Evening star., 1941-11-09
San Diego Builders
Plan General Strike
On Defense Jobs
A. FL. Workers to Go Out
Monday Unless Demands
For More Poy Are Met
D the Associated Press.

D the Associated Press.
A. P. L. officials In San Diego
said last night a general strike OF
building tradesmen in that area
would be called Monday unless de-
mands for wage increases were met
at that time.
The declaration came in the face
OF a Navy announcement that strik-
ing A. F. L. craftsmen must either
return to work on three San Diego
defense projects by Monday or lose
their jobs.
X. G. Bitter. Building Trades
Council secretary, said the action
would involve probably a dozen
projects, mostly military establish
mentS.
Union officials would not say how
many men would be affected, but
Navy officials estimated the num-
Der at $500.
The union decision came after
the Navy had announced 1t would
take over construction OF Sl0,5O0,-
600 in defense projects at the Naval
Training Station and Marine Camp
Elliott if strikers did not return to
work at 5 am. Monday.
Many Projects Hit.
Bitter said the general strike
would include projects at the train
ing station, Camp Elliott, the main
Marine base. the Naval Air Station
on North Island, the Nays Rhem
Field, the Marine rife range. the
destroyer base, a s4000,000 Navy
craving dock, Navy radio station
at PIT. Iona. and the Federal Works
Agency's Sl,675,000 demountable
housing project.
Such a strike would halt construc-
ton on more than s25 ,000,0 900 in de-
tense contracts.
Bitter said projects on which con-
tractors were paying the requested
wage scale, 81 day over that paid
on the projects listed for strike &C
ton, would not be affected.
Wages asked are $l2 a day for
electricians, $11 for tilesetters. ce-
ment fiinishers and iron workers,
$40 for carpenters and 81 for
laborers, with foremen receiving 50 a
day more than journeymen.
General Motors Farley.
At Linden, N. j.. c. T. O. union
picketing the strike-closed General
Motors assembly plant voted to open
its lines to let 125 workers out of
the sprawling factory, but a COM
pany spokesman said the men had
sufficient food to last through the
week end and would remain in the
plant.
James Reed. president of Local
b95, United Automobile Workers Of
America &C. l. o. said that a Sec
ond conference would be held Mon
day, initial talks Friday having fall
ed to end the strike. which affects
1000 workers. Mr.. Reed added 200
union workers had been fired in re-
cent months and said the strikers
were seeking better working con-
ditions"
At Detroit, R. j. Thomas. presi-
dent OF the G. I. O.-United Auto
mobile Workers. said that more
than IS per cent Of the workers in
the huge Chrysler tank arsenal had
voted IN favor of a strike. Cor
poration and union officials have
been conferring on a contract, but
the unions demands and company
proposals have not been made
public.
More than 1000 truck drivers
walked out at Louisville, tieing up
many defense and food shipments
In that area. Emmett Tillett. presi-
dent of an A. F. L. truck drivers
union. said the Walkout was
unauthorized" The strikers de-
mand that Is companies pay a fiat
75-cent-an-hour wage for drivers
and helpers. The scale now ranges
from SO to 90 cents.
wildcat" Strike Ends.
Settlement of the wildcat" strike
that began Wednesday at the Tri-
plex Screw Co. at Cleveland was
announced late yesterday by Will
liam F. Donovan, district director
of the c. I. O.'s Steel Workers
Organizing Committee.
Mr.. Donovan said that members
OF the S. w. o. c. employed at the
plant voted unanimously to return
to work Monday morning. The
plant makes nuts and bolts used
by the White Motor Co. in produc-
ton of Army half -tracs. trucks with
endless metal treds instead of rear
wheels.
approximately 600 men walked out
when q union committeeman was
discharged by company officials.
who said he refused to do the Job
assigned him. From the start of the
strike, Donovan denounced. it as
wildcat" and ordered the men to
return to work.
2.349.600 Days Lost.
fn Washington the Office OF In
dustrial Management reported that
during the 16 months ended October
there were 1913 strikes in vital in
S,,etrioc rhjch rOSt the defense DrO-