Evening star., 1939-03-11

and John L. Conner, commissioners
OF conciliation, met with the strikers
committee. Some time later in the
day, it was stated at the department,
1t is hoped that both groups can be
brought together for showdown. !"
Little real progress toward settle
ment of the strike has been made in
the negotiations-which began early
yesterday-it was learned. Both
sides have stuck close to their origi-
nal demands
But the Labor Department hoped
before the day was over to advance
some concrete, battle-ground agree
ment which both would agree to.
This, it was hoped, would end the
strike.
The labor group, which says it
has pulled 1000 of its members out
of the hotels. still demanded some
form of union shop" The hotel
operators were reported holding to
their demands for a preferential
shop"
Samuel Levine, attorney for the
strikers. said as todays sessions be-
gan that his side hoped to have
complete some form of counter pro-
posal. Observers agreed that this
indicated that some progress was
being made.
Ask Total Unionization.
The union shop" which the
strikers demand would mean that
all hotel workers would have to Join
their organization and that any new
employees would either have to be
hired from the union or agree to
join it.
Under the management's offer of
preferential shop, the operators
would agree to hire union men
whenever possible, but would not
forfeit their right to hire nom union
men and would not require the non
union workers now employed to Join
the labor organization.
Other points have cropped up in
the course of the negotiations, in
Guiding the question of firing meth
ods. The management insists that
1t has the right to fire any one for
legitimate cause. without consulting
the union, while the strikers de-
mand the right to review any
firings.
The strike began Wednesday
when workers walked out of the fol-
lowing hotels: Wardman Park,
Shoreham. Mayfower, Carlton. La
Fayette, Lee House. New Colonial
Willard, Raleigh, Harrington and
Continental. Strikes had already
been called against the Ambassa-
dor and the Roger Smith Pow
hatan).
Workers on strike include cooks
bell boys, elevator operators, cham
bermaids. walters and mattresses
and other hotel helpers. All main.
tainance workers affiliated with the
building trades-carpenters, elec-
tricians, plumbers, ETC. have been
ordered to stay out of picketed
hotels.
In addition, Teamsters' Union and
Brewery and Yeast Workers Union
members-who drive trucks that de-
liver anything from coal, ice. and
fuel oil to milk, bread and beer
nave voted not to cross picket lines
Strikers to Broadcast.
The strikers committee agreed tn.
DAY to go on the air over Station
WJSV at Ais pm. to present its
side OF the story. The hotel oper-
ators declined an invitation from
the station to appear for an equal
length Of time. Joseph McGarraehy
counsel for the hotels, said he
thought 1t would be poor taste" to
talk while negotiations were in
progress.
Latest luminary to be affected
by the hotel strike was Katherine
Hepburn, the actress, who vacated
her rooms at the Carlton because OF
the strike. Miss Hepburn, appear
Ing at the National Theater during
the past week, is a member of stage
and screen unions. She is STAYING
with friend.
Reinforced Picket Lines.
Cold winds whistled along city
streets as the pickets took up theil
pavement pounding before dawn thi.
morning. There were indication.
that before the day was over the
picket hnes-biggest ever estab.
lshed in the District-would be re.
| inforced.
Additional reinforcements for tn
picket lines were promised by MI
Sands, who said his union-the bar
tenders-would meet tomorrow Il