Evening star., 1941-09-29
Alabama Steel Mills
Reopen as Troops Are
Called From Plants
Mediation Board Begins
Hearings Tomorrow
On Seomen's Dispute
By the Associated Press.

Co. resumed production today after
c. I. o. steel workers ended a short
lived strike, but labor controversies
, kept mediators busy in other sectors
of the defense production front.
Settlement of the Birmingham
strike followed soon after removal
OF 500 Alabama State Guardsmen
from company plants. Grievances
at the Ensley plant of the company
where the strike began Friday night
Will be negotiated, with any wage
adjustments retroactive to Septem-
Der l.
The National Defense Mediation
Board arranged to devote much of
its attention during the next 10
days to three disputes involving
$4,000 workers in the coal, shipping
and aircraft industries.
"Blitz Buggies" Strike.
A C. I. o. strike for wage increases
today halted work on frames for
Army 'blitz buggies" and automo-
biles at Midland Steel Products Co.
at Cleveland. 1t involved 1,400
workers.
R. H. Wallace, plant manager, said
he did not know very much" about
the strike, called by Local 486, C.
I. O-United Auto Workers.
Paul E. Miley, union executive
board member, said the company re-
fused demands for wage adjust
ments to bring Cleveland rates on
par with those paid at the COM
pany's Detroit plant.
In addition to frames for "blitz
buggies" produced by Willys-Over-
land at Toledo, Midland also Is
source of supply for auto frames on
Buick, Hudson and Studebaker cars
and for Ford trucks.
One hundred and five employees
of the Greenport Basin e. Construc-
ton Co, Inc, Greenport, N Y, max
ming minesweepers for the Navy,
went out on strike today in a dis
pute over union recognition and re-
instatement of several workers re-
Gently dismissed.
The strikers were members of the
Industrial Union of Marine and
Shipbuilding Workers of America
&C. I. o.. The company employs
about $50. The Greenport Employees
Association claims about 200 of them
as members. The c. I. o. union is
seeking recognition by the COM
peny.
Officials of the Defense Mediation
Board said that of the 81 cases it
has handled since its creation last
March, workers are back on the job
in all but one. The sole exception
was the Lincoln mills at Huntsville,
Ala, where 1900 workers were af-
fected by what officials called a
lockout.
Seamen's Hearing Started.
The board began hearings today
on a seamen's strike for war bonuses
on ships sailing into dangerous
waters, but after brief session re-
cessed until wednesday to await the
arrival of Harry Lundeberg, secre-
tary of the Sailors Union of the
Pacific.
The A. F. L. Seafarers Interna-
tional Union struck to enforce it's
demands, but ordered the men back
to work on September 25 at the
boards request.
The case involves 10000 A. F. L.
maritime workers, directly or indi-
rectly, and the Walkout tied up a
number of vessels loaded with defense
materials for insular bases. Charles
Wyzanski heads the board panel
hearing the case. On the panel with
him are George Mead, representing
employers, and Robert Watt, A F. L.
leader, representing labor.
Attending the hearing were repre-
sentatives of the S. I. U. and it's
affiliate on the West Coast, the
Sailors Union of the Pacific and the
American Merchant Marine Irsti-
tute, the Pacific American Shipown-
ers Association and the Watermen
Steamship Co.
The S. I. U. is asking bonuses of
$50 month for crews shipping to
the West Indies, which it considers
war zone.
The Sailors Union has demanded
an investigation of actions of the
Maritime Commission in establish
ing its own hiring hall in New York
and manning the picketed vessels.
Several ships of the Alcoa Line have
sailed with Maritime Commission
crews.
The board has set Thursday for
hearings on threatened strike of
about $4,000 employees of the Con-
solldated Aircraft Corp, San Diego.
IN a dispute over wages. At one
time scheduled for tomorrow, the
strike was postponed at the boards
request.
Mine Dispute Pending.
Also pending before the board is
the dispute between operators of
captive mines, owned principally bv
steel companies, and the United
Mine Workers, which called a strike
to enforce its demands for a union
shop. The miners have gone back
TO work pending mediation efforts,
with board hearings scheduled for
resumption October 7.
A mass meeting of hard coal min
ers was called at Coaldale, Pa, for
this afternoon to reconsider an
agreement designed to end a strike
OF 22,OOO members of the United
Mine Workers of America who are
protesting increased dues and as
sessments. The miners declined to
ratify the agreement at a meeting
yesterday.
A labor contract, said to be the.
flrst negotiated between the West
ern Union and the American Com
Association &C. I. o..
was Endorsed by 400 association
members in Detroit yesterday. Will
liam Burke, union international rep
resentattve, announced.
r. c. A. Strike Considered.
At the same time, the American
Communications Association at New
York notified President Roosevelt
that employees of r. C. A. Communi-
cations, Inc, were voting on whether
to empower their Negotiating Com
mittee ito prepare for and institute
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