Evening star., 1941-04-12
Ford Co. Prepares
To Reopen Plants
With 5000 Monday
10 Days Will Be Needed
To Restore Normal Outpu,
After Bitter Strike
n, the Associated Press.

tfe ASSOCIATED Press
DETROIT, April IL. Acting
swiftly after the end OF a Today C.
10. strike, Ford Motor Co. officials
started today to pump the life blood
of production back into the indus
trial giant whose key unit is the
worlds largest factory.
More than 5000 of the $4,000 pro-
duction workers at Ford's great
River Rouge plant were expected to
return to their jobs Monday; others
will be recalled as needed.
The strike settlement yesterday
was hailed by Gov. Murray D. Van
Wagner of Michigan as an his
toric step in establishing peaceful
industrial relations
Jubilant pickets of the United Au-
tomobile Workers &C. l, o. aban-
doned their posts at gates of the
1.100-acre factory. State policemen
who maintained order during the
dispute also left.
Some Equipment Damaged.
About 10 days-longer. in some de-
partmentS, where equipment was
damaged-will be needed to restore
normal production, company officials
said. First calls were expected to 60
to workers in the foundry. rolling
mills. coke ovens and blast furnaces.
Resumption of River Rouge plant
operations means a Ford assembly
line again can start rolling off "blitz
buggies," small trucks for the Army;
II means a speeding of preparations,
in huge factory within the plant,
for output. of airplane engines be-
ginning in June. The Ford COM
pany holds defense orders totaling
Sl55, 100000.
Ford sales officials notified branch
plants to plan for early reopening
Including employees of these units
and of independent firms supplying
parts and materials to the Ford COM
pany. an estimated 100000 workers
were made idle by the strike. For
the $4,000 Ford employees alone the
wage loss was placed at 100000
daily.
Reported to President.
The end of the first major strike in
the Ford company's 38-year history
came after more than week of day
and night conferences in which Gov
Van Wagner and James F. Dewey.
United States Labor Department
conciliator. played active roles.
Their moves were reported TO
President Roosevelt and Secretary
Perkins: before the settlement came,
the Governor had conferred person.
ally with 77-year-old Henry Ford,
founder of the industrial colossus
the first time Mr.. Ford had con-
ferred with any mediator in labor
dispute.
Mr.. Dewey said the settlement
was assured at $3.50 am. yesterday
when the National Labor Relations
Board agreed to postpone hearing
1t had scheduled for Monday on
complaint by the U. A VIC. I. o.
against the company. This post
ponement was condition of the
company's acceptance of Gov. Van
Wagoner's peace formula which
broke a deadlock in negotiations.
Governor Praises Both Sides.
Official announcement of the
agreement came yesterday after
noon. In it the Governor praised
the 'unselfish and patriotic attitude
of all parties involved.
The settlement calls for rehiring
of all employees without discrimina-
ton. including five of eight union
committeeman whose discharge was
the immediate cause of the strike;
for establishment of grievance
procedure used before the strike,
and cooperation of both sides in
an employe election which |
the N. r. L. B. recently ordered held |
within Is days.
Union demands for a 10-cent |
hourly wage increase. a contractual |
agreement and substitution of uni
formed protection men for the Ford |
Service Department were left for
possible negotiation after the N. l..
r. 3. election.