Evening star., 1936-10-01
MARITIME UNION
AGREES TO TRUCE,
AVERT|NG STRIKE
Shipping to Continue Under
Old Agreement During
Arbitration.
McGRADY'S PROPOSAL
KEEPS $1,000 AT WORK
Assistant Secretary OF Labor
Praises Workers and Employ.
ers for Attitude.
BACKGROUND

Pacific Coast maritime dispute
iphich threatened to tie up ship
PING hinged on expiration OF YORK
ing agreements ,phich folto,Ded the
bitter 1884 coaStwfSe strike, in
uhich q dozen men lost their lipes
and Which finally led to mass
,Dnlkout OF all unions in the San
Francisco Bay area.
Agreements Dere renetCed q year
400 by mutual consent, but this
year both sides announced diSsatts-
faction.
By the Associated Fress.
SAN FRANCISCO. october IA
threatened tie-up of coast shipping
through expiration of agreements be-
,ween shippers and unions represent
ng $1,000 workers was announced as
lverted early today through union ac-
.eptance of a l5-day truce proposed
oy employers.
Under the truce, as outlined by As
fistant Labor Secretary Edward F.
McGrady. commerce will continue
lnder the old agreements, with mo
strings" attached to the arrangement.
During that period. he said, the
lnions will appoint committees to de-
:ide whether disputed issues shall be
submitted to arbitration during an ad-
iitional As days of proposed negotia-
tons.
The question of arbitrating these
disputes has been principal cause OF
deadlocking negotiations. Thu unions
declared they could not arbitrate such
fundamental questions as recognition
and the right to collective bargaining.
Employers in Accord.
Employers in turn said they had
granted full union recognition and
were in accord with the workers
rights to bargain collectively.
The iruce was announced nearly
half an hour after the time set for
expiration of the old agreements,
under which the maritime workers
genearlly were granted higher wages
and in proved working conditions than
had e isted previously.
Goa. shipping lowed to fraction
Of its normal movement yesterday in
anticipation of waterfront trouble.
McGrady praised both sides.
IF common sense prevails, am
sure there is no necessity. for tieup
in the future" said the ohacial, who
spent all yesterday and last night
moving from one conference to an
other. He was sent here by plane
from Washington.
In unanimously accepting the truce
lhe Joint Union Negotiating Commit
tee thanked McGrady and Federal
Conciliators E. P. Marsh and Edward
Fitzgerald for preventing lockout
by employers"
Previously shippers had announced
that, beginning today, they would hire
only under their own terms, and at
docks instead of through jointly oper-
ated hiring halls.
Union chiefs, including Harry
Bridges. district president of the In
ternational Longshoremen's Associa-
ton, said such action would be resisted
as lockout
Propose Arbitration.
The employers proposal for the truce
was embodied in telegram sent the
newly created United States Maritime
Commission. It specified that each Of
the unions on or before October Is
agree with your commission and with
us that any and all disputes that shall
Aot be settled by negotiation within
the 60-day period shall be SUBJ
mitted to arbitration before your COM
mission, and upon the understanding
that your commission will lend its ef-
forts and influence to see that awards
and existing contracts are lived up to
during the period 80.
I'VE have advised maritime unions
Of our willingness to grant a l5-day
extension"
Last week the unions proposed a
15-day truce. but employers then said
they were "loath" to any extension
which would not result in permanent
settlement of difficulties.
The big Dollar Liner, President
Coolidge, diverted from San Francisco,
sailed for the Orient several hours be-
hind schedule from San Pedro. The
delay involved crew demands for any
benefits that might result from main
land negotiations during the 60-day
yoyage.