Evening star., 1937-07-20
ALL D. c. PAINTERS
ORDERED T0STR|KE
IN j. s. Jobs ROW
500 to 600 Union Men Called
Out in Blow Aimed at
Contractors.
SYMPATHY WALKOUT
ACTION STILL DELAYED
Other Labor Organizations Will
Consider Possibility at Meet.
ing Tomorrow.
BACKGROUND


Most local contractors hare CO.
operated nth building unions to
pay union Wage scales and use
union men on public Jobs.
Dectd1ng TO force showdowr in
cases Where such cO-opernt,or IA
refused. organized construction
WorkerS rent on strike last ueek on
fre school projects Yesterday. on
same issue, local painters uent out
on Federal Jobs.
All union painters employed in
Washington were ordered out on strike
this afternoon, 1t was announced at
headquarters Of local 1868 of the paint
ers' union.
The action involves between FIVE and
six hundred painters and plasterers
employed on both public and private
work. it was said, and is part o. the
locals drive to force contra actors on
Government jobs to use only union
labor.
The controversy has been brought
to head during the last few davs
as an Atlanta. Ga. firm. William
Wilson q Sons. placed non-union men
al work on contract Jobs in the City
Post Office and the Bureau of In
ternal Revenue.
Labor Union Backs Painters.
The painters union called its MEM
bers off four Government jobs yes
terday in protest against the Wilson
tllm's policy. Last night. the Central
Labor Union placed itself on record
as lndorsing the painters strike ac-
ton of yesterday.
Although representatives of other
unions allied with the construction
industry met at the Offices of tbs
Washington Building Trades Council
this morning, no action was taken on
possible sympathy strike.
A meeting of the Executive Board of
the Council will be held tomorrow with
consideration of city-wide Federal
building strike expected then.
The strikes already under way here
were called by b P Holcombe. busi-
ness manager of the Painters Union,
IN protest against use of non-union
la Dor on contract jobs al the City Post
Office and the Bureau Of Internal Rev.
enue.
Picketing Began YESTERDAY.
Plcketlng began yesterday at the
Internal Revenue Job and was sched-
uled to start today. weather permit
ting, at the post Office The union
painters out in protest were taken
from jobs at the Government Printing
Office, the Procurement Division,
Archives Building and the new Apex
Building
Major Federal projects now under
way in the District and which might
be brought to a standstill BY a gen.
eral strike call are at the Apex Build
ing, Archives Building, Printing and
Engraving Annex. Printing Office
warehouse and at the Procurement
Division itself
In event the local impaSse is not
cleared up satisfactorily within a few
days, Holcombe said he would appeal
to his international headquarters in
Lafayette, Ind. to issue a strike call
w oil uIlloIl )diillPlS on procurement
Division jobs throughout the coun-
try.
AS the Federal situation appeared
heading for a showdown, machinery
set up yesterday to straighten out an
Identical controversy with regard to
District building projects was set in
motion.
Formal Complaints Due.
First step will be submission Of for
mally prepared complaints by the
Building Trades Council against two
firms using non-union labor on thres
District school jobs. The complaints u
go to the neWly-created District Labor
Relations Board. which is charged with
maintaining fair practices in munich
pal contract work
Capt. j. S. Bishop. jr.. chairman OF
the new board said the complaints will
be submitted Immediately to the Labor
tSee LABOR, Page A-4J