Toledo union journal. [volume] (Toledo, Ohio) 1942-current, 1943-05-28
Continued from Psge l.

De udilSSIOuo ~ NVAASiS AA'SS S
safety.
When asked by company Off
cials why he did not speed up the
machine in conformity with the
engineering's specifications, Pifer
replied that he would speed up the
machine and operate it if COM
pany officials would stand in
front of it. This company Off
cials refused to do and thereupon
fired Pifer for refusal to meet
specifications called for in the en-
gineering write-up.
Committee Disputes Discharge
Members of the Spicer Unit ex-
ecutive and bargaining commit
tees protested Pliers discharge
claiming that if the company was
going to fire people for using
common sense in setting the
speeds and feeds of machines it
might as we'll fire superintendent
and foremen along with Pifer be-
cause they constantly reject en-
gineering specifications when they
know the speeds called for are
dangerous for the men and harm
f,,l To +be machines
Committee members further
pointed out that the company is
only speeding up government
owned machines which are fire.
quently down for repairs for days
as result of the speeds forced on
them, while company owned ma
chimes are treated with respect
and seldom break down from over
crowding.
Members of the committee
pointed out that the company has
for many months past continued
to increase the speed-up, and that
this is in conformity with the
promise made at the outset Of the
war by Robert Haynes, plant
master mechanic, that the work
ers of the Spicer would find them
selves turning out one-third more
production without additional in
crease in pay.
Refuse to Refund Government
When the committee approached
the management some time ago
relative to the speed-up, they
were told that they had to get out
more work. The management adj
mitted the speed-up process would
mean a saving for the company.
When the committee informed the
company that it would not object
to speeding up in behalf of the
war effort provided the company
would pass the saving on to the
government, it was informed that
"it wouldn't be good business to
give anything back to the govern
ment,"
lien Denied Certificates
Following closing of the Spicer
plant, many workers asked the
management to give them certifi-
Gates Of availability to enable
them to secure work in other war
plants which are in dire need of
men; but this was refused. The
United States Employment Serv-
ice also refused the certificates
when the workers appealed to it
on the grounds that the company
had protested granting Of the
necessary papers which would en-
able them to secure work in other
plants.
Investigators Expected
Major John Mclean, chief of the
labor branch, Fifth Service Com
mand, Columbus, Ohia, was ex-
pected to be in Toledo for an in
vestigation of the situation. An
thony Manjapani Of the War Pro-
duction Board arrived in Toledo |
Wednesday to conduct an investi-
cation for the WPB, and several
other federal Investigators were
expectd TO seek TO effect the re-
opening Of the plant in order that
vital war production might be re-
sumed at the earliest possible
time.
Spicer workers expressed them
selves as welcoming the coming
of governmental investigators be-
cause Of their confidence that the
company is definitely in the wrong
in stopping all production in order
to wait for the government to iron
out its difficulties, mostly Of its
own making.
Haynes, Haney Condemned
All the workers at Spicer's are
agreed on several points, but their
favorite theme seems to be Robert
Haynes, whom they called "Simon
Legree Haynes" They blam
Haynes for most Of their trouble
and claim they are being made
guinea pigs Of for the eventual
benefit Of the manufacturers as
sociation