Letter from David J. McDonald to Directors of United Steelworkers of America

UNITED STEELWORKERS OF AMERICA 1500 Commonwealth Building staff Pittsburgh 22, Pennsylvania in June 19, 1952 (Sent to all Directors in U. s.) Dear Sir and Brother: The United States Government is faced with the problem of getting finished steel, needed for important defense work, out of the plants and warehouses involved in the current strike. President Murray appointed a committee (E. J. Maloy, William Jacko, F. II. Hoffman, and myself) to meet with government defense production officials to work on this problem. We have made the necessary arrangements with those officials, and spokesmon for the steel companies have concurred. Our arrangements were made in accordance with the statement of President Murray and the declaration of the International Mage Policy Committee on June 13, 1952, to the effect that this vitally needed steol would be moved. Accordingly, it will be necessary for you to immediately arrange meetings of staff representatives and representatives of Local Unions with the various companies in order that members of their union and the necessary supervisory and clerical forces may proceed with shipping of this steel. All people who go to work who are included in our bargaining units must have their full rights protected. All of the finished steel can be identified by a "rating symbol* appearing on the buyer's purchase order. For instance, an order bearing the symbol A-1 is for materials for the aircraft program; A-2 is for the guided missiles program; A-6 is for the ammunitions program; etc. The steel which is to be shipped will bear the following rating symbols: (List copied from Silvey's memo of 6/18/52) All steel marked with any of the above symbols is to be shipped. It will go to the plants of fabricators of certain military end-products. No steel is to be shipped for commerical use, although of course some of the steel will go to fabricators who are currently on defense production orders and commercial items. None of this symbol rated steel, however, can be used by the fabricator for any purpose except military end-products. Our local union representatives should