Evening star., 1941-03-10
Coal and Steel Pay
Center Attention
OF {. |. @. Chief
New Strikes Are Listed
Against Defense Plants
Throughout Country
BY the Associated Press.


United Mine Workers in soft coal
flelds-after instructing S. w. o. c.
regional directors to arrange for
negotiations on a proposed new wage
agreement with Big Steel"
Mr.. Murray joined U. NJ. w. Off
cials in New York in informal dis
cussion of demands to be presented
tomorrow to bituminouS mine oper-
ators whose contract with the union
expires March 81.
The existing contract, covering
some 100000 miners, provides a 35-
hour week, a $6 daily wage in the
north and $3.50 in the south. Some
union sources have said the G. I. o.
U. M w. might seek a 81 a day in
crease and a 30-hour week. although
one West Virginia union proposed
331a per cent wage increase and a
30-hour week.
Decision Reached at Conference.
Decision to seek a new contract
with United States Steel Corp sub
salaries was reached at a confer
ence in Pittsburgh Saturday.
If the corporation receives noti-
f1cation of the unions desire for a
new contract by tomorrow the 20
day period for negotiations would
end April 1.-The same Gay the
U. NJ w bituminous coal contract
expires. Mr.. Murray disclaimed re-
spoSibility for the possibility the
dates might fall together" blaming
the steel corporation for tagging
action since he first announced his
proposals November s.
John L. Lewis, president of the
United Mine Workers, said the union
would present specific demands" to
bituminous mine operators tomor-
row for a new wage agreement.
Il don't expect to have anything
further to announce today" he said.
The discussions are informal"
In Detroit members of the United
Automobile Workers &C. I. o. en-
ployed at the Midland Steel Products
Corp. struck today, closing the
plant which company officials said
has defense contracts. The factory
employs about 100 workers, and
supplies automobile frames to Chrys-
Ter Corp, General Motors Corp. and
the Ford Motor Co.'S Lincoln divi-
sion.
Charles Bethel, U. A. VIC. 7. o.
organizer, said the Midland corpora
ton had rejected union proposals
for abolition of piece work, equal
pay for equal work and wage raises. 4"
He said the plants defense work was
negligible
Edward M. Owen, conciliator for
the State Labor Mediation Board,
said he warned the union last week
that the board considered Midland
to be engaged in defense work and
insisted on a 30-dav strike notice.
The unions strike notice was filed
February 27.
Federal conciliators sought to head
off another threatened strike in the
Detroit area
Conciliator James F. Dewey was
expected to try to avert a strike
which the c. I. O.-U. A. w. has
threatened TO call at three Ford
Motor Co. plants
Another conciHator at Detroit. L.
F. Rye, said the U. A. w. and Of
f1cialS of the Federal Motor Truck
Co. would resume negotiations to-
morrow over differences which
caused $50 production workers to
walk out Friday. The company has
a s5,000000 Army truck order.
Tank Arsenal Held I'd.
Another unsettled Detroit strike
held up installation of material at
the Chrysler Army tank arsenal.
This involved a juriSdictional dis
pute between A F, of L. machinists
and carpenters.
In other labor management con-
troversies there were these weekend
developments:
The Office of Production Manage
ment said the Allis- Chalmers Co.
Milwaukee, had refused to accept in
ltS present form a formula for end
ing a strike now At days old.
In South Plainfeld, N. j., quiet
plcketlng by the International
Brotherhood Of Electrical Workers
"a. F.. L. started at the gates of
the Cornell Dubilier Corp. plant and
Octave Blake, company president,
said 2,400 workers we're on strike
holding up production on 81 500 900
of national defense electrical sub
contracts.
The c. I. o. United Electrical
Radio and Machine Workers of
b. America decided to vote tonight on
whether to accept proposal by
Thomas A. Edison, Inc, in response
TO the unions demand for wage in
creases of 10 cents an hour and
overtime rates. In the meanwhile,
a scheduled One-day strike was
postponed.
Officials of the c. I. o. Aluminium
Workers of America scheduled an
other conference with representa-
tlves of the Aluminium Co. of
America over demands for 10 cents
an hour raises and overtime ad-
justments at the Edgewater, N. j.,
plant. The union local has author
lied a strike.
Some employees of the ]. G. Brill
Co. at Philadelphia, which normally
produces StreetcarS and buses. but
now is engaged also on s418.661 in
national defense contracts, walked
out on strike today
Defense contracts at the Brill
plant include one of S148,O6O for
artillery mounts. S80,974 for ammu-
milton and another artillery mount
contract for S189,627. Company Of
f1clals said only Is workers were
pnP9OnH t1nco
PITTSBURGH-Leaders of the
c. I. O.'s United Electrical, Radio
and Machine Workers Union dis
closed today they will seek a single,
comprehensive contract and a To-
cent-an-hour wage increase for 40
900 workers in % plants of the
Westinghouse Electric 81 Manufac-