United Automobile Worker

Offer Arbitration
of Labor Disputes
in Defense Plants

Differences between employees of Bendix Products Corp., South Bend, and the management, which threatened to hamper aircraft production, were settled Aug. 11 following intervention by the UAW-CIO in behalf of the members of Bendix Local 9.

From the settlement, which was approved by the local union and the management, came a proposal from Richard T. Frankensteen and Richard T. Leonard, international executive board members representing the UAW-CIO which may form an important precedent in keeping labor relations in defense industry on an equitable and sound basis.

TO NEGOTIATE

Frankensteen and Leonard proposed that an impartial umpire be appointed jointly by the union and the company to have final word, binding on company as well as union, in all future disputes.

Joining in the recommendation was Regional Director Arnold Atwood, of the UAW-CIO in Indiana.

The union's proposal, offered to maintain labor standards during the defense emergency and as an indication of the union's readiness to cooperate, was accepted by the management as a subject for negotiation when the contract expires next month.

UNION TO DISCIPLINE

The negotiations were attended by Federal Conciliator James J. Dewey. It was agreed that where justified cases for disciplinary action arise, such action is to be taken by the union.

Reports of a slowdown in the plant were denied by the UAW-CIO spokesmen who said the union does not authorize or tolerate such practices.

Frankensteen and Leonard, in a joint statement before the settlement, accused the Bendix company of attempting to take advantage of the defense emergency to cut wages and coin unjustified profits.

"We will not yield to a concerted program to break down the social gains of labor," they said.

"We propose that some form of arbitration be agreed upon which will permit a disinterested third party to adjudicate disputes between the parties during which time work progress will continue uninterrupted."