IN AMERICA

Hokitika Guardian, 11 June 1937, Page 5

IN AMERICA

STRIKE ENDS SMALL RISE IN PAY. (United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright). FLINT (Michigan), June 9. -V strike which threatened to plunge three large- cities and 192 small communities into darkness and 'cripple industry entirely came to an end to-day. Strikers in the employ .of the General Motors • Corporation and the Flint Power Company accepted the orders of the union leaders and the Governor of Michigan l ()\|v Frank Murphy) and returned to work. ’ . Striking employees of the l'lint Power Company first palled out the distribution switches, shutting - off all the electric current for the city, which has a population of 165,009, except that used in the _ hospitals, sanitation plants, and dairies. The action caused the closing of six of the General Motors Corporation plants employing 42,000 men. Officials of the Power Union, which is affiliated with the United Automobile Workers’ Union, said that the strike was likely to spread throughout the entire Saginaw valley, in which 350,000 persons are served. Power pickets were, stationed about the power distribution station. Later the commercial power was shut off from the remainder of the valley, closing four more General Motoras plants. The earlier shut-off halted the trackless trams and traffic signals in Flint. Homes throughout the valley, with the exception of Flint, were not affected. Mr Frank , Murphy, who was visiting Pittsburgh, said he would fly to \ Flint unless there was an immediate settlement. “The current must be turned on before nightfall. The people of Flint must not endure a night of darkness. T personal I v will guarantee to prevent it,” bo said. ' Mr Homer Martin, president of the United Automobile Workers’ Union, and Mr, s.■ L. Lewis, bead of the Committee for Industrial Organisation (to which the automobile and power unions are affiliated) held an urgent conference, during which Mr Frank Murphy was' consulted. Before, nightfall it was announced that the power employees would return lo work. The chief outcome 1 of the strike is a rise in pay of five cents an hour. The union also gained exclusive bargaining' rights within the State. It had asked for an increase of 20 cents an. hour in wages.