Evening star., 1936-08-11
STRIKERS
REJECT PAY OFFER
Union Statesmen Vote Down
Dutch Baker Boy Plan
of Profit. Sharing.

Having rejected another offer by
Dutch Baker Boy. Inc. to share In
net profits" Bakery Salesmen's
strike for $38 week minimum wages,
and shorter hours. The company
trucks. however, continued to deliver
goods.
In an open letter to Robert G.
Lester, business agent of the sales
mems union. published in full else
where in The Star today by the COM
pany, w. M. Edwards, president, had
outlined the details Of the renewed
offer. The offer was presented to the
union at meeting yesterday at 720
Fifth street, where the union re-
jected it by vote.
The offer, In effect, would have set
up a plan, calculated by an -impar-
tial accountant" for the union bak-
cry statesmen to share in the net
profits Of the firm, pay to begin at the
end Of six months, figured on earn
ings. The profits would be distributed
in the form of extra pay each week,
and would be continued until each
man was receiving 10 per cent more
than the present union scale. This
would be continued until the men
had received, "on the average, the
equivalent of the present union scale
over the period Of their employment"
After that the pay would be the cur
rent union scale.
Says Higher Scale Hazardous.
"Any fair-minded person will agree,
We think" wrote Edwards in his let
ter making the offer. that We can
not do more than turn over to the
employees the net profits of our busi-
ness and to attempt to do more
would lead to bankruptcy and the
throwing out Of work of our many
employees"
The letter pointed out that the
company was unable to raise the
wages above $31 week, but the union
Is striking for $38. Edwards insisted
he and the company were not op-
posed to unionization Of the plant
He said his organization was will
ing to unionize both the bakers work.
ing inside the plant and the statesmen
outside. He added that If Lester mis-
interpreted the offer made for such
unioniZaticu, 1t would be rewritten to
meet with Testers approval, as regards
unionizing.
Spokesman for the union declared
today the offer was rejected because
1t was not a real contract" but q
promise" to be fulfilled in about 18
months. The strike. they insisted,
would be continued.
Charles B. McClosky of the bakers
union, said he and Lester Of the
salesmen's union still were consider
ing the possibility Of carrying picket
signs on the automobiles in which
union pickets are following the bakery
trucks.
Charges Dismissed.
Charges of disorderly conduct,
placed against 40 of the striking en-
ployes for alleged interference with
the driver Of a company truck last
AAodyp WClC oloHlkooSO Uy d
M. Hedrick in Arlington County Court
yesterday.
The Judge announced he was dis
missing the charges on recommended
ton Of Sheriff Howard B. Fields and
James Simpson, assistant to Common.
wealths Attorney Lawrence w. Doug
las. The men were warned not to
repeat their actions, which police said
consisted of congregating around the
bakery truck when it stopped, to i'm
pede the driver in making prompt de-
liveries.
Reports on the number Of trucks
in operation differed. President Ed
wards Of the company said 40 trucks
were operating. Union spokesmen
said the company had 81 trucks, and
not all of them were operating.
Union men claimed 81 bakery
statesmen were out, while company
oficials said only 10 were out, 3
men having returned to work Friday.
after striking Thursday. The COM
panys says 81 employees who did not
strike are driving trucks Is bakery
salesmen.