Evening star., 1941-06-19
Machinists Refuse
Own Presidents Plea
To End Ship Strike
Some Observers Believe
A. F. l. Union May Have
Charter Revoked
By the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
A. F. L. machinists on strike at
II San Francisco Bay shipyards
failed to yield today to suggestion
from the president of their inter-
national union that they return to
work and mediate their differences
with the management.
Harvey w. Brown, the machinists'
president, addressed several hun
dred strikers during a four-hour
closed meeting which ended after
midnight. Before the session, Mr..
Brown had expressed belief the men
would end their walkout after the
issues were explained. But when
the strikers filed out, local officials
of the union were non-cOmmittal,
refusing to say even whether a vote
to end the strike had been taken.
A bitter controversy broke out
among the machinists over return
ing TO work.
The bitterness became so acute
that some observers believed Lodge
SO was In danger of losing its A.
F. l.. charter. They said Mr.. Brown
implied the suspension was coming
when he exchanged angry words
with Harry Hook, business agent of
the local.
Business Agents Oppose.
Reliable reports filtering from the
closed session said Mr.. Brown and
the back -to-work faction were op-
posed by group led by Mr.. Hook
ard E. F. Dillon, also a business
agent.
The IL shipyards affected by the
strike hold $500, 1000 900 worth oi
defense contracts. Both A. F. l.
and c. l. o. machinists walked out
six weeks ago, demanding sl.15 an
hour and double pay for overtime. A
master stabilization contract, signed
py all shipyards in the area except
Bethlehem, provides for SLIP an
hour for skilled mechanics, time and
a half for overtime on Saturdays
and double time for Sunday and hol-
iday work. In addition, workers or
the second shift would receive a IL
per cent premium and those on the
third shift Is per cent.
The National Defense Mediation
Board in Washington recommended
yesterday that Bethlehem also ac-
cept the master contract.
The Mediation Boards recon-
mendation to Bethlehem embodie,
signing of a closed shop contract
with the Bay City's Metal Trades
Councily "a. F. L., in the Sar
Francisco area. 1t is the first time
the board has recommended a closec
shop in seeking strike settlement.
Board Chairman C. A. Dykstrs
said the "company's opposition to 9
closed shop is overborne, in the
opinion of the board, by the fac
that the master agreement was ar
rived at by industry wide collectiv,
bargaining"
Points 10 Signers.
He pointed out that 38 of the IS
plants in the San Francisco area
and 24,00O out of 10000 shipbuild.
ing employees are covered by the
master agreement.
The Mediation Board acted yes
terday to settle labor disputes ir
two other quarters at the Marlin
Rockwell Corp, Plainville. Conn.
and at the Colfax plant of the
Duquesne Light Co.. Pittsburgh.
c. I. o. union members at the
Connecticut plant accepted the
boards recommendation that wage
issues be settled by arbitration. The
company promised its answer by
Monday. The union asked 10-cent
hourly wage boosts for all workers
The management said the current
hourly rate averaged 68 9-10 cents
The firm makes plane ball bear.
ings and employees about 1,22s
persons.
c. I. o. employees of the Pittsburgh
utility firm acceded to the Media
ton Boards request to keep or
working while negotiations pro.
ceeded toward settlement of a dis.
pute with rival independent unior
over employe representation.
Soft Coal Row Back.
The Southern soft coal wage con-
tract negotiations landed quietly
back in the National Defense Medi-
alton Boards lap yesterday, but
there was no indication that an
other mine shutdown might result
The Southern coal producers, it
was learned, asked the board to in
terpret its recommendation of two
weeks ago for settlement of the wage
dispute.
The Southerners and the C. I. o.
United Mine Workers Union were
reliably reported to have made no