RETURN TO WORK.

Auckland Star, Volume LXXII, Issue 76, 31 March 1941, Page 7

RETURN TO WORK.

MANY U.S. STRIKERS. Defence Industry's Position Improves. United Tress Association.—Copyright. (Reed. 2 p.m.) WASHINGTON, Mar. 30. A message from Johnstown, Pennsylvania, says the Congress, of Industrial Organisations Steel Workers' Organising Committee unanimously voted to agree to a settlement of the strike at the Cambria plant of the Bethlehem Steel Corporation. The terms of the settlement provided for the reopening of the plant as soon as possible, probably on Monday.

A Chicago message says strikers at the International Harvester plants voted in favour of returning to work and submitting their disputes to the Federal Mediation Board.

The Defence. Mediation Board on Friday telegraphed the Vanadium Corporation, the Condenser Corporation and the International Harvester Company, as well as the unions concerned, asking them to resume production immediately, and simultaneously inviting the parties to come to Washington immediately for discussion of the disputes. iV •Strikers at the Condenser Corporation agreed to return to work on the basis of a plan arranged by the Defence Mediation Board after a lading seven hours. Plant Reopens. . Allis, Chalmers and Company's plantat Milwaukee, which has been closed by a strike since January 22, reopened yesterday in compliance with the Government's demand. One-third of the normal day shift production men reported for work and were subjected to much jeering.

The Congress of Industrial Organisations section of the United Automobile Workers telegraphed to President Roosevelt their refusal to resume production" at the works of Allis, Chalmers and Company, accusing the Secretary of the Navy, Colonel Kriox, and Mr. W. S. Knudsen, Director of Defence Production, of conspiracy with the company officials to force a Government-sponsored '"back to work" movement. Meanwhile, part of the production force has resumed work and the output is 40 per cent of normal. The settlement of the strike at the Midland Steel Products Company, Detroit, which had forced the closure of the Ford Motor Company's Lincoln plant and threatened to reduce production by half in other Michigan automobile factories, was announced yesterday. Mr. William Green, president of the American Federation of Labour, appealed to members to avoid strikes in the defence industries. 1 He said: "The future of the nation, of our democratic institutions, and of the very existence of the free Labour movement, is at stake."