Evening star., 1934-05-01
1000 CARPENTERS
IN CAPITAL STRIKE
FOR HIGHER WAGES
Demand Increase of 37I2
Cents Over Present Hour.
Iy Rate of ST..
BAKERS ALSO WALK OUT,
TYING UP INDUSTRY
Labor Departments Cancellation
Service Takes Steps to
Settle Disputes.

Approximately 2,coo union carpen-
ters. most of them employed on va
rious Government construction jobs.
went on strike today for an increase
of STA cents over their present hourly
wage rate of 81.
At the same time union bakers
throughout the city took similar ac-
ton, tying up virtually every bakery
in the District as they began battle
for higher wages. Although the La
bor Department announced settlement
of threatened strike by bakery driv-
ers, with about 400 bakers and helpers
refusing to work, they were forced to
remain idle
The Labor Departments Concilia-
ton Service took immediate steps to-
ward settlement of the strikes, and
meeting was called to consider a new
offer to the bakers and helpers from
the Employing Bakers Association.
Details of the negotiations with the
carpenters and contractors were not
revealed, but Labor Department OFF,
cials declared every effort would be
made to bring about an amicable set
tlement.
Many Jobs Tie Up.
The carpenters strike has tied up
union carpenter work on about 25
Government jobs, and so or 60 pri-
vate jobs. it was indicated by Albert
Caya, business agent for the car
penters. The union is standing firm
for the $1.371a rate, which, it claims,
is only return to the former scale
The old scale expired last night, but
union officials have been claiming it
was an Illegal contract. Employ
ing contractors, on the other hand,
claim it was legal contract, signed
by contractors, and officials who then
headed the union.
Meantime the Master Builders As
sociation has called a meeting for to-
morrow, when it will confer not only
among its own members, but also
with outside contractors who have
Government jobs here, but are not
members of the Master Builders AS
sociation.
Senators Ask Probe.
On Capitol Hill an inquiry by the
Senate Committee on Education and
Labor into the relationship between
contractors on Government buildings
in Washington and their employees
was asked late yesterday by Senators
Davis of Pennsylvania and Walsh of
MASSACHUSETTS.
The resolution, designed to be broad
enough to inquire into any branch OF
the building industry, stated that the
purpose would be to determine:
First, If such employees receive the
prevailing rates of wages of building
trades workers; second, If such en-
ployes are forced to give up ary part
OF the compensation to which they
are entitled under their contract of
employment, a practice known as the
'kick-back racket and third, if such
employees are discharged and refused
further employment on such construc-
ton projects for protesting against
such 'kick-back rackets' or other
abuses"
Representative McFadden, Repub-
hcan. of Pennsylvania, has introduced
a resolution in the House providing for
a somewhat similar inquiry, and it Is
now before the Rules Committee.
Solution Is Suggested.
One proposal which was put forward
today as a possible solution of the
carpenters strike, was to suggest the
carpenters go back to work at the
old scale Of 81 per hour, and the con-
tractors put into escrow a sum
amounting to the disputed 371a cents
per hour pending final settlement on
the new wage sale. This proposal did
not come from the contractors, nor
the carpenters, but has been sub
mitted to the conciliation service from
responsible quarters as one possible
means of adjusting the difficulties. 1t
was not known early today whether
this would be acceptable to either side,
but those who sponsor the proposal
said it had been used successfully in
other places and a: other times in
settling similar wage disputes
The offer from bakery employers
was understood to. 60 two-thlrds of
the way from the present scale toward
the demands of the union, and there
were intimations from employers today
that the union might accept their
terms.
Bakers Demand Increase
Bakers, who are getting 80 cents an
hour for day work, and 81 .08 for night
work, have demanded an increase to
s105 and SIPS. respectively. The
union turned down the first offer OF
employers for 95 cents and lis. and
early this morning the employers
counter ID with another and better
offer of 81 per hour for day and
ST 20 for night work. 1t YVES this pro-
posal the union was to consider at
its meeting today.
Bakers helpers who now are re-
ceiving 40 cents and SO cents for
day and night work. respectively, are
asking SIS cents and IS cents, and
the employers have offered so cents
and 60 cents.
Another threatened strike of drivers
for the bread companies failed to ma
terialize when the wages of 500 sales
men drivers were raised from $35 to
$38 a week.
One reason for the bakers demands
was explained to be the actual cut in
wages they have suffered since the
industry was put on 40-hour week
The new scale they are asking would
restore them to- about the same wages
they we're making before the work
week was cut from 48 hours to 40
hours.
Church Guild to Meet.