STRIKE WAR

Northern Advocate, 6 January 1937, Page 5

STRIKE WAR

U S. MOTOR INDUSTRY UNION DEFIED CORPORATION WARNS WORKERS STOPPAGE WOULD MEAN WEEKLY WAGE LOSS OF MILLION DOLLARS f United Press Association. —By Electric Te le graph.—Copy rig ht.l (Received 9 a.m.) I DETROIT, January 4. The President of the General Motors Corporation, Mr A. P. Sloan, today issued a formal statement defying the United Automobile workers of America. and challenging the union to go ahead.

Mr Sloan said that strikes might force into idleness 135,000 workers in the 68 plants of the corporation this week. He notified the employees that they need not fear that any labour union or dictator would dominate the plants of the corporation. The products of the concern were in greater demand, and the wages paid higher than ever before, said Mr Sloan, and steadier work through the year was in prospect. He asserted that employees and families should know that their wages and welfare were endangered by actions beyond their control and that of the corporation.

Mr. Sloan announced that the corporation definitely would not recognise any union as the sole bargaining agency for its workers. Reports from Pittsburg indicate that the steel mills are beginning to feel the effects of the strike, and 400 men are idle at one spring plant and varying numbers at other plants dependent upon the motor industry. A summary of the position shows that eight plants of the General Motors Corporation are closed owing to strikes, and six others are' closing owing to lack of materials and orders to stop shipments. The total number of employees idle is 39,600. The daily loss of wages in the event of 135,000 workers being laid off during the week will be 1,000,000 dollars. The corporation’s daily loss in the form of net profit will be 330,000 dollars.