Muscle

C. I. O.'s United Automobile Workers of America last week showed its muscle by winning exclusive recognition (but no closed shop) from the Briggs Manufacturing Co. in Detroit, called off a strike which had tied up Chrysler and Lincoln plants as well, by depriving them of Briggs auto bodies (TIME, June 12). Having just taken his minority U. A. W. back into A. F. of L., President Homer Martin thereupon displayed his muscle. He demanded that big General Motors recognize his union to the exclusion of C. I. O., called a strike in three G. M. plants and threatened more.

Mr. Martin had some luck at one of the subsidiary Fisher Body Corp.'s two plants in strike-worn Flint, Mich., little luck elsewhere. "A complete failure," chortled C. I. O.'s Auto-President Roland Jay Thomas.

That victory for either side in such an intra-Labor war is defeat for both sides, G. M.'s President William S. Knudsen promptly demonstrated. "The corporation is and at all times has been prepared to bargain with duly authorized representatives of the employes," said the big motor-maker who was the first to sign up with C. I. O.'s union in 1937. "What it cannot do is to decide quarrels as between contending factions." In eleven plants, where both C. I. O. and Martin claim jurisdiction, G. M. will deal with neither. In 48, whether one or the other has exclusive representation, the corporation will continue to deal with local union committees. Meantime, pending decision of the rival claims by the courts or the National Labor Relations Board, G. M. will not talk amendment (or, in effect, renewal) of its national contract with either union. G. M. was showing its muscle.

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