Evening star., 1941-03-08
New Strike Is Called
In Jersey as Two
Are Headed OFF
Bethlehem Steel Refusal
To Fulfill Peace Terms
Choreed by Union

awanna plant disturbed the defense
picture today as progress was re-
ported in heading off two other Jer'
sey strikes and the threat of
Southern Michigan power black
out, and defense officials agair
sought solution of the 45-day-ole
Allis-Chalmers dispute.
At South Plainfleld, N. j., Franz
A. Diana, local president OF the In
ternational Brotherhood of Elec'
trical Workers CA. F. L., announced
the local had voted to strike at mid.
night at the Cornell-Dubilier Elec.
tric Corp. plant. The plant is en-
gagged on national defense contract!
and employs about 1000 workers
Mr.. Diana said the local was seeking
wage increases.
At Buffalo, N. Y, Lorne H. Nelles
c. /. o. leader, charged that Bethle-
hem Steel management representa-
tives had refused" to meet a union
committee in accordance with 8
Government drafted strike settle
ment.
Mr.. Nelles said c. L. Baker, plant
personnel director, objected to Ger
tain members" of union committee
which was scheduled to meet with
the management yesterday to dis
cuss grievances.
Terms Proposed by o. P. NJ.
Terms proposed by the Office oi
Production Management for ending
a two-day strike at the plant last
week, and to which the union sno
company agreed, included thai
management-union conferences bt
held to seek adjustment of differ
ences.
William S. Knudsen, director gen.
eral of the o. P. M, took personal
charge of a renewed effort to settle
the strike at the Milwaukee plant
of the Chalmers Co., con-
ferring throughout the morning with
a company delegation headed by
Harold Story. Ralph A. Bard, As
sistant Secretary of Navy, also at
tended the session in Mr.. Knudsen's
Office.
No representatives of the striking
c. I. o. union were present, accord
ing to o. P. M. officials, since the
union has agreed to an o. P. M. set
tlement proposal. 1t was under
stood that the company's main point
of difference related to the proposal
that an impartial referee settle
disciplinary disputes. Production on
about $26,000,o00 worth of defense
materials has been stopped by the
strike.
Strike Authorized.
The other two New Jersey firms
facing possible strikes were the
Aluminium Co. of America plant
at Edgewster, and the Thomas A
Edison, Inc, industries, with three
plants In the State and one in
Pennsylvania.
CT. o. employees of the Aluminium
Co. empowered their leaders to cal
q strike unless the company meets
wage demands, but Union President
Vincent McKenna declared "the
strike viii not be called unless our
demands are fatty refused"
Spokesman for the Edison Co. anc
the C. I. o. Electrical, Radio anc
Machine Workers reported prog
resS" last night after a conference
on the unions demands for CLOSED
shop, wage increases and overtime
pay for Saturday and Sunday work
Power Strike Headed OFF.
The threatened strike against th'
Consumers Power Co., which serve'
1000, 900 Southern Michigan resi-
dents, appeared definitely headed of
as A. F. L. Electrical Workers begar
balloting on ratification of an agree
ment calling for wage increase ant
preferential shop. The Grant
Rapids local ratified the agreemen
unanimously, and union leaders pre-
dicted other locals would follow suit
In another labor development
Union President R. j. Thomas out
lined in a radio address last nigh
the grievances he said prompted tn
c. I. O.-United Automobile Worker
to file notice of intent to strike a
three Ford factories in the Detroi
area.
Mr.. Thomas declared the Ford &C
has no seniority system, no recog
nized, democratic grievance ma
chinery, no machinery for discussin
the speedup which overtaXes men
strength and makes them old at 40.
Charges Discrimination.
To- I11N Ia
the company had discriminate
against employees who joined union
and the wages, he said, we're "a
least 10 cents an hour less tha,
General Motors or ChrySler"
The company employs approx
imately 10000 men in its Rive
Rouge, Highland Park and Lincol
plants and conciliators are at wor
seeking a solution of the dificultie'
Mr.. Thomas declared, howevel
that should the Ford management
reject our offers of conciliation W
shall strike"
A recess last night halted nego
tiations at Washington to settl
strikes of the C. I. O.-Farm Equip
ment workers Organizing Commit
tee at four Illinois and Indiana plant
of the international Harvester O.
The oldest of the strikes starte
seven weeks ago. Principal unio
demands are for wage increases an
union recognition.
mo Satisfactory Formula"
"In our opinion" said Grar
Oakes, national president of F.
w. o. c., mo satisfactory formul
for settling the strike has as "
resulted from Government media
ton efforts. With the Wash
ington conferences recessed, tt
union stands ready to enter into d
rect negotiations with the compar
in an effort to arrive at a settle
ment.
Meanwhile, the restrictions thJ
were placed upon other Harvest
C. /. o. locals by the F. E. w. o.
relative to strike action are no
lifted"
A union spokesman said this W;
q clear implication of the poSsibilii
Of strikes at Harvester plants {
MiluoI1kee Pork Island Til Ep