Evening star., 1953-04-02
10000 Strike
Al Plants Of
j. ). Rubber
100000 Now Idle
In Labor Disputes
Throughout Nation
BY the Assoeiated Press

A Nationwide strike of more
than 10000 CIO rubber workers
was started today, and the num-
ber of workers made idle by
labor disputes throughout the
country scared to around 100. 900.
The walkout by CIO union
workers in 18 of 10 United States
Rubber Co. plants was the Sec
ond strike this week involving
vital military material. The first
brought an immediate reduction
in steel production. A strike in
its third week in Ohio has halted
production of jet engines used
in war planes.
The 10th U. S. Rubber plant,
at Chicopee Falls, Mass, with
5000 union employees, was re.
ported working as usual"
approximately $4,000 are en-
ployed in the 19 plants.
Rail Strike Affects $4,000.
Nearly $4,000 workers have
been made idle in steel and steel
related industries owned by U. s.
Steel Corp. in Pennsylvania. The
unemployment resulted from a
strike started Monday by $500
Brotherhood of Railroad train
men on a connecting line serv-
ing the company's district plants
near Pittsburgh.
The CIO union employees of
the U. S. Rubber plants started
walking off their jobs after the
midnight deadline in contract
negotiations. Pickets appeared
at the plants shortly after the
strike deadline passed.
A rubber company spokesman
said no wage issue is involved in
the dispute. He said issues in
cluded disqualification, pension
plan revision and the length of
the new contract. The old con.
tract expired at midnight Tues
day, but 24-hour extension was
agreed on by union and company
negotiators.
Company Optimistic.
A company spokesman said he
was very definitely optimistic"
about early settlement, estimat.
,Eg the strike would last NO
longer than two or three days.
II that long. The negotiators
planned to meet again today.
Aside from the plant A.
Chicopee Falls. the company has
three plants at Naugatuck, Conn
employing 5000; Mishawaka
IND. 4,500; Detroit. 1000; Provi-
dence, r. l., 5000; Los Angeles
5000; Passaic. N. j., 3,1OO: IN
dlanapolis, $500; Fort Wayne.
Ind. 1900, and Bristol, r. T.
l,5OO. Other plants are in Chi
cago. Philadelphia, Eau Claire,
Wis; Milan. Tenn: North Ber-
gen. N. j.; Washington, Ind. and
Woonsocket, r. I.
Another new strike which
started today involved $500 CIO
utility union workers against the
Southern California Gas Co. It
was the second major utility
Walkout in Southern California
In less than month. Wages
a union shop and other demands
are involved in the dispute over
new contract. The average
wage of the workers is $1.86 an
hour.
Phone Workers Still Out.
In New Jersey, a strike of some
1000 telephone workers entered
its second week today with ma
1or issues in a dispute dead.
locked.
The strike of 4,500 United Auto
Workers and 1,100 AFL machin.
lists at the General Electric Co.
plant in Evendale, Ohio, was in
Its goth day. The walkout has
stopped production of jet engines
used in war planes.
There was a rash Of strikes in
other Ohio cities, affecting buses
in Akron and building trades and
produce commission house work.
ers in Columbus and Cincinnati.
In Syracuse, N. Y, q AFL
Stereotypers were on strike
against the city's two daily news
papers in dispute over wages.
The morning Post Standard
published a l6-page single edi-
tion today as executives took
over the stereotyping. Normally
it has seven editions. The Herald
Journal did not go to press yes
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