Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1941-06-11
IS Per Cent Production
Claimed at Plane Plant

LOS ANGELES. June II (Pl.-The
Army claimed today it has restored
the recently strike CLOSED North
American aviation plant to IS per
cent of normal production while at
a nearby park a mass meeting was
held to protest reports of union dis
elimination.
1t. Col. Charles w. Steinmetz said
at least 95 per cent of the normal
day crew of 1000 was at work. Yes
terday 1856 worked.
At the mass meeting, attended
by approximately 900. three mem
bers of the United Automobile
Workers local negotiating commit
tee, which called the short-lived
strike, reported they were suspended
from the night shift on orders OF
1t. Col. Charles E Branshaw. Col.
BranShaW is in charge of production
under orders of President Roosevelt
to operate the plant, which has
sl96 200, 900 in Warplane orders.
Held Battle for Unions.
Wyndham Mortimer. U. A. w.
international representative, told
the mass meeting:
This is a battle over whether
unions will be destroyed in this
country by the Army or otherwise.
We are not saboteurs. Let us show
them we are not trying to sabotage
national defense
Let us still be confident that
President Roosevelt's promise to re-
spect our rights will be observed
On behalf of any one dismissed
or discharged for union activities
We will fight to the last ditch. but
by going back to work YOU will be
able to contribute your share to
national defense. Your consciences
then will be clear"
Three Others Dismissed.
Three other union members also
reported they had been dismissed
by foremen.
One said he was instructed bv
superintendent to circulate copies
OF letter from Col. Branshaw and
an hour later, after circulating the
letter, was discharged for visiting"
with other workers.
Another said he was told to sign
the letter or leave, and chose tn
leave. The third declared he was
assigned to riveting machine, told
ms superior that because of an in
Jured thumb he could not do riyet-
ing and was removed for insubordi-
nation.
Voted to Return to Work.
c. I. O.-U. A. w. workers voted
IN a long mass meeting yesterday
to return to work.
They demanded that there be M
discrimination against them, that
they be permitted to retain their
union cards and buttons and that
wage negotiations be resumed.
Their attempt to return to the
factory in a group was thwarted
Soldiers of the 18th Infantry halted
them mile from the gates, turned
back a sound truck which headed
their caravan of automobiles and
required them to abandon their
strike placards.
The cars were permitted to pass
into the plant two or three at a
time.
Urged to Make Up Losses.
Richard F. Frankensteen, head of
the U. A. w. aircraft division. told
the North American employees in
a radio address:
Your responsible leaders will once
again take up negotiations with the
assistance of the National Defense
Mediation Board.
You can aSSiSt-every last one
of you-by returning to your Jobs,
keeping the ranks of your union
solid and maintaining responsible
organization in the plant. We are
confident that all of you will work
untiringly to make up the unfor-
tunate loss of planes which this
unnecessary and unauthorized stop
page caused our vital national de-
tense program"
Mr.. F'rankensteen declared 1.-THE
wage and contract demands which
will now be negotiated have never
been at issue in this strike. The
attitude of your international union
and its responsible officers toward
these demands has never been at
issue. I have said and I repeat
that these demands are completely
fair, consistent with the financial
position Of the company and long
overdue"