Evening star., 1939-03-13
Truce Predicted
Within 36 Hours
In Hotel Strike
Labor Department
ConciIiotor Expects
EorIy Settlement
BACKGROUND


BACKGROUND
Negotiations between most OF
Washington's big hotels and
some unions for reneUal of con-
tracts early this month led to
strike first in tWo hotels, and
later at II more by unions of the
Hotel and Restaurant Employees
International Alliance and Bar
tenders League. Cancellation
Service OF Labor Department,
bringing labor and operators to-
gether for round table confer
ences, has obtained acceptance BY
strikers of compromise pro-
posdl.
The hotel strike may be settled
within the next SO hours, according
to j. r. Steelman, director of con-
Citation, Department of Labor.
This prediction came early this
afternoon after Mr.. Steelman and
conciliators of the department said
they had received further conces-
sions from both operators and labor
leaders in the controversy involving
13 hotels.
Unless unforeseen developments
occur" Mr.. Steelnan said, "the
strike should be settled in the next
SO hours"
After the conferences this morn
ing, it was arranged that the next
joint meeting of labor, hotel oper-
ators and Government officials
would take place at the Labor De-
partment at 10:30 am. tomorrow.
In the meantime, this afternoon
both sides were to put in writing
further details specifically outlining
their own positions When these
two documents are finished, Director
Steelman explained, they may still
be somewhat different, requiring
further negotiations. But, he en-
phasized, they will be much closer
together than at any time in the
past and, barring unexpected set
backs, should lead to settlement.
Unions Accept Compromise.
The first conference this morning
opened at 10:30 when the hotel
operators committee of three, head
ed by Joseph McGarraghy, counsel.
met with Mr.. Steelman. They were
together for about two hours.
Meantime, Samuel Levine, counsel
for the strikers, conferred with
concihators of the department on
further details of the negotiations
in separate room. They later also
saw Mr.. Steelman for short time.
The unions have accepted the COM
promise proposal which had been
worked out as result of negotia-
tions leading up to climax yester-
day. The unions acceptance, how
ever, was based on acceptance by
the hotel operators and it was be-
Geved that both sides wanted
specific Qualifications.
Considerable rewriting of docu-
ments apparently faced both sides
and they were to have the rewrit-
ten proposals back in the hands of
Mr.. Steelman today. Then he would
know exactly where both stood.
When the joint conferences are re-
sumed tomorrow morning, the labor
leaders again will be joined by Mig
uel Garriga, international vice
president of the Hotel and Restau-
rant Employees International AL
lance. Mr.. Garriga participated in
the conferences yesterday at the
Department of Labor, but had to
return to Pittsburgh. He is ex-
pected to be back in Washington to-
morrow morning.
Meantime the picket lines marched
around 13 hotels this morning while
the sun shone and the weather
took a favorable change.
One Of the principal concessions
agreed to by the hotel operators was
understood to be that in case Of
involuntary separation of union en-
ployes, the hotels would either get
another employe from the union
or if they engaged him from the
open market, the new employe
would have to join the union. This
was in answer to the unions con-
tention that the hotel operators
would use their open market en-
ployment to break down the union.
Mutual Benefit Seen.
Mr.. Steelman, before today's con-
ference began, said the compromise
proposal now under consideration
was mot exactly" an official plan of
the Government. 1t was the out
growth of notifications from nego-
tiations of the last 72 hours.
Referring to acceptance by the
union at midnight, Mr.. Steelman
said, This definitely breaks the
deadlock. While I can't reveal the
text of the written articles accepted
by the union Executive Board, I can
say they involved modification Of
the unions heretofore firm stand for
an absolute closed shop.
This modification was contingent
upon other concessions to be made
by employers for the purpose of
handling grievances and guarantee
ing the union security and an op-
portunity for future growth.
For the first time I now see the
definite possibility for settlement,
which will be embarrassing to
neither party, and of benefit to all
concerned"
The negotiations opened yester-
day morning with joint conference
Of the Government, the strikers and
the operators. After four hours, the
Operators Committee, headed by
Attorney McGarraghy, left with the
proposal, to call special meeting
Of the hotel managers last night.
The managers met last night and
this morning their committee took
their conclusions to the conference
with Mr.. Steelman.
Concerning arbitation, the hotels,
1t was learned, insist they never
have been unwilling to consent to
the arbitration of disputes under
the contract.
Union leaders have insisted on an
arbitration board, or committee, to
which disputed questions on dis
missals and transfers could be taken.