Evening star., 1945-12-13
Union Leaders Seek
To Speed Settlement
OF Ford Wage Fight
BY the Associated Press.

DETROIT, Dec. 13. - While
some union leaders today re-
sumed limited negotiations with
General Motors Corp, others
more hopefully went back into
conference to map further STRAIT
egy for speeding up settlement
of their wage fight with the Ford
Motor Co.
Negotiators for both Ford and
the CLIO United Automobile Workers
appeared still conciliatory despite a
company blast at overall union pol
icy and union reply that the at
tack was provocative.
Richard T. Leonard, UAW-CIO
Ford director, admitted he was mot
very happy over the outcome of
yesterdays wage talks, but said he
would press the unions demand for
so per cent wage increase at the
next session with the company to-
morrow.
Union officials have expressed the
belief settlement with any of the
big Three" auto producers would
set a pattern which would help
solve disputes with the others.
illegal Picketing" Discussion.
The GM-UAW session at pm.
today was to be confined largely
to discussion of General Motors
charge of illegal picketing' at some
of the 70-odd strike-bound plants,
where 213,0O0 workers have been
idle since November 81.
President Truman's appointment
of a fact-finding board in the GIN
dispute, however, was expected to
hasten the efforts of both parties
to reach an agreement over the bar
gaining table.
General Motors Corp. sought an
injunction today against striking
Cleveland local of the UAW, alleg-
ing illegal picketing" at the Fisher
Body plant in that city.
The corporation charged threats
and personal abuse" were used
against nonstrikers trying to enter
the plant.
Tuesday Incident Cited.
The petition for an injunction was
asked in Common Pleas Court in
Cleveland and, according to Gen.
eral Motors announcement here,
specifically named an incident of
Tuesday when 600 employees alleged
ly were prevented from entering the
plant.
The union bitterly opposed Gov
ernment Intervention in the Cen
eral Motors strike when Mr.. Tru-
man set forth his plan December 8,
but r. j. Thomas, UAW president,
and Walter P. Reuther, vice presi-
dent, promptly agreed to get all
the facts before the board in time
for its first meeting in Washington
next Wednesday.
General Motors was lukeWarm to
the Presidents proposal, which
would empower the board to delve
into its books, and withheld COM
ment when the panel, headed by
Judge Walter P. Stacey of the North
Carolina Supreme Court, was named
yesterday. The other two members
of the panel are Lloyd K. Garrison,
chairman of the War Labor Board,
and Milton Eisenhower, president
of Kansas State College and brother
of Gen. Eisenhower.
After its latest conference with
the union the Ford Co. issued a
statement detailing the troubles
which have beset it since recon-
version to car production began.
Three or four months ago." the
statement said, I'VE at the Ford Mo-
tor Co. believed we would be in full
production by this time. We thought
we would have produced 10000 auto
mobiles. Actually we are not much
farther ahead than we were then
we've made about 10000 automo-
biles." CA later total raised the fig
ure to 25,897)
Asserting conditions would not
improve for 60 or 80 days and prob
ably get worse if there is a steel
strike the company told the union
that labor troubles in supplier plants
had tied up IS to Is essential items.
I'VE can't understand" it con-
tinued, why the whole UAW-CIO
strategy has been to come forward
now when things are critical and
when we really are not in produc-
ton, and demand more wages.
we would like to offer you wage
increase and, in those months past,
we thought by now we would be able
to come here with more pliable at
titude on the wage question. But
circumstances, many over which we
have no control, have changed that
picture"
S35,000,00O Loss Is Seen.
John S. Bugas, Ford director of
industrial relations, estimated that
even with 16 per cent increase in
individual productivity in 1916 and
with no wage increases the COM
pany would lose about $27 on every
passenger car and truck, or a total
of about s35, 100000 under present
OPA prices
But the company statement con-
cluded that I'VE are willing to dis
cuss the wage question with you
as long as is necessary to reach a