Strike Would Effect 5000.
The Electrical Workers Union "A.
r. L.. local No. 3. decided to call
out $500 electrical workers and 500
maintenance men on 600 Jobs in
New York City Tuesday in an ef-
fort to force the Consolidated Edi-
son Co, TO employ members of the
local in installation work at its
Waterside plant rather than mem
bers OF the Brotherhood of Consoh-
dated Edison Employees, unaffiliated
This action followed report that
the Electrical Contractors Associ-
alton had failed to persuade Con-
solidated Edison to grant the Union
demand.
The c. I O. Federation of Flat
Glass Workers called at strike at
the Pittsburgh Plate Glass Co. s
plant at Crystal City. Mo. in protest
over the alleged discharge of a un-
ion member after quarrel with a
non-union employe. The plant, en-
ploying 1900 workers, produces
safety glass for defense uses.
Strikers TO Vote on Compromise.
Striking A. F. L. laborers union
members at Key West. Fla. decided
to vote today on compromise pro-
posal of 10 cents an hour increase
The union demanded an increase
from 90 to 62l2 cents an hour. The
600 strikers were working on a ST.
100000 project including a subma-
rine base and an air base. The
Navy has threatened to take over
the Job.
Two airplane factories Of the Cur
tiss-Wright Corp. at Buffalo. N. Y,
were ordered on a siX-day, instead
of five beginning tomorrow to in
crease aircraft production. The eX-
panded week affects 5000 factory
and office workers.
Two officials of the C. l. O-United
Automobile Workers Union an
nounced in Washington that seven
companies had signed an agreement
which would provide wage increases
averaging about 18 cents an hour for
l2500 employees in the automobile
cushion industry.