Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1941-05-24
New GIN. Strike
Threatened by
Pontiac Local
Anti-Union Activity
Charged; Shipyord
Dispute Continues
BY the Associated Press.


General Motors Corp. faced a new
strike threat today at Pontiac, Mich.
Just week after the big motor
firm averted a threatened Walk-out
in so of its plants by granting wage
increases OF 10 cents an hour. the
Pontiac local of the c. I. O.-United
Automobile Workers filed notice with
the Michigan Labor Mediation
Board Of intent TO strike. The
union charged the plant manage
ment with anti-union activity.
The c. I. GU A. w. announced
yesterday that three General Motors
locals had accepted the new, wage
raising contract. They were the
OldSmobile plant at Lansing. Mich:
the Fisher stamping plant at Grand
Rapids, Mich, and the Chevrolet
plant at GAINESVILLE, Wis.
Board Asks Strike Delay.
The Defense Mediation Board
| asked a c. l. Q. union today to
refrain from striking against North
| American Aviation, Inc. at IngIe-
wood, Calf until the board could
make an effort TO adjust the dispute
| The United Automobile Workers
Union has threatened TO strike next
Wednesday, unless its wage de-
mands. including a l0-cent increase
for all employees, are met. The board
set hearing for Tuesday morning
At San Francisco, where a strike
of 1.700 c. I o. and A. F. L. ma
chinists has tied up work by 10 times
that many men on a half-billion
dollars worth of ship-building in II
yards. 1t was reported that the Navy
might complete in its own yards
work on some of the tied-up ships
but would not try TO force reopening
Of the struck yards. Naval forces
said some of the vessels might be
towed to the Mare Island yard for
completion.
Bard Suggests Prosecution.
The maChlnlSts want to keep dou-
bic pay for overtime and ask sll5
an hour regular pay. Under a Gov
/ eminent negotiated coastWide agree
ment not accepted by the machin-
/ lists, employers want to cut the over
| time scale 10 time and a half and
! jump the former straight scale of
/ 81 an hour TO SIP.
Admiral Emory S. Land. Maritime
( Commission chairman. told a Senate
Investigating Committee here yes
terday that he believed the Govern
ment would be justified in using
United States forces to open the
shipyard picket lines.
Ralph Bard. Assistant Secretary
OF the Navy, said possible alterna-
tive 10 Government operation of the
yards was prosecution of the leaders
of outlaw" strikes.
Mayor Angelo J. RoSsi OF San
Francisco read 10 the committee a
telegram from John P. Frey. presi-
dent of the A. F. L. Metal Trades
Department, describing the strike as
the most serious blow to collective
bargaining and the integrity of
agreements with employers which
mas ever occurred in our industrial
history"
Company Willing to Sign.
Arthur B. Homer. vice president
OF the Bethlehem Steel Co., testified
that while the company's shipbuild-
Ing division had never signed a
union agreement on the West Coast.
1t would be substantially correct"
to say that the company would be
willing 10 sign an agreement now.
Another strike which the ALL.
mad branded "unauthorized'-t of
5000 laborers at the $4,000 900 Gov
eminent shell-loading plant under
construction at Ravenna. Ohio-ap-
peared headed for settlement.
A representative of the conStruc-
ton company said work would be
resumed and that the strikers would
be assigned jobs pending negotiation
of their demand for a wage increase
from IS to 80 cents an hour.
The Defense Mediation Board
called for cloSed-door discussions to-
day designed TO call a halt to the
contract dispute between the 10.
United Mine Workers and the soft
coal operators. Coal mining opera
| tons have been resumed under a
temporary agreement. The major
dispute now centers around the
unions demand that Southern op-
orators jump wages to 81 a day.