Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1949-05-06
FordRougePIant
Surrounded by
5000 Pickets
Strike in Second Doy
With No Plans Mode
For Settlement ToIks
picture on Page At

DETROIT, May 6.-Ford Motor
Company's huge River Rouge plant
was locked today in its first major
strike since 1911 as an estimated
5000 pickets paraded peaceably
before the main gates.
1t was the second day of idle
ness for approximately $1,000 CLIO
United Auto Workers. who walked
out at pm. yesterday in union
protest against what the JAW
called a "speed-up" Of assembly
lines.
Nearly 10000 struck at the
Rouge plant. one of Americas in
dustrial giants, and approximately
5000 more walked out, at Ford'S
Lincoln Mercury plant nearby.
No Talks Scheduled.
just how long the strike might
last was anybody's guess. No i'm
mediate renewal of company
union negotiations for settlement
of the dispute was scheduled. But
1t was felt that both Ford and the
JAW would be agreeable to early
peace talks in view of the critical
aspects of prolonged strike.
The company has estimated that
within approximately a week the
worldwide operations of the sec
ond largest automobile manufac-
turer would be paralyzed.. Ford
has more than 100000 production
workers in 40 plants in the United
States.
Picketing continued In an order
~ fashion today. just as when the
walkout began.
Long Lines of PicketS.
Long lines of pickets, some
bearing signs saying simply Ford
is On Strike" circled in front of
ell main gates at the massive
Rouge plant,
BY III am. an estimated 5000
pickets, some in lines and some in
groups. were marching back and
forth.
Ford asked Dearborn police for
more protection and protested
against the massing of pickets at
the gates.
But Mayor Orville L. HubbarS
rejected the request.
mo plant gates are blocked, -
he said. ANY one who wants to |
can walk right in"
Forced to Show Passes.
All salaried employees not on
strike were permitted to enter the
plant and at one gate they even
were allowed to drive their cars
inside.
Everybody admitted by the
pickets had to show a pass and. |
once inside. all wore armbands
proclaiming 20. K. to work"
Speedup was the charge in both
the Rouge and Lincoln strikes. In
both. the company has made de- |
mails.
The international union has
backed up charges by JAW Local
500 at the Rouge plant and Local |
900 at Lincoln that the ratio OF |
assembly line speed to the num-
Der of workers has been advanced
In those two plants beyond the.
normal rate for the auto industry.
Walter Reuther. JAW preE-
dent, charged that Ford. by that
means. is attempting to get from
5 to 10 per cent more than the
normal output per man on the
assembly lines.
The company has sought with
out avail to have the union SUBJ
init the issue to arbitration.
The strikes immediate effect
was to cut off Ford's base here as
a supplier of automobiles and auto
parts.
$500 Units a Day.
With Rouge as its nerve center.
Ford has been turning out about
$500 cars and trucks day. Only
General Motors Corp. exceeds
Ford's output.
One source - the trade paper
Automotive News-said the strike
might take Ford cars virtually
out OF the market If 1t lasts q
fortnight.
Ford has no more than $1,000
tSee FORD. Page A-4.D