Telegram to Union and Management Officials Concerning a Threatened Strike in the Aerospace Industry.
THE Director of the federal Mediation and Conciliation Service has reported to me that there is a complete stalemate in the negotiations between the International Association of Machinists and the United Automobile Workers and various companies in our vital aerospace industry. The unions involved have threatened to shut down operations, both at the manufacturers plants and at a substantial number of our missile sites at noon on July 23, 1962. Major strikes in this industry would substantially delay our vital missile and space programs and would be contrary to the national interest. The Director of the federal Mediation and Conciliation Service has advised me that the appointment of a distinguished public board to assist further mediation activities, and, if necessary, to make a report and recommendations would, under all of the circumstances involved, be helpful in resolving the disputes and in effecting settlements.
In this important defense industry all parties have a responsibility to cooperate in achieving a settlement without any interruption of work. Accordingly, I request the parties to the disputes to continue work and operations for a period of 60 days with the status quo being preserved under all of the terms and conditions of the existing agreements. I further request the unions to withdraw all strike action during this period.
I am appointing a Board of distinguished citizens to supplement continuing mediation efforts of the federal Mediation and Conciliation Service and, if necessary, to conduct hearings and to report its findings and recommendations to me and to the parties within the to-day period, leaving an adequate time for negotiations before the expiration thereof.
The members of the Board are: Dr. George W. Taylor, Chairman, Mr. Ralph T. Seward, Mr. Charles C. Killingsworth.
I am requesting the parties to cooperate fully with the Board in the discharge of its important responsibilities.
JOHN F. KENNEDY
Note: This is the text of identical telegrams addressed to the members of the Board and to union and management officials as follows:
Dr. George W. Taylor, Professor of Industry, Wharton School of finance and Commerce, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pa.
Ralph T. Seward, 3029 M Street NW., Washington, D.C.
Charles C. Killingsworth, 852 Lantern Hill Drive, East Lansing, Mich.
Ryan Aeronautical Company, Attn: William J. Herbert, Director of Industrial Relations, Lindbergh field, San Diego, Calif.
North American Aviation, Inc., Attn: Eugene Starkweather, Director of Industrial Relations, El Segundo, Calif.
Convair Division, General Dynamics Corporation, Attn: Robert H. Biron, Director, Industrial Relations, San Diego, Calif.
Lockheed Aircraft Corporation, Attn: James Lydon, Director of Industrial Relations, Burbank, Calif.
Aerojet-General Corporation , Attn: Adm. Dan Kimball, President, Sacramento, Calif.
Walter P. Reuther, President, United Automobile Workers, AFL-CIO, 8000 East Jefferson Avenue, Detroit, Mich.
Leonard Woodcock, Vice President, United Automobile Workers, AFL-CIO, Santa Ynez Inn, Pacific Palisades, Calif.
Jesse McGlon, Vice President, National Association of Machinists, 1300 Connecticut Avenue NW., Washington, D.C.
A. J. Hayes, President, International Association of Machinists, AFL-CIO, 1300 Connecticut Avenue NW., Washington 6, D.C.
E. R. White, Vice President, International Association of Machinists, AFL-CIO, 3015 Ocean Park Boulevard, Santa Monica, Calif.
The text of the telegram was released at Hyannis, MASS.
John F. Kennedy, Telegram to Union and Management Officials Concerning a Threatened Strike in the Aerospace Industry. Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/node/236306