Evening star., 1941-08-12
wage boosts but baked at the main.
tenance-of union proviso.
INDEX
DEC. 81. is3s-lW

ueCGSSdfy. OIlCc tilc TiCoioSi'e ID
on q vacation cruise, there appeared
to be some possibility of delay even
II Secretary Knox decided TO take
up Mr.. Korndorff's offer.
The Jersey City and Dover, N. j..
plants of L. o. Koven d. Bro.
were struck, halting work on ST.
100000 Navy contracts for subma-
rine manifolds and gasoline and
water tanks.
Employees Association, an inde-
pendent union, called the strike last
night alleging anti-union discrimi-
nation and company refusal TO sign
q contract based on an oral agree
ment. The association claimed that
400 of the plants $50 employees were
union members and had joined the
protest
Pay Increase Granted.
Otto Fisher. company vice presi-
dent. said the Koven company in
creased wages 10 cents an hour to
provide a new scale ranging from so
cents to 81 So hourly. He added that
the union now was demanding a
closed shop, although union mem
bers termed it a modified union
shop.
The National Railway Mediation
Board yesterday offered its services
TO the management and employees OF
the Nations railroads, in an effort
to avert a threatened strike which
would tie up major portion of the
country's freight facilities.
The board arranged a conference
to be held at Chicago Thursday to
discuss the demands of union rail-
roadmen for wage increases affecting
approximately l,l50,000 workers.
Spokesmen for the carriers assert
that the wage demands represent a
potential payroll increase of about
5000 900 900 a year-a boost which
they declare would place an intolera-
bic burden on the railroads.
Conference Called Here.
The United States Cancellation
Service has invited representatives
OF the Mack Manufacturing Co.,
Allentown, Pa, and striking C. I. o.
employees to a Washington confer
ence Friday to discuss the wage dis
pute which brought OH the walk
out. The company has orders for
several million dollars worth OF gun
carriages, tank parts and trucks for
the Army.
The strikers contend that the
company has refused TO agree to
make August 4 the retroactive date
for demanded increase of Is cents
an hour in wages. The current wage
scale ranges from "a to 95 cents an
hour.
An A. r. L.-called strike continued
to hamper operations at the Curtiss-
Wright Corp. propeller division at
Caldwell, N. j. The union claimed
that only so of 800 day. shift produc-
ton men passed the picket line
Yesterday. but the company insisted
that the plant was open and operat-
ing.
John Hart, the firms public re-
lations counsel, said that 230 men in
vital factory departments reported
for work this morning while 272
remained away. Saying that yester-
day 206 were in and 296 out, Mr.
Hart attributed today's increase to
better police protection around the
plant. The A. r. L. union claims
nearly all of the 1000 production
workers have joined the strike.
Mr.. Hart said the walkout had af-
fected delivery Of propellers to Mar
tin, Lockheed, Republic, Curtiss-
Wright and other manufacturers.
When the A. r. L. union de-
manded a wage boost of 20 cents an
hour, the company replied that the
only union with which it could bar
gain was Propeller Graft, an inde-
pendent union which won a collec-
tive bargaining election. last week.
The management declared the aver
age earnings of its employees were
$50M weekly.
Labor Troubles in South.
Several current labor disputes in
volved workmen in the South.
About $500 employees of the Erwin
Cotton Mills at Erwin, N. c., struck
yesterday, protesting, they said,
against an increased work load.
They specified that an attempt was
made to require workers to operate
two machines instead of one. The
| company, however, declared there
had been no increase in the work
load.
At Camp Lee, Va, 1900 A. F.. l..
carpenters asked to have their wage
scale raised from 81 to $112l2 an
hour. The request was discussed by
Army officials and representatives
of the union and two contractors,
then referred to the Quartermaster
Generals office for decision. A
union spokesman said there would
be no strike pending that decision
Virginia State Labor Commits
sioner Thomas B. Morton went to
Lynchburg Monday to participate
in negotiations between Craddock-
Terry Shoe Corp. officials and union
representatives on the question of a
preferential shop contract" The
company holds large orders for
Army shoes.
Railway Car Plant Closed.
The Bessemer. Ala. plant of the
Pullman Standard Car Manufacture
ing Co. was closed today by a strike
of members of the Steel Workers
Organizing Committee &C. I. o.,
who contended the company had
ignored demands for a wage in
crease. Approximately 1,l00 men
are employed at the plant, which
has huge backlog Of orders for
railroad cars, recently given priority
as primary defense item.
Company sources declined conf
ment on the strike. voted last night
M. o. Dabbs, president of the local
said the union asked wage increase
II