Evening star., 1947-08-03
5trikeof 100000
Afford P|antsby
Tuesday Voted
PorIey Today Held
Only Hope to Avert
Auto Industry Crisis
AUTO INDUSTRY May Miss 5,ooo.-
600 Car Goal for 1947. Page A-27.
BY the Asseeiaied Press


DETROIT, Aug. "A strike
against the Ford Motor Co. over
the issues of a workers pension
and ft-Hartley labor law pro-
visions. was authorized tonight. .
The International Executive Board
of the CIO United Auto Workers
gave its approval for 100000 Ford
production workers to strike mot
later than Tuesday"
Only one hope remained that the
costly showdown might be averted.
Company and union negotiators
are to meet again tomorrow morn.
ing in what may be the last chance
to reach an agreement.
Without this, the auto industry,
long-troubled with materials short
ages, will enter a crisis similar to
that Of the General Motors strike
of 1946-47.
Decision Requires 6 Hours.
The strike-approval decision Of
the UAW-CIO board, reached after
nearly six hours of consultations,
was announced by Vice President
Richard T. Leonard.
Mr.. Leonard, chairman of the
JAWS Ford department, came
YEARLY out of the long board ses-
sion. He seemed discouraged.
To a question whether a strike
could be averted, he answered
tersely:
We're meeting again with the
company on Sunday"
He said strike was approved for
mo later than Tuesday" but later
declared, Strike action will be taken
as soon as we can arrange It,"
There had been reports the union
might call out the workers Monday.
Both Sides are Prepared.
Both the company and union have
gone into extensive preparations for
strike.
Thomas Thompson, president of
Ford Local 600. the Rouge unit
which Is described as the worlds
largest union local. issued a state
ment saying, I'VE will strike reluc-
tantly but determinedly In the
knowledge that our cause is Just"
There was no statement tonight
from the company.
Reporters asked Mr.. Leonard II
the DAVIS pension demand alone
would have justified strike had
the company granted the UAW i'm
munity from financial responsibility
provisions of the Taft Hartley Act.
IF the company had done that"
Mr.. Leonard replied, I'm certain
the negotiations would have pro.
greSsed much more satisfactorily"
Reuther Presides at Session.
UAW President Walter P. Reuth-
er, who few here from Washington
to preside at the board session, said
the group unanimously approved a
strike "afSer hearing and discuss
ing all the facts and issues"
The board, Mr.. Reuther said in a
formal statement, was satisfied"
that every reasonable effort" had
been made by the unions negotia-
tors to reach fair agreement"
The disputed issues, he said. In
volve the economic security" OF
the workers ana the security of the
whole UAW-CIO." He said the
union would throw its full re-
sources" in a fight against Ford II
strike Is necessary
The situation loomed as the grav-
est in Detroit since November, 1945.
when the UAW-CIO led 175,0oo
members out on a l13-day strike
against General Motors Corp.
Some observers indicated the
gravity of the Ford situation by
comparing the threatened strike to
the UAW-CIO's recognition walk
OUT against the family-owned auto
empire in 1899.
Both sides were pessimistic.
Ford called in 10000 production
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