Evening star., 1946-03-05
UAW Awaits Answer
From GIN on Plan for
Vote 10 End Strike
By the Associated Press

DETROIT, Mar. 5.-The CIC
United Auto Workers today
awaited General Motors answer
on a proposal by which 175.00(
production workers would vote
on the means of settlement oi
their 105-day-old walkout.
The corporation gave no indica-
ton when an answer to yesterday
proposal from the union might be
forthcoming, but the two sides had
negotiating session scheduled fol-
2 pm. today, with James F. Dewey
special Federal meriator
The union declared yesterday ii
would agree to the GIN suggestion
that rank -and-file workers vote
whether they wish to return to
work under terms of the company S
latest offer if the ballot also in
cluded the alternative of submit
ting issues to arbitration.
GIN Refused Arbitration.
An arbitration offer from the
union was rejected by GIN Sunday
and the corporation in return sug-
gested the strikers poll.
In letter signed by r. j. Thomas,
UAW president; George Adde's, Sec
retary-treasurer, and Walter P.
Ruether, vice president, the union
yesterday termed the company's
proposal incomplete.
Your proposition is that the GIN
workers vote merely as to whether
they wish to accept the corpora
tion's last offer and return to work
on that basis" the letter said IF
the workers vote to turn down that
proposition, we are still at the same
impasse."
Suggests Two Questions.
Instead of the single question, the
letter suggested ballot that would
contain the following questions:
81. Do you favor returning to
work and ending the current dis
pute on the basis of the corpora
tion's offer of 1872 cents an hour
increase and its latest proposal on
basic contract matters? Or
%. Do you favor returning to work
on the basis of the corporation S
1872 cent wage increase offer and
its latest proposals on basic con-
tract matters with the understand
ing that all issues still in dispute
shall be submitted to arbitration
by an arbitrator appointed by the
President of the United States?"
The union letter asserted that If
the corporations proposal were
turned down by the workers, settle
ment of the costly strike would be
delayed by as many days as it takes
to arrange the mechanics of bal
loting.'
Will Call Vote at Once.
However, the union officers added
that If their proposal was accepted
by GIN, I'VE will Immediately set
In motion arrangements for such
vote"
The UAW statement also took
Issue with recent GIN assertions
that only slight differences separated
the parties and that its 12-cent in
crease offered was in line with ma
tional policy.
In its rejection of the arbitration
proposal General Motors said it saw
nothing to arbitratezexcept the qnes-
lion of whether it"st1ould grant.sa
greater general wage increase than
it's competitors or more than the
pattern for the country"
THE union insisted that "it is. not
trueathat ssthe differences between
our positions are slight" Several
other issues "of equal or greater i'm
portance than wages" also need set
tlement, the letter states, listing
seniority in promotions and trans
fers among the disputed questions.
The letter added that payment of
the 1912 cent hourly increase would
in no way disturb or distort the wage
pattern"
Agreement to the secret ballot, the
union pointed out, should not be
construed as representing its ap-
proval of the policy in settling
labAr-management disputes, "but
only as an expedient means of meet
ing a situation whose prolongation
means further suffering among GIN
Uorkers