Evening star., 1939-10-30
BY THOMAS c. HARDMAN.

Justice Department.
BY THOMAS c. HARDMAN.
A special committee of the Build
ing Trades Department of the Amer
lean Federation of Labor today
handed down decision designed to
terminate Nationwide jurisdic-
tional dispute between the Interna-
tional Union of Operating Engineers
and the International Brotherhood
OF Teamsters, which has resulted To-
cally in District Court indictment
against the latter organization.
The decision, in effect, awarded
jurisdiction Of concrete-mixer
trucks to the engineers, who have
fought efforts of the teamsters to
gain control of their operation here
for several months.
Regarded as step toward clear
ing up muddled conditions in the
building construction industry
throughout the country, the decision
specified:
l. All poWer-driven equipment
that is used exclusively as a vehicle
to transport any materials or other
matter for building or other con-
struction work comes within the
jurisdiction of the teamsters and
chauffeurS.
2. All power-driven equipment
used on any and all types of build
ing and other construction work.
including any and all power-driven
equipment that has been in dispute
between the teamsters and engi-
neers. comes within the jurisdiction
of the international Union of Oper-
ating Engineers.
Elaboration Expected.
Elaboration and Interpretation of
the decision was expected to be
forthcoming from the committee
within the next few days.
Copies of the decision have been
sent by registered mail to the parties
IN the dispute and the building
trades department.
Members of the committee who
were appointed last May to make
a study Of the dispute between the
TWO unions in the A. F. of L. family
were:
William L. Hutcheson. interna-
tlonal president of the Carpenters
and Joiners.
Richard Gray, secretary treasurer
OF the Bricklayers and Masons In
ternational Union.
Dan w. Tracy. international presi-
dent OF the Electrical Workers.
All are vice presidents of the
Building Trades Department.
The unions in the dispute agreed
that the decision of the committee
would be final.
Delayed by Illness.
Members of the committee ex-
planned that the decision was de-
layed considerably due to the illness
OF one of its members. Mr.. Hutche-
son, the chairman, explained that
the group met night and day" last
week when the members finally were
able to confer.
The decision was described as be-
ing made in record time for such
a complicated case" Mr.. Hutcheson
! said there was mo excuse for delay"
after the committee, as whole,
finally was able to meet, and there
was every reason for driving through
in this case"
John Possehl. head of the inter-
national organization of the engi-
neers, expressed pleasure over the
decision and stated:
1T is not, however, to be regarded
as a personal victory or even as a
victory for our union. 1t is a vic
tory for the building and construc-
ton industry"
The Justice Department has been
engaged in nation wide investiga-
ton Of the construction industry for
several months and several indict-
ments have been handed down in
several sections of the country.
A demurrer and alternative motion
to quash an indictment charging
five officials of the teamsters union
here, as we'll as the local organiza-
ton as such, with conspiracy in
violation of the Sherman Antitrust
Act is now under consideration at
District Court. Final briefs were to
be filed by attorneys in the case
today.
Exempt From Act, Says Padway.
Joseph A. Padway, chief counsel
Of the A. F. of L., said that the
alleged conspiracy as indicated in
the indictment was carried out for
an object and with an intent not
prohibited by any laws of the United
States, and that the alleged con-
spiracy and the accompanying acts
were expressly exempt from the
operation of the Sherman Act.
The indictment stated that the
teamsters conspired to tie up the
construction industry in the Dis
trict strikes and boycotts-acts
branded as "unwarranted, unreason-
able and oppressive" 1t also pointed
out that the sole object "of the
conspiracy was to replace" engineers
operating mixer" concrete trucks
with members of the teamsters'
local, the Drivers, Chauffeurs and
Helpers Union, No. 500.
A few days after the indictment
was returned officials of the A. F.
of L., including its president, Will
liam Green, conferred with Attorney
General Murphy to discuss the
building and construction industry
generally.