APPEAL TO STRIKERS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24832, 4 February 1942, Page 5

APPEAL TO STRIKERS

.-. —. ♦ : , ; , TWO AMERICAN SHIPYARDS WORKERS! DUTY IN WAR-TIME (,Rec. 9 -p ; m.) WASHINGTON/ Feb. 2, .Mr D.' Wf Nelson.^head of the War Board/ Rear-admiral E. S; Land, Maritime Commissioner, Mr H. L. Stimson, Secretary for War, and Colonel Frank; Knox, Secretary for. the Navy, have issued a jpint appeal to the welders who are on.strike at the Seattle and. Tacoma shipyards to return to work and "repudiate the leadership which has encouraged reekJess disregard of the fact that every man is needed' at. his post for the duty of producing ships ; to back up the'"men fighting on the Pacific battle fronts."."-.;3 ; '"'■' ■■

While the welders had the right to belong.to the union of their own choice, the appeal continued, there was no justification for trying to break an agreement of the recognised bargaining agency'by the ivi-sans that they had employed. The statement adfi«d that many welders had already returned to work, which . indicated that "American workmen will not long tolerate the impairment of war production through the means adopted by the leaders of the striking welders." .