MORE STRIKES

Waikato Times, Volume 121, Issue 20231, 28 June 1937, Page 7

MORE STRIKES

A SERIOUS SITUATION

AMERICAN RAILWAY WORKERS. BREAKDOWN OF NEGOTIATIONS. United Press Assn.—Elec. Tel. Copyright. NEW YORK, June 26. The national strike situation took on a specially serious note to-day when a walk-out by 800,000 railway workers was threatened as the result of the complete breakdown of negotiations about the employees’ demand for an increase' in wages of 20 cents an hour. Seven hundred members of the Wool Handlers’ and Marine Warehouse Union at Boston have struck for the “ dosed shop." The members of the International Longshoremen's Association at Boston, New York, Philadelphia and Baltimore have announced that they will not handle wool shipments until the strike is settled.

A message from Washington says the Labour Department reports that 350,000 workers were involved in 750 strikes in April. The increase in idleness was more than 60 per cent since January, in the whole of 1936 there were 2125 strikes affecting 790,000 workers.

Steel Workers Return. Several thousand workers returned to their duties in the steel plants today, and it is expected that more will follow in the next few days. Four bombs were thrown, but no damage was caused. Many arrests were made. A HIGH-HANDED ACTION. MINISTER AND GOVERNOR. SEEKING AN AGREEMENT. United Press Assn.—Elec. Tel. Copyright (Received June 28, 11.15 a.m.) COLUMBUS (OHIO), June 27. The Governor, Mr Davey, declared that the Ministe’r of Labour, Miss Perkins had asked him to get Messrs Uirdler and Purnell, the steel company executives, to come here and “keep them here until they sign an agreement with the strikers.” Mr Davey replied that he had no power to take such proceedings, and asserted that it would be kidnapping. Miss Perkins, speaking at Washington, said: “I did not make such an unwarranted and high-handed proposal, but merely suggested the use of a subpoenae to get officials of the union and companies together round a conference’ table.”

It is reported that Youngstown is under the protection of the militia, and that 18,556 men resumed work at the plants of the Youngstown Sheet Tube Company and the Republic Steel Corporation.

ASSAULTS ON ORGANISERS. MALICIOUS AND BRUTAL. COMPLAINT AGAINST COMPANY. United Press Assn.—Elec. Tel. Copyright DETROIT, June 26. Charging the Ford Motor Company with the responsibility for malicious and brutal assaults upon organisers of the united automobile workers the National Labour Relations Board has issued a complaint against the company which has been set down for hearing on July 6. The complaint contends that the company has been interfering with, restraining and coercing its employees in order to discourage membership of unions. It cites the healing of union organisers at the gates of one of the company’s plants on May 27.