Evening star., 1941-07-28
Key WestC Carpenters
In Sympathy Strike;
Naval Work Halted
Chemical Workers Union
Accept PIon to Settle
Cartridge Plant Dispute
BY the Associated Press.

ployed on naval defense projects
walked out at Key West. Fla. today
in sympathy with more than 800
striking laborers.
The carpenters action halted con-
struction work on submarine base,
a naval airbase and Navy housing
project, as we'll as improvements on
the naval station itself in the stra-
tegic Caribbean defense center. 1t
was estimated between 300 and 400
carpenters we're involved in the
walkout
The A. F. l.. Chemical Workers
Union notified the Defense Media
ton Board in Washington today
that it would accept board recon-
menda tions for settlement OF its
long standing dispute with the
Western Cartridge Co., Alton, Ill.
The dispute had carried threat
of a strike of $50 smokeless powder
workers.
Today Deadline.
The board had set today as the
deadline for acceptance or rejection.
No answer had been received from
the company when the unions &C
ceptance arrived in the mail.
The boards recommendation called
for 5 per cent wage increase
similar to one granted other COM
pany employees July 13-and pro-
vided that additional increases de-
manded by the union be submitted
to arbitration, along with the ques-
ton of paid vacations. Any in
creases arrived at by arbitration
would be retroactive to July IS. the
date on which mediation ceased.
| The present minimum is 50 cents an
hour, with average hourly wages
considerably higher. The union
asked a minimum of 78 cents an
hour and boosts in some classifica-
tions up to so per cent of current
scales. The board said these de-
mands were higher than appeared
justified.
Union Security Clause.
The board also recommended that
union security" clause be written
into the contract providing that all
present members of the union re-
main IN good standing as condition
OF employment, but not requiring
non-unlonlsts to join. Other recon-
mendations were that the company
| discontinue the practice of negotiat-
ing individual contracts with each
worker, and inclusion of a seniority
clause.
Meanwhile, A. F. L. laborers con-
tlnued their strike at an s89 9.0OO.-
600 small-arms ammunition plant
under construction at st. Louis.
Most all other craftsmen working
the day shift-between $500 and
l ,600-returned to work. Approxi-
mately $500 men. including laborers,
are employed on the three shifts. r.
G. StoWell, construction superin-
tendent, said work would be seri-
ously curtailed unless the laborers
strike was settled in two or three
! days. Officials of the laborers union
said they would refer the dispute
to the Office of Production Manage
ment in Washington.
Two Ice Haulers DISCHARGED.
The strike followed the discharge
of two ice haulers Saturday for
ld1ng. Only three days before. the
st. Louis Building Trades Council
had pledged no work stoppages on
defense projects.
The carpenters action at Key
West came after about so colored
laborers had reported for work
Those laborers then also left the job
The A. F. L.-affiliated Layers
Union Qaborers) struck last week,
asking for an increase in the basic
wage scale from 40 to 621a cents per
hour. A Navy compromise offer of
so cents an hour was rejected.
The original laborers' strike also
involved two separate loW-cost hous-
ing projects. The contractor there
acceded to the 6212 cents per hour
demand, however. and about 100
laborers returned to work.
Capt. Russell Crenshaw. COM
mandant of the naval station, sug-
gested to several hundred of the
laborers still on strike today that
they return to work and negotia-
tions for the 6212 cent demand
would be continued.
May Ask to Call Out Marines.
II the situation should become too
much for the local authorities, Capt.
Crenshaw declared, he would ask
the Navy for permission to call out
the Marines and give the workmen
protection.
Air Associates. Inc. at Bendix
N. j., notified the Mediation Board
today 1t would accept three of the
boards first recommendation for
settling dispute with c. I. O.
United Automobile Workers at the
firms aircraft accessories factory.
Those conditions called for return
Of all employees to work without dis
crlmlnatlon; submission of back
pay questions to a regional panel
Of the National Labor Relations
Board, and cooperation by man.
agement and employees to maintain
shop discipline.
But the company found two con-
dltlons unacceptable. These pro-
vided that the union and company
start negotiations Immediately and
if the dispute were not settled by
August 9, board-appointed arbiter
should be empowered to make a
binding decision. t'
Picketing began at the plant July
IL, following rejection of demand
for reinstatement of nine union
members who allegedly were dis
charged.
Modified Union Shop Vote.
c. I. O. workers at the Federal
Shipbuilding e. Drydock Co.. Kear-
ny, N j., voted to ballot secretly
on a recommendation of the medi-
alton board for a modified union
shop.
A dispute involving armored truck
drivers and guards in New York City
was settled by arbitration. Two
companies established new wage
scales of SAT week for drivers and
| e27 rLe