HEAVY BLOW TO U.S. INDUSTRY; COALAND STEEL STRIKES

Wanganui Chronicle, 5 October 1949, Page 5

HEAVY BLOW TO U.S. INDUSTRY; COALAND STEEL STRIKES

NEW YORK, Oct. 3.—The strikes in the United States steel and coal industries are costing the nation more than £16,000,000 a day, says the United Press. The hold-up in America’s two basic industries is probably the heaviest blow ever deal to business.

Although 102,000 coalminers returned to the pits today, nearly 1,000,000 coal and steel workers remained on strike for pension benefits. Some 80,000 aithracite miners ended a fortnight of idleness in eastern Pennsylvania, and 22,000 softcoal workers in the western States went back to work.

Both mining groups acted in response to instructions from Mr. John L. Lewis, president of the United Mine Workers' Union, who said their further inaction was not now vital to the pending wage negotiations.

There was no hint of a work resumption order for 380,000 men who mine most of the nation’s coal. Apart from the 500,000 members of the United Steel Workers’ Union who are on strike, at least another 500,000 workers in steel-fabricating and processing plants are expected to be idle by the«end of the month. In addition, industries dependent on coal and steel are putting off thousands each day. On e man was killed and three injured today in coal strike violence. A truck-driver, hauling coal from the Communion mine at Grundy, Virginia, was killed when struck by boulders which crashed down a hillside.

The sheriff: said "We know definitely somebody pushed the rocks off the mountain.”

At Pokeville, Tennessee, non-union miners ambushed 20 unionists and wounded three with gunfire. Two others are missing. It is believed the non-unionists heard they were to be attacked and acted first.