Evening star., 1941-04-08
Murray Confers
With Ford Aides
On Plant Tie-up
First Time in Its
80 Years Company
Hos Met With Union

Principal Ford strike issues nrs
U. A. VIC. I. o. demands for
Contrdctural relations, elimind-
ton OF compdnyS "SerUtCe de-
pdrtment" and lcage increases OF
10 cents an hour for hourly rated
DorkerS. Union security tUnS
chief issue in Alts-C Chalmers
strike, Which tDdS settled. United
States Steel strike had been
called for last midnight. but COM
pGny and union agreed to con- -
tinue until April IS efforts TO
negotiate neU contract.
EN the Associated Press.
Ford Motor Co. officials met
today at Detroit with c. I. O..
President Philip Murray to dis
cuss settlement of the Ford River
Rouge plant strike in the first
such conference in the COM
pany's 36-year history.
Mr.. Murray went to Detroit at
the request of Gov. Van Wagon
er of Michigan, after President
Roosevelt agreed to postpone
discussion of the general strike
situation with the C. l. o. chief
tain.
Shortly after his arrival Mr.
Murray, Gov. Van Wagner and
Ford officials, including Harry H.
Bennett personnel manager, and
I. A Capizzi. general counsel, we're
understood to have conferred on an
agreement under which operations
could be resumed.
Ford assembly plants throughout
the Nation have closed because of
the stoppage at the huge plant.
Allis Plant Reopens.
Meanwhile the Chalmers
Manufacturing Co. plant in Mil
waukee. closed for rs days by strikes,
was reopened today
United States Steel Corp. mills in
Pittsburgh continued operations
after withdrawal by the c. I. o. Of
an order that would have stopped
work last midnight.
At New York representative OF
100000 PENNSYLVANIA hard coal
miners formally submitted to the
operators their program. including
demands for pay increases and paid
vacations. The present contract
expires April 80.
At Aluminium Co. of America
plants at Cleveland c. I. O. work
stoppages" slowed production. Alex
Balint, organizer for the C. I. o.
Die Casters Union, estimated one
third of the $500 employees were
taking part. He accused the COM
pany of 'stalling" on settlement Of
wage demands.
William F. Donovan, regional di-
rector of the C. I. o. Steel Workers
Organizing Committee. denounced
as Illegal a walkout called by
leaders of the union at the Ferro
Machine & Foundry Co., employing
1,700 men.
100000 Miners Idle.
Some 100000 soft coal miners re-
mained idle today as a result of
snag in negotiations over a new
labor contract.
To make up for time lost during
To-day strike, the Allis- Chalmers
plant went on a 24-hour- day basis
so the S45,OO0,O00 worth of defense
orders could be expedited Under
the settlement agreement, worked
out with the assistance of the Ma
tional Defense Mediation Board. an
impartial referee will be named to
arbitrate disputes, wage negotiations
will be continued, and no strike or
lockout may be held within a year.
The threatened walkout at SO
plants of United States Steel was
averted by an agreement between
c. 1. o. steel workers and the man.
agement to continue, until April IS.
currently deadlocked negotiations
for a new contract. Union demands
include wage increases, union shop
and dues checkoff.
National Steel Boosts Pay.
SnOrCly pe1Or6 announcement OF
the decision to continue the United
States Steel negotiations, National
Steel announced it was granting To-
cents-an-hour wage increases to ap-
proximately 10000 workers. United
States Steel employees $1,000, and
has many important defense con-
tracts.
In one week the Ford strike has
kept the River Rouge plant, worlds
largest industrial unit, employing
$4,000 hourly workers, tightly closed,
and has resulted in company orders
closing its other producing units. An
estimated 100000 workers have been
made idle, and Ford pay rolls which
the company said totaled 100000
daily have been suspended.
The sudden and unexpected move
by Ernest T. Weir in granting pay
increases at National Steel was
credited today in informed circles of
both steel and labor with paving the
way for quick understanding now
(See STRIKES, Page A-5)