The Waterbury Democrat., 1937-05-13

union.
 Tickets Patrol Plants While pickets patroled the plants, Murray planned for another con- ference this morning with H. E. Lewis, chairman of the corporation, and James F. Dewey, No. 1 con- ciliator of the labor department, this morning.
 The strike was the unions first effort to force the Big Five" inde- pendent producers, who together employ more than 175,000 men, to sign contracts. They are: Jones & Laughlin, Republic Steel Corpora tion, Bethlehem Steel, National Steel and Youngstown Sheet & Tube.
 Jones & Laughlin'S refusal to sign a written agreement is the sole is- sue in the walkout. J. & L. wage and hour policies are the same as those companies working under contract with the SWOC.
 Frequent but not serious disorders occurred as hundreds of pickets guarded the main gates of the two plants at a. n1., EDT, when the first shift ordinarily would have re- ported. More than dozen shouting women were scattered among the men pickets at Allquippa.
 Gate CraSher Barred
 H. L. Queen, white haired work CTS of 18 years experience, tried to crash" the Aliquippa picket line.
 T got job and I'm going to it" he said.
 Like hell you are," a picket yelled. This is a strike, old man."
 There was furry of punches and Queen was taken away, bleeding at the lips. Several others who tried to get through were beaten, it was re- ported. The windshield of an auto- mobile was smashed.
 Union leaders admonished the pickets to "cut out the rough stuff Just pick 'em up and carry em out.
 Little or no violence was reported as thousands of pickets patroled the main gates of the compaEy's two huge plants, preventing even main- tenance workers from entering Company spokesmen indicated there would be no attempt to operate the mills.
 Dewey, who aided in ending the recent automobile strike, conferred last night with union leaders. He indicated that basis for settle ment might be reached today. Two Hour Conference Murray and Lewis conferred fol two hours yesterday. No statement was made after the conference end ed, but three hours later Murray after comforting with heads O. Anal gamated Association of Iron, Stee & Tin Workers lodges, announced: we had a twc-hour conference | with MT. Lewis this afternoon. Nc | agreement was reached. The con- ference will be continued tomorrow In the meantime, the mills will gc down at Il o'clock EDT tonight"
 The word went immediately to mass meetings of union steel-Work- CTS in Pittsburgh and at Al4quippa and picket lines were formed within a short time. Workers on the late afternoon shift continued until their days work ended, but no che was allowed to enter when they left.
 At Pittsburgh one worker tried to push his way through the lines and was forcibly stopped, but without serious injury. One man was beaten in disorder at Aliquippa and pick cts prevented bus from going into the mill to remove workers from the plant. A doctor and a nurse also were prevented from entering the plant.
 Corporation Statement A few hours after the strike order, the corporation said that Murray had requested signed contract recognizing the union "as the col lective bargaining agency only for the workers represented by him, J although he claimed the union repre- Sented a majority of the workers. | MT. Murray was advised" the statement said, that the Jones & Laughlin Steel Corporation would sign collective bargaining contract with the SWOC for its members ir the employ of the corporation, pro- viding that employees not belonging to that organization shall have the right to an identical contract ano which they have asked for.
 MT. Murray was also advised that the Jones & Laughlin Steel corpora tion is agreeable to signing a con- tract for exclusive collective bar gaining with the group or urganiza- tion obtaining the votes of major ity of the employees in an election al it's plans under supervision of the national labor relations board as provided in the Wagner act.
 Republic Steel, at a conference with union leaders Tuesday, reiter- ated it's refusal to sign q writer agreement, although it said it was willing to abide by union Standards on an unwritten basis. The company contends that the Wagner act does not require written contracts.
 National Steel Corp. never has been offered a union contract, but the union has filed charges with the national labor relations board that a subsidiary, the Weirton Steel com pany, of Weirton, w. Va, has dis missed employees for union activity Bethlehem Steel, which empolys 65,O00 men, has held preliminary contract conferences with the union
 Other independents which have not signed contracts include Inland Steel company ln the Chicago area Pittsburgh Steel company and Cru cible Steel company of America Pittsburgh and Crucible have opened negotiations, however. In all, the three employ abo'lt 32,0O0 workers.