Evening star., 1941-08-23
Plans 10 Rehire
Displaced Auto
Workers Sped
o. P. IA. Acts to Aid
Men to Be loid Off
By Cut in Output

The o. P. M. Labor DIVISION ana
cooperating Government agencies
today acted to put into effect the
management-approved plan Of the
United Automobile Workers &C. I.
o. for rehiring and retraining OF
automobile workers expected to be
laid off by the 261a per cent cut in
auto production ordered by o. P. M.
and Opacs.
Among major points in the pro-
gram worked out by the U. A. WIS
Emergency Employment Committee
in conferences with representatives
of the industry and the o. P. M.
Labor Division are:
That workers displaced by con-
version of plants from non-defense
to defense purposes are to be regis
tered, re-employed and retralned, II
necessary, for jobs in defense in
dustries. This is called the Buffalo
Plan," since it was formulated 1or
workers in that area.
Seniority Rights Guaranteed.
That in all cases of plant CONVEX
sion, seniority rights in the original
plant are to be guaranteed. And IN
plants having both civilian and de-
fepse work, new employees will be
assigned to civilian work, while men
with seniority rights will be given
first choice on all defense work.
That State and local committees
will be formed to handle re-employ-
ment problems on regional and
community basis.
| That efforts will be made to obtain
and sublet defense orders to aid
every locality affected.
That union representatives will
participate, in conjunction with
Government agencies, in classifying,
training and placing employees re-
leased because of curtailment due
| to shortage of materials or any other
reason.
That the U. A. w. and the o. P. M.
Labor Division will cooperate
closely in the program to obtain
relief for the men involved as
quickly as possible with the Govern
ment's research departments pro-
/ viding u. A. w. State and local
committees with detailed informa-
ton about labor needs of individual
plants and localities.
26 Per Cent Face Loss Of Jobs.
Employment in the auto industry
has fallen of in recent weeks, mainly
due to retooling for production of
1912 models, but during peak April
activity, the industry employed 532.-
800 persons, with weekly pay rolls
amounting to $l8,536, 900.
1t has been estimated by labor
experts of the industry that cur
tailment in production will result in
almost comparable percentage re-
ductions in the number of persons
employed. This, the 26la per cent
cut announced for August, Septem-
Der, October and November would
throw approximately rs per cent Of
those employed in the industry out
of jobs. -..
In ordering his Labor Divisions
Washington headquarters and field
Offices to act Immediately to put re-
hiring into operation, Sidney Hill
man, associate director Of the
o. P. M, said:
The new and enlarged employ
ment opportunity will do much to
absorb workers temporarily dis
placed as a result of shortages in
critical materials. In some cases,
despite our best efforts, some un-
employment cannot be averted for
a short period. We hope, however.
that through our organization and
through cooperation of labor and
management with the Government
we can deal with this unemployment
question in way that will expedite
the defense program. We are seek
ing to avoid drift and the waste
arising from idle machines and idle
man power needed for defense. We
must plan intelligently to conserve
and bring to highest usefulness our
national labor force"