Toledo union journal. [volume] (Toledo, Ohio) 1942-current, 1948-01-23
What's
New?
By
Edudrd j.
Duck,
Assistant
Director,
National
A.,toT I ire
Division

/ ft5ts A<Ftt9hC'a
So much has been said, con-
cerning the future plans OF
the Electric Auto-Lite Com
pany that a bit of explanation
would be in order at this time.
Toledo wants to know what
Royce Martin, Auto-Lite presl-
dent, has in mind. Particularly
do the Auto-Lite wor k ers
want to know what the future
holds for them. To this day
the response to all queries is
a curt mo comment.
When l was a very young
lad, Toledo felt the impact of
the blow that laid the WHY'S
Overland low. West Toledo
and the Lagrange street dis
trict suffered most. AS Willys
went down Toledo went down
with it. 1t was just too much
for the town to stand. We
don't want it to happen again.
Rumors have been flying.
Where there's so much smoke
there must be some fire. The
big question is how much
work does the Auto-Lite
corporation contemplate NOV
ing out of our town. Most of
us who hold our job security
through earned seniority feel
that the time has come for
the game of hide-and-seek to
end.
Contrary to the opini o n
evidently popular in certain
quarters, Auto-Lite did not
purchase the 205 acres of land
and buildings providing more
than four million square feet
of floor space in Lockland,
Ohio to manufacture pop
sickles.
COLD CASH
A forty million dollar prop
erty was awarded Auto-Lite
for So, 100000 cold cash. Auto
Lite told the government it
intended to consolidate "vari-
Gus manufacturing operations
now performed in number
of scattered plants. Could be.
Large plants in Hazelton,
Pennsylvania and Binghamp-
ton, New York will constitute
a threat to our security before
too long. Property near Los
Angeles has been purchased,
and there are a number of
other newly acquired proper
ties.
Despite the sentimental
Christmas message sent to all
employees by Mr.. Martin, most
of those employees would like
to have further evidence of his
Sincere best w s h s." He
states, "This is our business.
We built it up. Good condi-
tions and steady employment
are going to continue" We
want concrete assurance that
our bread and butter won't
trot off to Cincinnati, Paducah
and points south.
In short, what we desire in
Toledo--and in every UAW-
CIO plant of the Electric
Auto-Lite Company is a sign
ed agreement stipulating that
the work stays in the plant
unless by agreement between
the company and the union it
shall be moved TO another
plant, the employee being
transferred with the job, with
full seniority, vacation rights,
and other privileges, if he
wishes.
HERE TODAY
Here today and gone to-
morrow is no fair prospect for
a man or woman who has
given his or her best years to
the corporation. Those who
regard the situation lightly
are either following some
mighty poor advice or play
ing the fool. We have a fight
on our hands, make no mis-
take about it. 1t must be
fought now, tomorrow will
be too late.
Auto-Lite e m ployees in
Springfield have seen their
work moved into the Cincin-
natl area. Indianapolis work
ers have seen new plants in
Vincennes and Owosso swal-
low up their work. 1t CAN
happen here. We cannot afford
to live in a fools paradise be-
cause there's a curfew there
and the zero hour is fast ap-
preaching.
An explanation from Royce
Martin is a move in the right
direction, and that explana.
tion be incorporated into 9
signed agreement. There car
be no ifs or butts. We must
know for certain that we are
not going to hold seniority il
an empty building.
Can our top management
deny its intentions of doins
away with the Ketcham Ave