National Affairs: Rip Tide

(6 of 6)

''Spontaneous" sit-downs of dissatisfied unionists have plagued General Motors and U. A. W. officials ever since they came to terms last month.* Late last week the worst outbreak of unauthorized sit-downs and walkouts to date shut nine G. M. plants in Flint and Pontiac, including the big Flint plant which makes all Chevrolet motors. A few of the strikes were in protest against discharge of union employes, but most were ostensibly called because rank & file hotheads felt they were not getting enough representation on shop committees, that their grievances were not being settled quickly enough. Thoroughly out of patience, G. M.'s Vice President Knudsen sent U. A. W.'s President Homer Martin a stern letter reminding him of the union's agreement to forego strikes until regular grievance procedure had been exhausted, listing 30 sit-downs which had occurred since that agreement was signed.

Hotly embarrassed, President Martin and his lieutenants whirled from plant to plant, persuaded their men to come out. go back to work, but a fresh sit-down this week closed Chevrolet's steering gear plant at Saginaw. With confidence in their authority badly shaken, U. A. W. leaders resorted to straight capitalistic tactics, blamed their troubles on communists, promised a union purge.

When Chrysler strike negotiations resumed in Lansing at week's end with the return of Walter P. Chrysler and John L. Lewis from Manhattan. Motorman Chrysler's hand was vastly strengthened by the evidence of U. A. W.'s inability to live up to its agreements. This week the deadlock continued as in normally Republican Michigan's elections for minor State offices, widely anticipated as a referendum on Governor Murphy's sit-down policy, the Republicans showed signs of digging out from under the November landslide.