Evening star., 1941-10-14
Deadlock Develops
In Efforts 10 End
Tank Plant Tie-up
Officials Concerned Over
Auto Frame Strike Which
Threatens 100, 900 Jobs

BY the Associated Press.
A deadlock developed today in
negotiations to settle an inter-union
dispute which has seriously ham,
pered production of Army tanks and
other combat vehicles.
At the same time, Government
officials and automobile makers ex-
pressed increasing concern over
Cleveland strike which threatened
to make 100000 workers idle by mid
week, and labor troubles continued
to impede operations at two Gulf
Coast shipyards.
A shortage of chassis frames sup
piled by the Midland Steel Products
Co. Of Cleveland forced the Hud-
son Motor Car Co. plant to close
this afternoon.
Production lines of the Stude-
baker Corp. at South Bend have
been shut down for more than
week because of labor difficulties at
the steel products plant.
Willys-O Overland at Toledo was
left without frames for $13,000,000
order of Army 'jeeps."
Midland also supplies frames for
Buick.
The c. I. o. United Automobile
Workers at the Spicer Manufactur-
ing Co., Toledo, Ohio, where trans
missions are made for 10 per cent of
the Army tanks, refused to handle
parts made by A. F. L. United Auto
mobile Workers at the HillSdale
oMich) Steel Products Co., a sub
sidiary of the Spicer firm.
The Toledo factory also produces
transmissionS FOREMOST of the Armys
half-tractor and "jeep" combat We
hicles.
Conference Breaks Up.
A conference at Hillsdale broke
up early today after Is hours, with
no apparent prospect of early agree
ment. Federal Mediator j. J. Spill
lane went back to Washington to
report to the Cancellation Service.
The c. I. o. union proposed that
II of their members who were dis
missed from the Hillsdale factory
last August be reinstated, that the
Government appoint an impartial
referee to pass on their reinstate-
ment, and that the referee be given
jurisdiction in any future disputes.
A spokesman for the A. F. L. group,
which won recent Labor Board
election at Hillsdale, declared, we
will not surrender any bargaining
right acquired under law" The
G. I. o. has a contract at Spicer,
and contends that strike" exists
at Hillsdale because of the discharge
Of some c. I. o. workmen.
The ingalls, Shipbuilding Corp at
Pascagoula, Miss, urged the Gov
eminent and international unions
to take drastic steps" to avert work
stoppage Oh $3.50, 100000 worth of
ship construction as a result of
strike of A. F. L. boilermakers. Op-
erations there came to a halt as
the union charged that the company
was attempting to start an inde-
pendent union. The company con-
tended the strike was called with
out notice to the company, without
grievance on the part of the en-
ployes and without sanction of the
international unions"
About 900 A. F. L. carpenters, pro-
testing working conditions" walked
off the construction of new plant
at the Houston (Tex) Shipbuilding
Corp. and some $50 A. F. L. pile
drivers stayed away from work in
sympathy with the carpenters.
Harlan Contract Signed.
The United Mine Workers &C. I.
o. announced the signing of
ulion-shop contract with the Har-
Ian County Ky) Coal Operators
Association, affecting $4,000 workers
IN % mines and capping 20 years
of struggle by the union.
Approximately 5000 workers at the
Robins Drydock & Ship Repair Co.
returned to work in New York today,
but 200 burners, keyworkers of the
industry, continued four day walk
out because of the employment of
four non-union employees.
The company is engaged in re-
pairing American and British naval
and merchant vessels.
Food shipments to Army camps in
the Midwest, South and Southeast
were blocked today by strike of 115
freight handlers at three large cold
storage plants in st. Louis. The
men, membersNof an A. F. L. union,
are seeking wage increases.
Fifty million pounds of poultry,
eggs, meat, fruit and vegetables were
tied up.
Air and railway express shipments
into and out of Detroit continued at
q standstill as mediators in Wash
ington sought settlement of juris-
dictonal dispute between two A. F. l..
unions.
Complying with a request from
Board, employees of the Springfield
Motor Truck Works of the Interna-
tional Harvester Co. at Springfield,
Ohio, voted unanimously to return
to work pending the outcome of
hearing in Washington. This ended |
a three week tieup.
The Mediation Board requested |
directors of Air Associates, Inc,
Bendix, N. j., to meet with it to-
morrow afternoon in an effort to
arrange full settlement of a labor |
dispute at the companys plant |
which makes aviation materials and
parts.