THREAT CARRIED OUT

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 66, Issue 86, 22 January 1946, Page 3

THREAT CARRIED OUT

STEEL WORKERS QUIT JOBS BIGGEST STRIKE IN AMERICAN HISTORY (N.Z. Press Association —Copyright.) (Rec. 9.30) WASHINGTON, Jan. 21. The greatest single strike in the history of the United States began on schedule when steel workers throughout the nation failed io show up for .the midnight shift. The Union estimates that 750,000 men will lie idle as a result of the strike, which is the climax of a month’s fruitless wage negotiations. Pickets began encircling some of the Pittsburgh plants hours before midnight in spite of the low temperature. The Associated Press estimates that the number of workers idle throughout the nation lias now reached the record total of 1,(150,000. In addition, 300 International Harvester Company employees have announced that they intend to strike to-day for a 30 per cent wage increase. The Transport Workers’ Union of New York intends to announce to-night plans for a citywide transportation strike unless the Board of Transportation gives an assurance aliat it will not sell the cityowned power plants to a private firm. White House sources predicted that the Government would seize the nation’s meat-packing houses by the middle of the week if the strike were not settled. The same sources indicated that if the steel strike had a disastrous effect on American economy at the present it was expected that the Government would be forced to take over the steel works by the next week-end. The seizure of the steel mills would be actual with no profits for the companies instead of “a token” seizure as in previous cases. Officials are already investigating how the Government would pay the extra IS cents an hour recommended by President Truman. The President of the C. 1.0., Mr Philips Murray said the steel strike would continue until the industry accepted President Truman’s recommendation (a wage increase of ISA cents an hour). Mr Murray added that if disaster overtook the nation, it was because the steel workers called the strike. It was because the industry said “no” to the President of the United States.