STRIKE TOLL

Dominion, Volume 30, Issue 173, 19 April 1937, Page 9

STRIKE TOLL

Automobile Industry In America WAGES AND BUSINESS Companies Nearing Full Production Again HIGH LEVEL THIS WEEK By Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright. (Received April 18, 7.30 p.m.) Detroit, April 18. It is estimated that automobile strikes in the past five months have cost the workers 70,000,000 dollars in wages. Ten million man days have been lost and delayed business is estimated at 200,000,000 dollars, part of which is actually lost. This, however, cannot be estimated. Optimistic reports indicate that the companies are rapidly nearing full production again and that 130,000 cars will be produced next week, which is the highest level since 1929. UNION ULTIMATUM Breakdown in Canadian Negotiations (Received April 18, 7.30 p.m.) Toronto, April 18. After two hours’ deliberation, and when the strike at the Oshawa plant of the General Motors Corporation of Canada was on the verge of settlement, the Premier of Ontario. Mr. Mitchell Hepburn, disbanded the conference. He alleged that two union leaders had refused to sign a statement specifically declaring that they represented the local union only and were not instructed by the Committee for Industrial Organisation. The Premier said the company was prepared to reopen its plant to-morrow and make reasonable concessions in wages, hours and conditions. He appealed to the strikers to choose true representatives. The Automobile Workers’ Union of America immediately served notice on the company that it would order a walk-out of 110,000 employees of the General Motors Corporation in the United States unless it settled the strike at Oshawa. It claims that the company has violated the United States settlement agreement, which provided that the company should recognise the union in Canada as well as in the United States.

Apart from the grievances of the employees, a feature of the Oshawa strike, which, involves 3700 workers, was the effort of the United States body, the Committee for Industrial _ Organisation, to inaugurate a membership drive extending across the border into Canada.

Hopes of a settlement of the strike on April 11 were dissipated when the Premier of Ontario. Mr. Hepburn, who had intervened in the strike, announced hie refusal to deal with the United Automobile Workers’ Union (a body with membership in Canada and the United States) or “any other paid foreign agitatore.” Officials of the Committee for Impartial Organisation condemned Mr. Hepburn’s attitude as provocative, and two members of his Cabinet expressed views which led him to demand their unqualified support or their resignations. FORD COMPANY TO BE CHARGED Case Wagner Act (Received April 18, 7.30 p.m.) New York, April IS. The president of the United Automobile Workers’ Union of America, Mr. Homer Martin, stated that the union would charge the Ford Motor Company with violation of the Wagner Act before the National Labour Relations Board, but refused to disclose the nature of the charge. It is rumoured, however, that it will involve the clause forbidding an employer to coerce and intimidate employees, and possibly will cite the recent warnings of Mr. Henry Ford against unions. A Detroit message states that the president of the Westbide local branch of the Automobile Workers’ Union has announced a drive to organise Ford Company employees. It will start soon with a series of mass meetings. Several thousand have been enrolled already. A Kansas City message states that Ford Company workers have threatened a new strike in retaliation for assaults on officials of the United Automobile Workers’ Union, which places the blame upon hired thugs. Two officials were waylaid iu the street and beaten with blackjacks, it is stated. HOTEL STRIKE HALTED (Received April 18, 7.30 p.m.) Sail Francisco, April 18' A strike of more than 3500 employees in 15 large hotels was the ordered to start at five o’clock yesterday afternoon, following the collapse of negotiations. /I tentative agreement, however, later halted the strike. It is believed that a compromise will be effected. RAILWAY MEDIATION (Received April 18, 6.30 p.m.) New York, April 17. The threatened strike of 8500 employees of the Southern Pacific Railway has been postponed pending the report of the emergency mediation board appointed by President Roosevelt. Train men and firemen allege discrimination in favour of engineers and conductors.