Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1958-09-17
Auto Workers
Begin Strike
At Ford Plants
Company Makes
New Bid Reuther
Plans Quick Reply

DETROIT, Sept. II (AP).-
United Auto Workers at Ford
plants across the country be-
gan walking of the job at an
II am. (EDT) strike deadline
today even as the union and
Ford agreed there had been a
new offer which might solve
the dispute.
JAW President walter
Reuther hurried from the meet
ing room 10 minutes before the
deadline and told newsmen that
the company had added some
thing new. He said the strike
machinery was in motion and
that the union had no way of
holding its workers on the Job
past the strike hour.
Mr.. Reuther indicated the
union would take but a few
minutes to consider Ford's
latest offer and there was gen.
eral belief it would be accepted,
ending the strike.
Ford reported IS of So
plants were affected by walk
outs or shut down entirely
today.
Proposal Refined
John S. Bugas, Ford vice
president industrial relations,
told newsmen he would not de-
scribe Ford'S latest move as q
new offer but rather "a refin-
ing and modifying process in
the past few days"
Carl Stellato, president OF
the 50.000-man Ford Local 500,
biggest unit in the JAW, left
the bargaining session to ad-
dress a mass meeting at the
huge Ford Rouge plant in SUBJ
urban Dearborn.
Mr.. Stellato told newSmen
"the strike is on" and said he
had received reports that walk
outs were beginning at Rouge
Mr.. Stellato told newsmen
the latest company offer is
considering everything, gen.
orally good"
He said that the company
had proposed a settlement OF
the retroactive pay issue, one
of the major points at issue
in the long negotiations, BY
lettering to make its contract
effective as of July /. Ford
workers had been without a
contract since the old pact ran
out June / and the union hao
demanded that any new agree.
ment be retroactive to that date
Pension Offer
Mr.. Stellato also said Ford
had offered to increase its basic
pensions from $225 to $235 fol-
each year of service. 1t also
Ioffered to continue the annual
Improvement factor which gives
workers 6 cents an hour or 215
per cent of their hourly wage,
whichever is greater.
The improvement factor is
related to chronological ad-
vances due to- automation and
other developments.
Mr.. Stellato said, 1.-The big
Igest unsolved issue is plant
wide seniority" This is the
setup under which the union
maintains that a man employed
as a sweeper in one department
of a factory should have senior
Iity in another department in
the same factory if his own de-
Ipartment is abolished.
Mr.. Stellato said grimly, 1--WE
are going to tell our members
at the mass meeting that they
will stay out until this seniority
l m O fto1s ic coff1aJ -
At the stroke of II am
(EDT) workers by the thou
sands poured from the gates al
the Rouge plant and massed al
an overpass to hear Mr.. Stellato
Some 10000 are on the day
4 shift.
While the $4,000 Ford work.
ers struck, negotiations were ir
recess at the other two major
auto makers, General Motor.
and Chrysler. Talks there will
resume this afternoon with botf
sides obviously awaiting the
outcome of the Ford talks. Any
Ford settlement would set g
pattern for the other two in the
auto industry's big three.